What is realism in literature? It is one of the most common areas, reflecting a realistic image of reality. The main task of this direction is reliable disclosure of phenomena encountered in life, with the help of a detailed description of the depicted characters and the situations that happen to them, through typing. Important is the lack of embellishment.
In contact with
Among other areas, only in the realist special attention is paid to the correct artistic image life, and not the emerging reaction to certain life events, for example, as in romanticism and classicism. The heroes of realist writers appear before readers exactly as they were presented to the author's gaze, and not as the writer would like to see them.
Realism, as one of the most widespread trends in literature, settled closer to the middle of the 19th century after its predecessor, romanticism. The 19th century was subsequently designated as the era of realistic works, but romanticism did not cease to exist, it only slowed down in development, gradually turning into neo-romanticism.
Important! This term was first defined in literary criticism DI. Pisarev.
The main features of this direction are as follows:
- Full compliance with reality depicted in any work of the picture.
- True specific typing of all the details in the images of the characters.
- The basis is the conflict situation between the individual and society.
- Image in the work deep conflict situations the drama of life.
- The author pays special attention to the description of all phenomena environment.
- A significant feature of this literary trend is the writer's considerable attention to inner world man, his state of mind.
Main genres
In any of the areas of literature, including the realistic, a certain system of genres is being formed. It was the prose genres realism, due to the fact that more than others were suitable for a more correct artistic description new realities, their reflection in literature. The works of this direction are divided into the following genres.
- A social and everyday novel that describes the way of life and a certain type of characters inherent in this way of life. A good example of a social genre is Anna Karenina.
- A socio-psychological novel, in the description of which one can see a complete detailed disclosure of the human personality, his personality and inner world.
- The realistic novel in verse is a special kind of novel. a wonderful example this genre is "", written by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin.
- A realistic philosophical novel contains age-old reflections on topics such as: the meaning of human existence, the opposition of good and evil sides, a certain purpose of human life. an example of realistic philosophical novel is "", the author of which is Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov.
- Story.
- Tale.
In Russia, its development began in the 1830s and became a consequence of the conflict situation in various fields society, contradictions higher ranks and ordinary people. Writers began to address the topical issues of their time.
Thus begins the rapid development of a new genre - realistic novel, which, as a rule, described the hard life of the common people, their hardships and problems.
The initial stage in the development of the realistic trend in Russian literature is the "natural school". During " natural school»Literary works to a greater extent sought to describe the position of the hero in society, his belonging to any kind of profession. Among all genres leading place occupied physiological essay.
In the 1850s and 1900s, realism began to be called critical, as main goal became a criticism of what is happening, the relationship between certain person and areas of society. Questions such as: the measure of society's influence on life individual person; actions that can change a person and the world around him; reason for the lack of happiness in human life.
Given literary direction became extremely popular in domestic literature, since Russian writers were able to make the world genre system richer. There were works from in-depth questions of philosophy and morality.
I.S. Turgenev created an ideological type of heroes, the character, personality and internal state of which directly depended on the author's assessment of the worldview, finding certain meaning in their philosophy. Such heroes are subject to ideas that are followed to the very end, developing them as much as possible.
In the works of L.N. Tolstoy, the system of ideas that develops during the life of a character determines the form of his interaction with the surrounding reality, depends on the morality and personal characteristics of the heroes of the work.
Founder of realism
The title of the initiator of this direction in Russian literature was rightfully awarded to Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. He is a generally recognized founder of realism in Russia. "Boris Godunov" and "Eugene Onegin" are considered a vivid example of realism in the domestic literature of those times. Also distinguishing examples were such works by Alexander Sergeevich as Belkin's Tales and Captain's daughter».
Classical realism gradually begins to develop in Pushkin's creative works. The depiction of the personality of each character of the writer is comprehensive in an effort to describe the complexity of his inner world and state of mind which unfold very harmoniously. Recreation of the experiences of a certain person, her moral character helps Pushkin to overcome the willfulness of describing passions inherent in irrationalism.
Heroes A.S. Pushkin appear before readers with the open sides of their being. The writer pays special attention to the description of the sides of the human inner world, depicts the hero in the process of development and formation of his personality, which are influenced by the reality of society and the environment. This was served by his awareness of the need to depict a specific historical and national identity in the features of the people.
Attention! Reality in the image of Pushkin collects in itself an accurate concrete image of the details of not only the inner world of a certain character, but also the world that surrounds him, including his detailed generalization.
Neorealism in literature
New philosophical, aesthetic and everyday realities at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries contributed to a change in direction. Implemented twice, this modification acquired the name neorealism, which gained popularity during the 20th century.
