The Realist Period
19th Century Music
Music in the 19th century took on many forms, often experimenting with qualities like atonality*, nationalism*, and symbolism*.
Marxism
a social, political, and philosophical theory that responded to the socioeconomic conditions that were the result of capitalist political and economic systems. "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles." This opening salvo from Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto (1848) reflected the growing tension between the workers (proletariat) and the owners of factories (bourgeoisie). Marx argued that this clash would inevitably lead to revolution. The deteriorating working conditions that were the result of rapid industrialization and ever increasing materialism and consumerism further fueled this tension.
1. Darwin's theories are likely to be accepted in __________ circles.
Some religious communities do not accept Darwin's theories of evolution and natural selection.
Nationalism
A variant of patriotism characterized by intense loyalty to a particular nation and its defining values and features.
Realist literary
-Unidealized, objective portrayals of contemporary life -Reverence for scientific inquiry and observation -Liberal use of local and regional "flavor," such as dialect, traditions, and detailed descriptions of particular places -Physical, social and economic mobility driven by the industrial revolution and urbanization -Emerging preoccupation with social issues, such as conflicts involving race, class, gender, and labor -Extensive character development, often detailing the psychological state and inner workings of the character's mind -Naturalism and the Darwinian notion of individuals being shaped by their hereditary and environmental factors
Hard Times
A novel that explicitly critiques the philosophy of Utilitarianism by depicting the hypocrisy of the rich, the plight of the poor, and the gritty realities of industrialization.
Age of Doubt
A period characterized by both optimism and anxiety. This sense of uncertainty showed an attitude of foreboding about the effects of modernization.
Architecture
American architect Louis Sullivan (1856-1924) was considered the "father of the modern skyscraper." Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel was a bridge builder, architect, and metals expert whose company was chosen to build Paris' most recognizable monument, the Eiffel Tower, for the 1889 World's Fair.
Exoticism
An artistic trend that took place in Europe in the 19th century, which borrowed and glorified cultural aspects from non-Western civilizations.
Art Nouveau
An international style of art, architecture, and design that emerged in the late 19th century, Art Nouveau* favored sinuous lines, curves, and organic motifs*, such as plants and flowers. It often took inspiration from the unruly aspects of nature. Art Nouveau, as its name indicated, represented a break with classical traditions. Popular Art Nouveau images included graceful and slender female figures, bird and animal designs, repeating patterns, fantasy-related subjects, and the use of gold and silver colors. Art Nouveau designs surfaced in glassware, jewelry, and other decorative objects.
Art Nouveau is a style that applies to
Art Nouveau applied to paintings, lithographs, jewelry, and many other media, in addition to building design.
After Realism: Impressionism and Other Art Movements
Art Nouveau* :Art Nouveau was an art movement during the late 19th century and early 20th century that favored sinuous lines, curves, and organic motifs*, such as plants and flowers. It often took inspiration from the unruly aspects of nature and represented a break with classical traditions.Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898) was an English illustrator and prominent Art Nouveau artist. Beardsley's clear and uncomplicated images are offset by an erotic sensuality with creatures of fantasy and caricatures of decadence.Art Nouveau architects turned to asymmetrical shapes, decorative surfaces, and curved forms. They favored mosaics, stained glass, and an organic look mimicking plants and nature. Leading architects included Antoni Gaudí, Otto Wagner, Louis Sullivan, and Louis Comfort Tiffany.
Art Nouveau
Art movement of the late 19th century - early 20th century that favored sinuous lines, curves, and organic motifs, such as plants and flowers.
Impressionism
Art movement of the late 19th century that emphasized simplified composition and the effect of light and color to capture a painter's visual impression.
Post-Impressionism
Art movement of the late 19th century that while influenced by Impressionism emphasized a greater concern for expression, structure, form, and emotional response.
Preoccupation with Physical Reality
Artists, writers, and thinkers were increasingly preoccupied with recording physical forms and realistic details of ordinary people and places. Sympathetic and concrete portrayals of ordinary subjects contrasted distinctly with the exotic and heroic imagery of the Romantic Period. Scientific materialism and the emergence of photography contributed to the desire and ability to accurately record the physical world with forthright objectivity.
