Realism

The next literary trend that succeeded romanticism on the international literary scene is Realism. In the same way as Romanticism emerged as an opposition to the uncertainty of Classicism, the Realism appeared as the opposition to the out-dying Romanticism By the middle of the 19th century, the Realism didn't meet the spiritual needs of society any more and didn't justify itself any more as everybody saw that fatal poems and tragic plays didn't do any good for anybody. The reality was stronger anyway. An escape wasn't a real way-out. The capitalism spread more and more and nothing could stop it.

As a reaction to the Romanticism, the Realism tended to show the life and society "as they were". It began with certain works of the 19th century French literature and extended to the early 20th century.

Realist authors chose to show everyday life and trivial actions in place of romanticized reality.

George Elliot's novel "Middlemarch" is considered to be one of the fundamental works of Realism.

Gustave Flaubert is one of the main basic French Realist writers. He paid a lot of attention to the details of everyday life.

Other representatives are Guy de Maupassant, Boleslaw Prus and Emile Zolla. By the way, Emile Zolla is regarded as the founder of naturalism (the utmost form of appearance of Romanticism).