Neorealism in literature consists of a variety of currents, since its representatives had a different artistic approach to depicting reality, including character traits realistic direction. It is based on appeal to the traditions of classical realism XIX century, as well as to problems in the social, moral, philosophical and aesthetic spheres of reality. A good example containing all these features is the work of G.N. Vladimov "The General and his army", written in 1994.
The second half of the 19th century is characterized by the emergence of such a trend as realism. He followed immediately after romanticism, which appeared in the first half of this century, but at the same time radically different from it. Realism in literature showed a typical person in a typical situation and tried to reflect reality as plausibly as possible.
The main features of realism
Realism has a certain set of features that distinguish it from the romanticism that preceded it and from the naturalism that follows it.1. Typification in a way. The object of a work in realism is always ordinary person with all its advantages and disadvantages. Accuracy in depicting human details is the key rule of realism. However, the authors do not forget about such nuances as individual characteristics, and they are harmoniously woven into an integral image. This distinguishes realism from romanticism, where the character is individual.
2. Typification of the situation. The situation in which the hero of the work finds himself should be characteristic of the time being described. The unique situation is more characteristic of naturalism.
3. Accuracy in the image. Realists have always described the world as it was, reducing the author's perception of the world to a minimum. Romantics acted quite differently. The world in their works was demonstrated through the prism of their own attitude.
4. Determinism. The situation in which the heroes of the works of realists find themselves is only the result of actions committed in the past. Heroes are shown in development, which is formed by the surrounding world. Interpersonal relationships play a key role in this. The personality of the character and his actions are influenced by many factors: social, religious, moral and others. Often in the work there is a development and change of personality under the influence of social factors.
5. Conflict: hero - society. This conflict is not unique. It is also characteristic of the currents preceding realism: classicism and romanticism. However, only realism considers the maximum typical situations. He is interested in the relationship between the crowd and the individual, the consciousness of the mass and the individual.
6. Historicism. Literature in the 19th century demonstrates a person inseparably from the environment and the period of history. The authors studied the lifestyle, the norms of behavior in society at a certain stage, before writing your works.
History of occurrence
It is believed that already in the Renaissance, realism begins to emerge. Heroes characteristic of realism include such large-scale images as Don Quixote, Hamlet and others. During this period, a person represents as the crown of creation, which is not typical for more late periods its development. During the Age of Enlightenment, enlightenment realism. The hero from the bottom acts as the main character.In the 1830s, people from the circle of romantics formed realism as a new literary trend. They strive not to portray the world in all its versatility and refuse the two worlds familiar to romantics.
By the age of 40 critical realism becomes the leading direction. However, on initial stage the formation of this literary trend, the newly minted realists still use the residual features characteristic of romanticism.
They can be counted:
esoteric cult;
the image of bright atypical personalities;
the use of fantasy elements;
segregation of heroes into positive and negative.
That is why the realism of the writers of the first half of the century was often criticized by the writers of the end of the 19th century. However, it is on early stage the main features of this direction are formed. First of all, this is a conflict characteristic of realism. In the literature of the former romantics, the opposition of man and society is clearly traced.
In the second half of the 19th century, realism takes on new forms. And it is not for nothing that this period is called the "triumph of realism." The social and political situation contributed to the fact that the authors began to study the nature of man, as well as his behavior in certain situations. Started to play big role social connections between individuals.
The science of that time had a huge influence on the development of realism. In 1859, Darwin's On the Origin of Species was published. The positivist philosophy of Kant also makes its contribution to artistic practice. Realism in the literature of the 19th century acquires an analytical, studying character. At the same time, writers refuse to analyze the future, it was of little interest to them. The emphasis was on modernity, which became key theme reflections of critical realism.
Main Representatives
Realism in the literature of the 19th century left many works of genius. By the first half of the century Stendhal, O. Balzac, Merimee were creating. It was they who were criticized by their followers. Their works have a subtle connection with romanticism. For example, the realism of Merimee and Balzac is permeated with mysticism and esotericism, the heroes of Dickens are bright carriers of one pronounced character trait or quality, and Stendhal portrayed bright personalities.Later, the creative method was developed by G. Flaubert, M. Twain, T. Mann, M. Twain, W. Faulkner. Each author brought individual features to his works. In Russian literature, realism is represented by the works of F. M. Dostoevsky, L. N. Tolstoy and A. S. Pushkin.
Realism (from late Latin reālis - real) - artistic method in art and literature. The history of realism in world literature is extraordinarily rich. The very idea of him changed to different stages artistic development, reflecting the persistent desire of artists to true image reality.