Urbanization provided Realist authors with an increasing source of subjects to write about. True or
As diverse groups of people came to live near and amongst one another as a result of urbanization, authors gained insight into the lives of varied subjects.
Which of the following works was inspired by the decorative art of the Art Nouveau age?
Aubrey Beardsley's The Peacock Skirt was inspired by the decorative art of the Art Nouveau age. This is one of Beardsley's best-known illustrations.
Who wrote On the Origin of Species?
Charles Darwin published his groundbreaking book On the Origin of Species in 1859.
Darwinism - Theme
Charles Darwin's theory of evolution due to natural selection* shed new light on the development of humans as a species; Realists valued Darwin's empirical proof over religious faith.
Which of the following Realist authors is best remembered for works that addressed social inequalities and the struggles of the working class in 19th century England?
Charles Dickens
Darwinism
Darwin favored scientific principles and materialism to argue that all life had gradually evolved in an unending "struggle for survival." Darwin's ideas were influential in the Realist artistic form of Naturalism, which showed human beings as products of environmental or hereditary factors over which they had little or no control.
Which of the following informed Realism's depiction of nature?
Darwinism-Darwin's empirical proof of natural selection impacted Realists' view of nature.
Which of the following are true of composer Claude Debussy?
Debussy experimented with unusual scale patterns, including scales from Eastern Asian music.
Utopian
Describes an ideal community or society; often used to describe a society that does not exist in reality.
Atonality
Describes music that is written in a way that avoids centering around a specific key.
Cultural Exchange and Diversity in the Realist Period
During the Realist Period, European artists found inspiration from Japanese woodblock printing, which became popular with Japanese artists during the late 1600s and early 1700s. As with many other forms of Japanese art, printmaking organized itself into stylistic movements or schools. The first two of these schools were the Torii School and the Kaigetsudō School, both active starting around 1700. Perhaps the most famous Japanese woodblock print is Hokusai's "The Great Wave off Kanagawa," part of the artist's Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji series. Hokusai's creative influence was felt throughout the world, impacting the Art Nouveau style and Impressionist works of his European contemporaries and followers.
Most Realist art focused on which of the following subjects?
During the Realist Period, artists, writers, and thinkers grew increasingly preoccupied with recording physical forms and realistic details of ordinary people and places.
Cultural Exchange and Diversity in the Realist Period
Following the gradual disintegration of the Katsukawa School, the Utagawa School came to prominence in the mid-19th century. The term Japonisme was coined in the late 19th century to describe the influence of Japanese art on those of European or Western descent. A long list of artists embraced Japonisme, including Vincent van Gogh, Renoir, and Monet. These artists were drawn to the fantastic colors, natural scenery, and simplicity of ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") prints. Since the beginning of the 20th century, two new schools of printmaking have flourished in Japan. The sōsaku hanga, or "creative prints," movement was a shift away from traditional collaborative printmaking, while the shin hanga, or "new prints" movement refocused on it.
In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,
Huck chooses to defy social norms and refuses to betray Jim.
Which late 19th-century art movements were inspired by the ancient traditions of Japanese woodblock painting? (Choose 3)
Impressionism Art Nouveau Post-Impressionism
After Realism: Impressionism and Other Art Movements
Impressionism*:Impressionism was an art movement during the late 19th century that emphasized simplified composition and the effect of light and color to capture a painter's visual impression. The movement took its name from Claude Monet's piece titled Impression, Sunrise. Impressionists tried to capture their initial, fleeting reaction to whatever they observed at a given moment; they painted current subjects and landscapes; they used light and color; and they simplified their compositions, leaving out detail. Many Impressionist artists focused on the interaction between colors and sunlight and the way light and color could be seen by the eye. The innovation of storing paint in tubes allowed Impressionist artists to paint outside the studio, capturing the changes in natural light and its impact on the landscape. Important Impressionist artists include Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
19th Century Music
Impressionist: Musical impressionism is characterized by a more sensual experience, with tonal ambiguity that suggested a particular atmosphere rather than creating it. Notable composers of this style include Claude Debussy (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) and Joseph-Maurice Ravel (Bolero).
