1 / 26

Realism and Naturalism

Realism and Naturalism. second half of 19 th Century. By 1840 Romanticism is worn out Variety of factors: political, economic, social, scientific, incidental (death of main Romantics) Rejection of the metaphysical / transcendental in favor of the epistemological

kirsten-sparks
Télécharger la présentation

Realism and Naturalism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Realism and Naturalism second half of 19th Century

  2. By 1840 Romanticism is worn out • Variety of factors: political, economic, social, scientific, incidental (death of main Romantics) • Rejection of the metaphysical / transcendental in favor of the epistemological • A new set of ethical, political, social challenges

  3. Romanticism

  4. Realism Gustave Caillebotte, “A Rainy Day” (1877)

  5. Realism • Reflection, mirror, reproduction • Emphasis on daily life • Objectivity • Representation of what is visible, observable • Urban • Middle classes • Well defined space and time (contemporary)

  6. Influences

  7. Auguste Comte (1798-1857) • Positivism • Rejection of metaphysics • Faith in observable and verifiable facts, natural laws • Belief in positive and material progress through science

  8. Charles Darwin (1809-1882) • Evolution • Survival of the fittest • Herbert Spencer: applied darwinism to social and political sphere 1859

  9. Hippolyte Taine • literary work informed by author’s: • race • environment • historical moment

  10. Karl Marx (1818-1883)

  11. Gustave Courbet • Aim: “to represent the customs, the ideas, the appearance of the times without prejudice or value judgment” • Represents humble, common figures Stone breakers (1840)

  12. Naturalism: Emile Zola (1840-1902) • principal theorist and practitioner of naturalism • art critic: supporter of impressionists • Rougon-Macquart series (20 volumes), including L’Assommoir • “J’Accuse” (1898), considered by some the most important newspaper article ever written • caricature that appeared in Punch Zola at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France

  13. Naturalism • Not a break with realism, but an extension of it. Takes from realism: • the representation of daily life, average characters (slice of life technique) • set in contemporary period • plots that progress by means of causality • the rejection of the fantastic and extraordinary • the attempt to reproduce real language • Basis on research

  14. Caillebotte, Floor Scrapers

  15. Naturalism • The Experimental Novel (1879),“: Application of the “scientific method” to literature: novel as a laboratory • Importance of hereditary and environmental determinism • Man seen as another animal (la bête humain) • A Godless universe • History, social and economic conditions shape protagonists • Collective protagonists • Includes all aspects of human experience (does not focus on the “beautiful”): sex, brutality, violence, crude language • Image of reality emphasizes the social injustices and defects: many readers saw in it a means of rebellion against the dominant classes T. Lautrec, Medical Inspection

  16. Germinal (1885) • Part of the Rougon-Macquart series (20 volumes): • History of two related families: • Rougons: upper middle-class • Macquarts: proletarian • Chronicles private and public lives during Second Empire • Deals with alcoholism, industrial confrontation, prostitution, etc. • Title taken from the French Revolutionary Calendar: first month of spring

  17. Beginning • landscape? • The mine (Le Voreux): forum • Village 240 • Étienne Lantier • Initial presentation/characterization (description, values, characteristics, narrator´s language/tone) of: • Bonnemort • Catherine • Zacharie • Jeanlin • Maheu • Maheude

  18. Six families • Proletarian • Maheus • Levaques • Pierrons • Bourgeois • Grégoires • Deneulins • Hennebeaus In groups describe your family; include: their story, what family members there are, the relationship among them and their position with respect to the strike. Find a significant quote.

  19. The Maheus • La Maheude, change? • Jeanlin vs. Zacharie • Forum: Poland’s torture

  20. Étienne • Forum: Hero? • Utopiandreams • Hisideology vs.: • Rassneur • Souvarine • Pluchart • Religiousimagery

  21. Religiousimageryforthebourgeois? • Forum: Le Tartaret & La côte verte • Imagery of rebellion/germination • Forum: Themob • AttackonJean Bart • Whynot Le Voreux? • Reaction of bourgeois • Bonnemort • Women and Maigrat • Whydoes Zola includeHennebeau’sdiscovery of hiswife´sadulterywith Paul?

  22. Thetroops: • Men of thepeople • Shooting of miners • Reaction of thebourgeois • Jeanlin and themurder of Jules • Étienne’s attitude toward killing • IsÉtiennetoblameforthefailure of the strike?

  23. Souvarine’sact: language that is used • The cave in: Catherine, Étienne, Chaval • Above: theminers, death of Zacharie • Thereaction of thebourgeois • Cécile and Bonnemort: the «crime of anidiot»? • In 6 groups: • Look forimageryrelatingtothe mine and theearth in yourchapter • Symbolism? • Ending: Can weconsiderÉtienne a hero?

  24. Forum • Critics are not in agreement as to the message that Germinal conveys. René Ternois, for example, states: “The end of the novel does not allow for any hope. Rebellions of the downtrodden are fatal, and only serve to aggravate their suffering […] After the final catastrophe that Zola prophesies, he sees nothing.” On the other hand, Elliott Grant considers the novel a “work of indignation, compassion and, in the final analysis, hope.” Which critic do you agree with? Use quotes from the text to support your interpretation.

  25. No hope • Other arguments? • Battle’s rebellion • Jeanlin as the “only successful character” • La Maheude’s job • Henri & Lenore’s future • Soldiers’ response to strike • Cécile& Catherine’s death • Bourgeois victory

  26. Hope • Otherarguments? • Changes in Étienne • Mythicdimension • Embrace betweenNégrel and Étienne • La Maheude’s change • Earth as being impregnated through human sacrifice • Final chapter: germination

More Related