Illustration by V. Milashevsky for the novel by Ch. Dickens " Posthumous notes Pickwick Club.
Illustration by O. Vereisky for Leo Tolstoy's novel "Anna Karenina".
Illustration by D. Shmarinov for F. M. Dostoevsky's novel Crime and Punishment.
Illustration by V. Serov for M. Gorky's story "Foma Gordeev".
B. Zaborov's illustration for M. Andersen-Neksø's novel Ditte is a Human Child.
However, the concept of truth, truth - one of the most difficult in aesthetics. So, for example, the theoretician of French classicism N. Boileau called for being guided by the truth, "imitating nature." But the ardent opponent of classicism, the romantic V. Hugo, urged "to consult only with nature, truth and your inspiration, which is also truth and nature." Thus, both defended "truth" and "nature".
The selection of life phenomena, their assessment, the ability to present them as important, characteristic, typical - all this is connected with the artist's point of view on life, and this, in turn, depends on his worldview, on the ability to catch the advanced movements of the era. The desire for objectivity often forces the artist to depict the real balance of power in society, even contrary to his own political convictions.
The specific features of realism depend on the historical conditions in which art develops. National-historical circumstances also determine the uneven development of realism in different countries.
Realism is not something once and for all given and unchanging. In the history of world literature, several main types of its development can be outlined.
There is no consensus in science about initial period realism. Many art historians attribute it to very distant eras: they talk about realism rock paintings primitive people, about realism antique sculpture. In the history of world literature, many features of realism are found in the works of the ancient world and the early Middle Ages (in folk epic, for example, in Russian epics, in chronicles). However, the formation of realism as an artistic system in European literatures It is customary to associate with the Renaissance (Renaissance), the greatest progressive upheaval. A new understanding of life by a person who rejects the church preaching of slavish obedience was reflected in the lyrics of F. Petrarch, the novels of F. Rabelais and M. Cervantes, in the tragedies and comedies of W. Shakespeare. After medieval churchmen preached for centuries that man is a "vessel of sin" and called for humility, the literature and art of the Renaissance glorified man as the highest creation of nature, seeking to reveal the beauty of his physical appearance and the wealth of soul and mind. The realism of the Renaissance is characterized by the scale of the images (Don Quixote, Hamlet, King Lear), the poeticization of the human personality, its ability to have a great feeling (as in Romeo and Juliet) and at the same time the high intensity of the tragic conflict, when the clash of the personality with the inert forces opposing it is depicted. .
The next stage in the development of realism is the Enlightenment (see Enlightenment), when literature becomes (in the West) an instrument for the direct preparation of the bourgeois-democratic revolution. Among the enlighteners were supporters of classicism, their work was influenced by other methods and styles. But in the XVIII century. So-called Enlightenment realism is taking shape (in Europe), the theorists of which were D. Diderot in France and G. Lessing in Germany. The English realistic novel, the founder of which was D. Defoe, the author of Robinson Crusoe (1719), acquired world significance. A democratic hero appeared in the literature of the Enlightenment (Figaro in the trilogy by P. Beaumarchais, Louise Miller in the tragedy "Treachery and Love" by J. F. Schiller, and the images of peasants by A. N. Radishchev). Illuminators of all phenomena public life and the actions of people were assessed as reasonable or unreasonable (and they saw the unreasonable first of all in all the old feudal orders and customs). From this they proceeded in the depiction of the human character; their goodies- this is primarily the embodiment of reason, negative - a deviation from the norm, the product of unreason, barbarism of former times.
Enlightenment realism often allowed for convention. Thus, the circumstances in the novel and drama were not necessarily typical. They could be conditional, as in the experiment: "Let's say that a person ended up on a desert island ...". At the same time, Defoe depicts Robinson's behavior not as it could be in reality (the prototype of his hero went wild, even lost articulate speech), but as he wants to present a person, fully armed with his physical and mental powers, as a hero, a conqueror of forces. nature. Just as conventional is Goethe's Faust, shown in the struggle for the affirmation of lofty ideals. The features of a well-known convention also distinguish the comedy of D. I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth".
A new type of realism takes shape in the 19th century. This is critical realism. It differs significantly from both the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. Its heyday in the West is associated with the names of Stendhal and O. Balzac in France, C. Dickens, W. Thackeray in England, in Russia - A. S. Pushkin, N. V. Gogol, I. S. Turgenev, F. M. Dostoevsky, L. N. Tolstoy, A. P. Chekhov.
Critical realism portrays the relationship between man and the environment in a new way. Human character is revealed in organic connection with social circumstances. The inner world of a person became the subject of deep social analysis; therefore, critical realism simultaneously becomes psychological. In preparing this quality of realism, romanticism played a large role, striving to penetrate the secrets of the human "I".