Impressionism
Impressionists tried to capture their initial, fleeting reaction to whatever they observed at a given moment; they painted current subjects and landscapes (instead of historical scenes); they used light and color, often vividly; and they simplified their compositions, leaving out detail.
photographic
In 1839, Daguerre first invented the daguerreotype* —a unique, detailed photographic image on a highly polished silver-plated sheet of copper. After he introduced his process to a fascinated public, photography emerged as both a medium of expression and as a powerful scientific tool. Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre invented an early type of photographic process that became popular in the 1850s.
In Realist fiction
In Realist fiction, character was considered to be at least as important as plot. This focus reflects the Realist spotlight on human behavior.
Motifs
In music, a brief but recognizable recurring fragment of a melody.
Japanese woodblock prints generally depicted which of the following?
Japanese woodblock prints, which contained flat, unmodulated colors, lines, and extensive use of empty space, depicted subject matter drawn from everyday urban life as well as landscapes.
The following image of Van Gogh's Courtesan reflects what movement in the Realist Period?
Japonisme
John Philip Sousa wrote "Semper Fidelis" as a tribute to whom?
John Philip Sousa wrote "Semper Fidelis," a powerful precision march, as a tribute to Marine Officers.
Realist Theater
In the last half of the 19th century, Realist theater, like Realist literature, brought an emphasis on accurate depiction of ordinary life to the stage. Actors wore ordinary clothing that represented the status of the character, and scenery faithfully reflected common, everyday living conditions and locales. Props included the furniture, possessions, and "knick-knacks" that an acquisitive middle class would own. Dialogue was written to sound like regular conversation, while the use of soliloquies and "asides" diminished. Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House explores themes of feminism, societal obligations, inner psychological motivation and shame, and the unreliability of appearances through the use of techniques such as letters, authentic dialogue, and intricate stage directions. Themes included: Likeness to life Moral and social questioning Compassion for the human condition
Which of the following movements lured immigrants and farmworkers to American cities in the second half of the 19th century?
Industrialism
The German political thinker Karl Marx argued that the growing tension between the workers and the owners of factories could only lead to revolution. True
Karl Marx argued that the growing tension between the workers—the proletariat—and the owners of factories—the bourgeoisie—could only lead to revolution.
Mahler's symphonies
Mahler's symphonies were forceful, with innovative layering of instrumentation and pendulum swings from one emotion to another.
Military marches
Marches were common throughout Europe and other parts of the world and commonly incorporated in orchestral compositions.
American Realists
Mark Twain belonged to this group of writers. His most famous work is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in which a boy runs away from home along with a runaway slave. The themes explored by these authors included urbanization, industrialization, and the expression of moral and psychic exhaustion caused by the Civil War.
Marxists believe
Marx believed social unrest and revolution would inevitably follow from a system in which the means of production are owned by a few and where workers are not directly profiting from their labor. He suggested a system of co-operative ownership would eliminate this class conflict.
Which of the following philosophies from the Realist period still influence political systems in the present day?
Marxism
19th Century Music
Military March: American composer John Philip Sousa spearheaded the style that came to be known as the "march," employing a military and patriotic style to produce powerful, precise sounds that invoke a sense of order and might. His well-known compositions are "Semper Fidelis" and "The Stars & Stripes Forever."
Which of the following musical styles was composer John Philip Sousa best known for?
Military march-John Philip Sousa, an American composer who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, wrote many military and patriotic parade marches.
Which of the following best represents the beliefs and writings of 19th-century philosopher, John Stuart Mill?
Mill believed that governments should intervene only when necessary to ensure the greater good and that women should have access to education and be given the right to vote.
French Realists
More concerned with documenting the people, places and contemporary social mores of all classes of French society. Honoré de Balzac belonged to this group of writers. He found literary success with his collection of fiction titled La Comédie humaine.
Russian Realists
One of the most famous authors from this group is Leo Tolstoy whose famous works include Anna Karenina and War and Peace.
Materialism
Philosophical position that all processes, phenomena, and objects/beings can be explained as manifestations or results of matter.
Which of the following was developed during the 19th century and contributed to Realism's desire for accurate portrayal of reality?
Photography was developed in the 19th century and allowed for more accurate visual representation.