Deepening the knowledge of life and complicating the picture of the world in the critical realism of the 19th century. do not mean, however, some absolute superiority over the previous stages, for the development of art is marked not only by gains, but also by losses.
The scale of the images of the Renaissance was lost. The pathos of affirmation, characteristic of the enlighteners, their optimistic faith in the victory of good over evil, remained unique.
The rise of the labor movement in Western countries, the formation in the 40s. 19th century Marxism not only influenced the literature of critical realism, but also brought to life the first artistic experiments in depicting reality from the standpoint of the revolutionary proletariat. In the realism of such writers as G. Weert, W. Morris, the author of the "Internationale" E. Pottier, new features are outlined, anticipating the artistic discoveries of socialist realism.
IN Russia XIX century is a period of exceptional strength and scope of the development of realism. In the second half of the century, the artistic conquests of realism, bringing Russian literature to international arena win her worldwide recognition.
The richness and diversity of Russian realism of the XIX century. allow us to talk about its different forms.
Its formation is associated with the name of A. S. Pushkin, who brought Russian literature to wide way images of "the fate of the people, the fate of man." In the conditions of the accelerated development of Russian culture, Pushkin, as it were, makes up for its former lag, paving new paths in almost all genres and, with its universality and optimism, turns out to be akin to the titans of the Renaissance. The foundations of critical realism, developed in the work of N.V. Gogol and after him in the so-called natural school, are laid in Pushkin's work.
Performance in the 60s. revolutionary democrats led by N. G. Chernyshevsky gives new features to Russian critical realism (revolutionary character of criticism, images of new people).
A special place in the history of Russian realism belongs to L. N. Tolstoy and F. M. Dostoevsky. It is thanks to them that the Russian realistic novel acquired world significance. Their psychological skill, penetration into the "dialectics of the soul" opened the way for the artistic searches of writers of the 20th century. Realism in the 20th century all over the world bears the imprint of the aesthetic discoveries of L. N. Tolstoy and F. M. Dostoevsky.
The growth of the Russian liberation movement, which by the end of the century transferred the center of the world revolutionary struggle from the West to Russia, leads to the fact that the work of the great Russian realists becomes, as V. I. Lenin said about L. N. Tolstoy, “the mirror of the Russian revolution” according to their objective historical content, despite all the differences in their ideological positions.
The creative scope of the Russian social realism manifests itself in genre richness, especially in the field of the novel: philosophical and historical (L. N. Tolstoy), revolutionary journalistic (N. G. Chernyshevsky), everyday (I. A. Goncharov), satirical (M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin ), psychological (F. M. Dostoevsky, L. N. Tolstoy). By the end of the century, A.P. Chekhov became an innovator in the genre of realistic storytelling and a kind of “lyrical drama”.
It is important to emphasize that Russian realism of the XIX century. did not develop in isolation from the world historical and literary process. This was the beginning of an era when, according to K. Marx and F. Engels, "the fruits of the spiritual activity of individual nations become common property."
F. M. Dostoevsky noted as one of the features of Russian literature its “ability for universality, all-humanity, all-response”. Here it is not so much about Western influences how much about organic development in the mainstream European culture its centuries-old traditions.
At the beginning of the XX century. the appearance of M. Gorky's plays "The Philistines", "At the Bottom" and in particular the novel "Mother" (and in the West - the novel "Pelle the Conqueror" by M. Andersen-Neksö) testifies to the formation of socialist realism. In the 20s. announces itself with great success Soviet literature and in the early 1930s in many capitalist countries there is a literature of the revolutionary proletariat. The literature of socialist realism is becoming an important factor world literary development. At the same time, it should be noted that Soviet literature as a whole retains more ties with artistic experience XIX century than literature in the West (including socialist).
The beginning of the general crisis of capitalism, two world wars, the acceleration of the revolutionary process throughout the world under the influence of October revolution and the existence of the Soviet Union, and after 1945 the formation of the world socialist system - all this affected the fate of realism.
Critical realism, which continued to develop in Russian literature until October (I. A. Bunin, A. I. Kuprin) and in the West, in the 20th century. was further developed, while undergoing significant changes. In the critical realism of the XX century. in the West, a wide variety of influences are more freely assimilated and crossed, including some features of the unrealistic trends of the 20th century. (symbolism, impressionism, expressionism), which, of course, does not exclude the struggle of realists against non-realistic aesthetics.
From about the 20s. in the literatures of the West, there is a tendency towards in-depth psychologism, the transmission of a “stream of consciousness”. There is a so-called intellectual novel by T. Mann; subtext acquires special significance, for example, in E. Hemingway. This focus on the individual and spiritual world in the critical realism of the West significantly weakens its epic breadth. Epic scale in the 20th century. is the merit of the writers of socialist realism (“The Life of Klim Samgin” by M. Gorky, “The Quiet Flows the Don” by M. A. Sholokhov, “Walking Through the Torments” by A. N. Tolstoy, “The Dead Remain Young” by A. Zegers).
Unlike realists XIX V. writers of the 20th century more often they resort to fantasy (A. France, K. Capek), to conventionality (for example, B. Brecht), creating parable novels and parable dramas (see Parable). At the same time, in the realism of the XX century. triumphs document, fact. Documentary works appear in different countries within the framework of both critical realism and socialist realism.
So, while remaining documentary, the autobiographical books of E. Hemingway, S. O "Casey, I. Becher, such classic books of socialist realism as Reportage with a noose around the neck by Y. Fuchik and The Young Guard by A. A. Fadeeva.
Realism is a trend in literature and art that truly and realistically reflects typical features reality, in which there are no various distortions and exaggerations. This direction followed romanticism, and was the forerunner of symbolism.
This direction originated in the 30s of the 19th century and reached its peak by the middle of it. His followers sharply denied the use of any sophisticated techniques, mystical trends and idealization of characters in literary works. The main feature of this trend in the literature is artistic display real life with the help of ordinary and well-known readers of images that for them are part of their Everyday life(relatives, neighbors or acquaintances).
(Alexey Yakovlevich Voloskov "At the tea table")
The works of realist writers are distinguished by a life-affirming beginning, even if their plot is characterized by tragic conflict. One of the main features of this genre is the authors' attempt to consider surrounding reality in its development, to discover and describe new psychological, social and social relations.
Replaced romanticism, realism has characteristics art, striving to find truth and justice, wishing to change the world in better side. The main characters in the works of realist authors make their discoveries and conclusions after much thought and deep introspection.
(Zhuravlev Firs Sergeevich "Before the wedding")
Critical realism is developing almost simultaneously in Russia and Europe (approximately 30-40s of the 19th century) and soon emerges as the leading trend in literature and art throughout the world.
In France, literary realism is primarily associated with the names of Balzac and Stendhal, in Russia with Pushkin and Gogol, in Germany with the names of Heine and Buchner. All of them are experiencing in their literary creativity the inevitable influence of romanticism, but gradually move away from it, abandon the idealization of reality and move on to depicting a wider social background, where the life of the main characters takes place.
Realism in Russian literature of the 19th century
The main founder of Russian realism in the 19th century is Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. In his works "The Captain's Daughter", "Eugene Onegin", "Tales of Belkin", "Boris Godunov", " Bronze Horseman» he subtly captures and skillfully conveys the very essence of all important events in the life of Russian society, represented by his talented pen in all its diversity, colorfulness and inconsistency. Following Pushkin, many writers of that time came to the genre of realism, deepening the analysis of the emotional experiences of their heroes and depicting their complex inner world (“Hero of Our Time” by Lermontov, “Inspector General” and “ Dead Souls» Gogol).
(Pavel Fedotov "The Picky Bride")
The tense socio-political situation in Russia during the reign of Nicholas I aroused a keen interest in the life and fate of the common people among progressive public figures that time. This is noted in later works Pushkin, Lermontov and Gogol, as well as in the poetic lines of Alexei Koltsov and the works of the authors of the so-called "natural school": I.S. Turgenev (a cycle of stories "Notes of a Hunter", stories "Fathers and Sons", "Rudin", "Asya"), F.M. Dostoevsky ("Poor People", "Crime and Punishment"), A.I. Herzen (“The Thieving Magpie”, “Who is to blame?”), I.A. Goncharova ("Ordinary History", "Oblomov"), A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit", L.N. Tolstoy ("War and Peace", "Anna Karenina"), A.P. Chekhov (stories and plays " The Cherry Orchard”,“ Three sisters ”,“ Uncle Vanya ”).
Literary realism of the second half of the 19th century was called critical, main task his works were to highlight existing problems, touch upon the issues of interaction between a person and the society in which he lives.
Realism in Russian Literature of the 20th Century
(Nikolai Petrovich Bogdanov-Belsky "Evening")
The turning point in the fate of Russian realism was the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when this trend was in crisis and a new phenomenon in culture, symbolism, loudly declared itself. Then a new updated aesthetics of Russian realism arose, in which the main environment that forms the personality of a person was now considered History itself and its global processes. The realism of the early 20th century revealed the complexity of the formation of a person's personality, it was formed under the influence of not only social factors, the story itself acted as the creator of typical circumstances, under the aggressive influence of which the protagonist fell.