After Realism: Impressionism and Other Art Movements
Post-Impressionism*:Post-Impressionism was an art movement during the late 19th century that followed the Impressionist art movement that came before. While Post-Impressionist artists borrowed the Impressionists' concern with color and light, they had a greater concern for expression, structure, form, line, and symbolic content than did the Impressionists.Important Post-Impressionist artists include Paul Cézanne and Vincent van Gogh.
Industrialization -Theme
Realists wanted to portray the realistic consequences of the Industrial Revolution*, which exposed the large differences between the wealthy and the working classes.
Post-Impressionism*
Post-Impressionist artists employed aspects of Impressionism in their work, typically expanding or exaggerating some technique or approach. They also emphasized their emotions and personal responses in their paintings, which consequently were more expressive and figurative in nature. Post-Impressionists were interested in portraying forms and colors not found in the natural world.
Rapid economic change and industrial growth had which of the following effects during the Realist Period?
Profound social, political, and economic change and rapid industrial growth polarized people and nations according to wealth, gender, class, and power.
The Realist art movement
Realism expanded beyond France due to rapid industrialization and urbanization.
Realism
Realism grappled with the brutal consequences of industrialism on the natural world, the economy, and social classes. The introduction of photography aided in the Realist mission to capture life accurately and objectively.
Individualism - Theme
Realism sought to portray individuality with accurate, scientific detail. Realists attempted to recreate people and existence as realistically as possible, and their approach was more logical, more objective, and more fixated on minute detail.
Realism
Realism was a late-19th century counter-reaction to Romanticism.
Realist Art
Realism*:Represented the pendulum swing away from the emotionalism of RomanticismFocused on producing accurate and objective portrayals of the ordinary, observable world, with a focus on the lower classes and with a critique of the established social and political orderBecame popular just as photography was introduced as a new source of visual imagesImportant French Realist artists include Gustave Courbet, Honoré Daumier, Édouard Manet, and Rosa BonheurImportant American Realist artists include Thomas Eakins and Henry Ossawa Tanner Photography*:Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre invented the daguerreotype—a unique, detailed photographic image on a highly polished silver-plated sheet of copper. After he introduced his process to a fascinated public, photography emerged as both a medium of expression and as a powerful scientific tool.
Realist Philosophy
Realist art, literature, theater, and music explored Darwinism*, utilitarianism* , and Marxism*, as the artists, writers, actors, and musicians challenged the conventional forms and subject matter while exploring the role of the individual to society. Darwinism, utilitarianism, and Marxism all deal with the relationship between society and the individual. Darwinism* is based in the idea that species have evolved through natural selection and the "struggle for survival." Utilitarianism* believes in the rights of the individual as long as it does not interfere with the happiness and welfare of the society as a whole. Marxism* is a social, political, economic, and philosophical theory developed by Karl Marx that highlights the role class conflict plays in the development of different social systems over time. Marxists believe that social unrest will inevitably overthrow capitalist systems.
Realist Literature
Realist authors sought to describe life and human behavior as they were, without idealization or Romantic subjectivity. The transformation in everyday life was reflected in Realist literature, as authors sought to portray how life was lived during changing times. French Realists: Honoré de Balzac, a well-known figure of the Realist fiction movement, examined themes of money, power, gender relations, social mores, and family life in his novel The Human Comedy. English Realists: In England, Realist authors, like Charles Dickens, dealt with the growing concern with the plight of the less fortunate, exhibiting extraordinary attention to detail and observations in an effort to replicate the true nature of reality. Dickens' novels included Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, and Hard Times.
Realist Theater
Realist theater, like Realist literature, brought an emphasis on accurate depiction of ordinary life to the stage. With performances and texts focusing on the dialogue and problems typical of the middle class, theater became more accessible and relevant to audiences. Audiences at a Realist play were meant to have the experience of looking in someone's living room or house. In doing so, the audience could develop compassion for the characters and gain intimate access to a character's thoughts and feelings as he or she grappled with thought-provoking moral and social questions.
Individualism
Realists were fixated on portraying as much accurate detail as possible on a singular and personal level, believing that focusing on this theme would best showcase the hard reality they wanted to represent.