(Boris Kustodiev "Portrait of D.F. Bogoslovsky")
There are four main currents in the realism of the early twentieth century:
- Critical: continues the tradition of classical realism of the mid-19th century. The works focus on the social nature of phenomena (creativity of A.P. Chekhov and L.N. Tolstoy);
- Socialist: displaying the historical and revolutionary development of real life, conducting an analysis of conflicts in the conditions of the class struggle, revealing the essence of the characters of the main characters and their actions committed for the benefit of others. (M. Gorky "Mother", "The Life of Klim Samgin", most of the works of Soviet authors).
- Mythological: display and rethinking of real life events through the prism of plots famous myths and legends (L.N. Andreev "Judas Iscariot");
- Naturalism: an extremely truthful, often unsightly, detailed depiction of reality (A.I. Kuprin "The Pit", V.V. Veresaev "Notes of a Doctor").
Realism in foreign literature of the 19th-20th centuries
The initial stage of the formation of critical realism in Europe in the middle of the 19th century is associated with the works of Balzac, Stendhal, Beranger, Flaubert, Maupassant. Merimee in France, Dickens, Thackeray, Brontë, Gaskell in England, the poetry of Heine and other revolutionary poets in Germany. In these countries, in the 30s of the 19th century, tension was growing between two irreconcilable class enemies: the bourgeoisie and the labor movement, there was a period of upsurge in various spheres of bourgeois culture, a number of discoveries were made in natural science and biology. In countries where a pre-revolutionary situation has developed (France, Germany, Hungary), the doctrine of scientific socialism of Marx and Engels arises and develops.
(Julien Dupre "Return from the fields")
As a result of a complex creative and theoretical debate with the followers of romanticism, critical realists took for themselves the best progressive ideas and traditions: interesting historical themes, democracy, trends folklore, progressive critical pathos and humanistic ideals.
Realism of the early 20th century that survived the struggle the best representatives"classics" of critical realism (Flaubert, Maupassant, France, Shaw, Rolland) with the trends of new unrealistic trends in literature and art (decadence, impressionism, naturalism, aestheticism, etc.) acquires new characteristic features. He refers to the social phenomena of real life, describes the social motivation of the human character, reveals the psychology of the individual, the fate of art. The modeling of artistic reality is based on philosophical ideas, the author's attitude is given, first of all, to the intellectually active perception of the work when reading it, and then to the emotional one. The classic example of an intellectual realistic novel is the works German writer Thomas Mann's "Magic Mountain" and "Confession of the Adventurer Felix Krul", dramaturgy by Bertolt Brecht.
(Robert Kohler "Strike")
In the works of the realist author of the twentieth century, the dramatic line intensifies and deepens, there is more tragedy (the work of the American writer Scott Fitzgerald "The Great Gatsby", "Tender is the Night"), special interest to the inner world of man. Attempts to depict the conscious and unconscious life moments of a person lead to the emergence of a new literary device, close to modernism called the "stream of consciousness" (works by Anna Zegers, W. Koeppen, Y. O'Neill). Naturalistic elements appear in the work of American realist writers such as Theodore Dreiser and John Steinbeck.
The realism of the twentieth century has a bright life-affirming color, faith in man and his strength, this is noticeable in the works of American realist writers William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Jack London, Mark Twain. The works of Romain Rolland, John Galsworthy, Bernard Shaw, Erich Maria Remarque enjoyed great popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Realism continues to exist as a trend in modern literature and is one of the the most important forms democratic culture.
In creativity Griboyedov, and especially Pushkin, develops the method of critical realism. But it turned out to be stable only with Pushkin, who went forward and higher. Griboyedov, on the other hand, did not hold on to the height achieved in Woe from Wit. In the history of Russian literature, he is an example of the author of one classical work. And the poets of the so-called "Pushkin galaxy" (Delvig, Yazykov, Boratynsky) were not able to pick up this discovery of his. Russian literature was still romantic.
Only ten years later, when "Masquerade", "Inspector", "Arabesques" and "Mirgorod" were created, and Pushkin was at the zenith of fame (" Queen of Spades”, “The Captain’s Daughter”), in this chordal coincidence of three different geniuses of realism, the principles of the realistic method were strengthened in its sharply individual forms revealing his inner potentialities. The main types and genres of creativity were covered, the appearance of realistic prose, which he recorded as a sign of the times Belinsky in the article "On the Russian story and the stories of Gogol" (1835).
Realism looks different for its three founders.
In the artistic conception of the world, Pushkin the realist is dominated by the idea of the Law, the patterns that determine the state of civilization, social structures, the place and significance of a person, his self-reliance and connection with the whole, the possibility of authorial sentences. Pushkin is looking for laws in educational theories, in moral universal values, in historical role Russian nobility, in the Russian popular revolt. Finally, in Christianity and the Gospel. Hence - the universal acceptability, harmony of Pushkin with all the tragedy of personal fate.
At Lermontov- on the contrary: sharp enmity with the divine world order, with the laws of society, lies and hypocrisy, all kinds of upholding the rights of the individual.
At Gogol- a world far from any ideas about the law, vulgar everyday life, in which all concepts of honor and morality, conscience are mutilated, - in a word, Russian reality, worthy of grotesque ridicule: "to blame the mirror forever, if the face is crooked."
However, in this case, realism turned out to be the lot of geniuses, literature remained romantic ( Zagoskin, Lazhechnikov, Kozlov, Veltman, V. Odoevsky, Venediktov, Marlinsky, N. Polevoy, Zhadovskaya, Pavlova, Krasov, Kukolnik, I. Panaev, Pogorelsky, Podolinsky, Polezhaev and others.).
The theater was arguing about Mochalova in Karatygin, that is, between romantics and classicists.
And only ten years later, that is, around 1845, in the works of young writers of the “natural school” ( Nekrasov, Turgenev, Goncharov, Herzen, Dostoevsky and many others) realism finally wins, it becomes mass creativity. "Natural School" is the true reality of Russian literature. If one of the followers is now trying to renounce it, belittle the importance of organizational forms and its consolidation, the influence Belinsky, is profoundly mistaken. We are assured that there was no “school”, but there was a “band” through which various stylistic currents passed. But what is a "band"? We will again come to the concept of “school”, which was not at all distinguished by the uniformity of talents, it just had different stylistic currents (compare, for example, Turgenev and Dostoevsky), two powerful internal streams: realistic and properly naturalistic (V. Dahl, Bupsov , Grebenka, Grigorovich, I. Panaev, Kulchitsky and others).
With the death of Belinsky, the "school" did not die, although it lost its theorist and inspirer. It grew into a powerful literary trend, its main figures - realist writers - in the second half of the 19th century became the glory of Russian literature. Those who did not formally belong to the “school” and did not survive the preliminary stage of romantic development joined this powerful trend. Saltykov, Pisemsky, Ostrovsky, S. Aksakov, L. Tolstoy.
Throughout the second half of XIX centuries in Russian literature reigns supreme realistic direction. His dominance partly captures the beginning of the 20th century, if we keep in mind Chekhov and L. Tolstoy. Realism as a whole can be qualified as critical, socially accusatory. Honest, truthful Russian literature is different and could not exist in a country of serfdom and autocracy.
Some theorists, disillusioned with socialist realism, consider it a sign good manners abandon the definition of "critical" in relation to the old classical realism XIX century. But the criticism of the realism of the last century is more evidence that it had nothing in common with the obsequious “what would you like?” on which the Bolshevik socialist realism who ruined Soviet literature.
It is another matter if we raise the question of the internal typological varieties of Russian critical realism. At his ancestors - Pushkin, Lermontov and Gogol- realism appeared in its various types, just as it was also diverse among the realist writers of the second half of the 19th century.
It lends itself most easily to thematic classification: works from the nobility, merchant, bureaucratic, peasant life- from Turgenev to Zlatovratsky. More or less clear genre classification: family-household, chronicle genre - from S.T. Aksakov to Garin-Mikhailovsky; an estate novel with the same elements of family, domestic, love relationships, only at a more mature age stage of the development of the characters, in a more generalized typification, with a weak ideological element. In Ordinary History, the clashes between the two Aduevs are age related, not ideological. There was also the genre of the socio-social novel, such as Oblomov and Fathers and Sons. But the angles of consideration of problems in them are different. In Oblomov, good inclinations in Ilyusha, when he was still a frisky child, and their burial as a result of nobility, doing nothing, are considered in stages. In Turgenev's famous novel, there is an "ideological" clash of "fathers" and "children", "principles" and "nihilism", the superiority of the commoner over the nobles, new trends of the times.
The most difficult task is to establish the typology and specific modifications of realism on a methodological basis. All writers of the second half of the 19th century are realists. But into what kinds is realism itself differentiated?