Darwinism
Realists were invested in this theme for its empirical proof of the origin of life; as such, they rejected Romantic idealism and embraced the view that nothing exists but the physical reality that can be seen through the natural sciences.
19th Century Music
Romantic: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is representative of the classical Romantic style of music, well known for his ballets and symphonic works. He utilizes classical structure in order to fulfill the Romantic need for expression, using music to invoke symbolism of his personal life tormented by doubt and anxiety. His most famous ballets are Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and The Nutcracker, and he is also known for the dramatic 1812 Overture. This style of music is characterized by symphonies with more woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments. Large orchestras, vocal soloists, and choruses contributed to large-scale dramatic works, such as ones composed by Gustav Mahler (Symphony No. 5).
Realist Literature
Russian Realists: Russian writers set works in Russia and used straightforward but copious factual detail, placing emphasis on character and atmosphere rather than on plot and action. Leo Tolstoy (Anna Karenina, War and Peace) examined damaging reality and consequences of conventional morality and war. American Realists: American Realist authors provided an expression of moral and psychic exhaustion caused by urbanization, industrialization, and the Civil War. Mark Twain (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) challenged societal norms and prevalent racism; William Dean Howells (A Modern Instance, The Rise of Silas Lapham) divulged his concerns about race, labor issues, and women's rights; and Kate Chopin (The Awakening) explored the importance of female independence.
French painter Gustave Courbet once said: "I have never seen angels. Show me an angel and I will paint one." Which philosophical approach from the Realist period does this quotation express?
Scientific Materialism
The Awakening
Set in New Orleans, this novel tells the story of an artistic and sensitive woman who struggles against the limitations and expectations placed on her gender.
Which of the following is a ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky?
Sleeping Beauty is one of Tchaikovsky's most famous ballets.
Charles Darwin's
Social Darwinism was based on Darwin's evolutionary theories but distorted to explain human social order within society.
Realist plays
Soliloquies were common in drama prior to the Realist Period. Realist plays used real everyday language, conversation, and cadence to reveal true feelings of characters.
Why is Henry Ossawa Tanner's painting, The Thankful Poor, a significant work of the Realist Period?
Tanner's painting is widely regarded as a classic portrayal of African American dignity, and it enables viewers to relate emotionally to the man and the boy.
Industrial Revolution
The 19th century transition in many countries from an agrarian economy to one dominated by machine manufacturing.
Which of the following developments MOST contributed to the rise of Realist literature?
The Industrial Revolution
Realist Social and Political
The Realist Period saw profound social, political and economic changes in Europe and the United States. Rapid industrial growth modernized aspects of everyday life and polarized people and nations according to wealth, gender, class, and power.
How do themes of the Realist Period differ from the themes of the Romantic Period? (Choose 2)
The Realists emphasize individualism by examining how individuals make complicated moral choices within the context of a larger society, while in Romanticism, the individual is often celebrated for being rebellious and rejecting social conventions. Nature is treated with deep scientific and material interest in the Realist period, while in the Romantic period, nature is valued for its aesthetic function, in which it is often seen as a rich source of artistic inspiration.
Which of the following themes were rejected by the Realist period? (select two)
The Sublime and Mysticism
In what ways is the Realist philosophy of Utilitarianism still relevant in present-day America?
The Utilitarian emphasis on the greatest good for the greatest number is reflected in many of our environmental policies, which work to safeguard our environment so as to protect our natural resources and ensure the overall health of society.
Scientific Materialism
The belief that physical reality, as seen through the natural sciences, is all that truly exists.
Industrialism
The emphasis on an industrialized economic system.
Utilitarianism
The ethical approach that emphasizes pragmatic ethical decisions for the greater good.
Natural Selection
The gradual process by which certain biological traits fade away or grow through the reproductive success or failure of the individuals that have that trait; a term coined by Charles Darwin to illustrate that certain traits are better suited for certain environments than others.
Which of the following was a major artistic innovation during the Realist period?
The invention of photography
English Realists
The most notable author from this group is Charles Dickens Dealt with subjects and characters that were seemingly inconsequential in an upwardly mobile society.
Urbanization
The movement of diverse populations into urban areas.