One can distinguish writers whose realism accurately reflects the forms of life itself. Such are Turgenev and Goncharov and all those who came out of the "natural school". Nekrasov also has many of these life forms. But in his best poems - "Frost - Red Nose", "Who Lives Well in Rus'" - he is very inventive, resorting to folklore, fantasy, parables, parabolas and allegory. The plot motivations that connect the episodes in the last poem are purely fabulous, the characteristics of the heroes - seven men-truth-seekers - are built on stable folklore repetitions. In the poem "Contemporaries" Nekrasov has a torn composition, the modeling of images is purely grotesque.
Herzen's critical realism is completely unique: there are no forms of life here, but "a heartfelt humanistic thought." Belinsky noted the Voltaire warehouse of his talent: "the talent has gone into the mind." This mind turns out to be a generator of images, a biography of personalities, the combination of which, according to the principle of contrast and fusion, reveals the “beauty of the universe”. These properties appeared already in "Who is to blame?". But in full power Herzen's pictorial humanistic thought was expressed in "The Past and Thoughts". Herzen clothed the most abstract concepts in living images: for example, idealism forever, but unsuccessfully, trampled materialism "with its disembodied feet." Tyufyaev and Nicholas I, Granovsky and Belinsky, Dubelt and Benckendorff appear as human types and types of thought, governmental and creative. These qualities of talent make Herzen related to Dostoevsky, the author of "ideological" novels. But Herzen's portraits are strictly painted according to social characteristics, go back to "forms of life", while Dostoevsky's ideology is more abstract, more infernal and hidden in the depths of the personality.
Another variety of realism appears extremely brightly in Russian literature - satirical, grotesque, such as we find in Gogol and Shchedrin. But not only them. Satire and grotesque are in some images of Ostrovsky (Murzavetsky, Gradoboev, Khlynov), Sukhovo-Kobylin (Varravin, Tarelkin), Leskov (Levsha, Onopry Peregud) and others. simple hyperbole or fantasy. This is a combination in images, types, plots into a single whole of what does not happen in natural life, but what is possible in the artistic imagination as a technique in order to identify a certain social and social pattern. In Gogol, most often - the quirks of an inert mind, the folly of the prevailing situation, the inertia of habit, the routine of generally accepted opinion, the illogical, taking the form of a logical one: Khlestakov’s lies about his life in St. Petersburg, his characteristics of the mayor and officials of the county outback in a letter to Tryapichkin. The very possibility of Chichikov's commercial tricks with dead souls is based on the fact that in serfdom reality one could easily buy and sell living souls. Shchedrin draws his grotesque devices from the world of the bureaucratic apparatus, whose quirks he has thoroughly studied. It is impossible for ordinary people to have either minced meat or an automatic organ in their heads instead of brains. But in the minds of Foolov's pompadours, everything is possible. In Swift's way, he "delimits" the phenomenon, he draws the impossible as possible (the debate between the Pig and the Truth, the boy "in pants" and the boy "without pants"). Shchedrin skillfully reproduces the casuistry of bureaucratic chicanery, the absurd logic of the reasoning of self-confident despots, all those governors, heads of departments, head clerks, quarters. Their empty philosophy is firmly established: “Let the law stand in the closet”, “The layman is always to blame for something”, “The bribe finally died and the kush was born in its place”, “Enlightenment is useful only when it has an unenlightened character”, “ Raz-d-dawn, I won’t stand it!”, “Slap him.” Psychologically, the verbiage of bureaucrats-planners, the mellifluous idle talk of Yudushka Golovlev are reproduced in a penetrating way.
Approximately in the 60-70s, another variety of critical realism was formed, which can be conditionally called philosophical-religious, ethical-psychological. It's about first of all about Dostoevsky and L. Tolstoy. Of course, both of them have many amazingeveryday paintings, thoroughly developed in the forms of life. In "The Brothers Karamazov" and "Anna Karenina" we will find a "family thought". And yet, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy have a certain “teaching” in the foreground, whether it will be “soiling” or “simplification”. From this prism, realism is enhanced in its piercing power.
But one should not think that philosophical, psychological realism is found only in these two giants of Russian literature. On a different artistic level, without the development of philosophical and ethical doctrines to the scale of a holistic religious teaching, in specific forms it is also found in the work of Garshin, in his works such as “Four Days”, “Red Flower”, clearly written for a specific thesis. The properties of this type of realism also appear among populist writers: in the “Power of the Earth” G.I. Uspensky, in Zlatovratsky's Foundations. Leskov’s “difficult” talent is the same in nature, of course, with a certain preconceived idea of portraying his “righteous”, “enchanted wanderers”, who loved to choose talented natures from the people, endowed by the grace of God, tragically doomed to death in their spontaneous existence.