Which of the following best describes Realist theater of the late 19th-century?
The plays attempted to accurately depict ordinary life, using everyday vocabulary and exploring moral problems that would be relevant to audience members of the time.
Imperialism
The policy of extending the rule of an empire or nation over foreign countries, or of acquiring and holding colonies and dependencies.
Colonialism
The political, economic, and cultural domination by one country over another country or region.
The Industrial Revolution
The rapid economic growth in the West came with social consequences and led to a gap between rich and poor. This gap fueled economic disparity and class consciousness, which in turn provoked uprisings in both cities and rural areas and eventually led to competing ideas for social and economic reform. The dismal conditions of the poor were depicted in Realist art and literature of the time.
Industrilization
The shift away from agararian economy to one dominated by machine manufacturing exposed large gaps between wealthy and working classes, causing Realists to be deeply concerned about how this theme affected economy and social class.
Age of Doubt:
The tension between the idealism of the past, the harsh new realities of the present, and the insecurity of the future helped shape a particular sensibility during the Realist Period that is characterized by both optimism and anxiety. In their most positive manifestations, social values among the middle classes during this time comprised an earnest sense of individual responsibility, propriety, and productivity. However, underlying 19th-century ideologies of progress is a competing attitude of foreboding regarding the dramatic effects of modernization.
Darwinism
The theory of evolution by natural selection developed by biologist Charles Darwin.
Social Darwinism
The theory that individuals, groups, and communities are subject to the same principle of natural selection as plants and animals.
Symbolism
The use of a symbol, object, or image to represent something else (that is, a concept or idea).
Idealism
Theory that reality is a mental construction or that the object of external perception consists of ideas.
War and Peace
This epic novel draws from letters, journals, and other historical reports and examines the Napoleonic invasion of Russia in 1812 through the eyes of five aristocratic Russian families.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
This novel examines race relations and follows the story of a young boy and a runaway slave who travel down the Mississippi river on a raft.
On the Origin of Species
This work presents the theory of evolution, which shows that species evolve over time by way of natural selection.
Those who support the utilitarian view
Those who support the utilitarian view of maximizing a society's overall happiness consider the selfish wastefulness of environmental resources to be a profoundly negative thing, not just for the quality of the earth but also for the way humanity functions.
Which of the following philosophies argues that ethical decisions must be made for the greater good?
Utilitarianism is a philosophy that promotes the maximum happiness for the greatest number of people, and decisions should be made with the greater good in mind.
Utilitarian thinkers would argue that governments should intervene when private institutions fail to protect the interests of society. True
Utilitarianism supports the free rights of individuals (or individual institutions) until they prove detrimental to society as a whole.
Rapid Technological Change
While 19th century industrialization brought certain societal ills, it also provided extraordinary technological advances that transformed artistic techniques, introduced new media, and provided greater audience access to art as a whole: The availability of paint in tubes enabled artists to paint subjects in their natural settings rather than in the studio. The invention of photography provided new forms of visual representation. Electric lighting enhanced theatrical performances. Advances in musical instruments enabled more expressive compositions. Expansion of educational opportunities for a growing middle class meant a more literate population reading the popular Realist novels and other works of the era.
Utilitarianism
argued that the proper course of political action is the one that promotes the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Mill believed that individuals should be free to direct their own lives, but like most 19th century liberals, he argued that governments should intervene when necessary to protect the wider interests of society.
Charles Dickens was a Realist author known for depicting the grimness of the Industrial Revolution in ________, his native country.
england-Charles Dickens was English, and his novels are well known for their bleak depiction of the Industrial Revolution's effect on England's economy and social classes.
Realism was a movement that took place about 50 years after Romanticism ended.
false Realism overlapped with Romanticism chronologically, taking place during roughly the same period. It was simply a different aesthetic.
Industrialism - Theme
in England and the United States, especially, was a subject for Realist artists and writers, who were focused on the difficult working conditions brought about by industrialization. Later in the period, Realists also tackled the issues of inequality and oppression caused by imperialism* and colonialism*.
Scientific materialism - Theme
is the philosophical view that nothing exists but the physical reality that can be seen through the natural sciences.
Scientific materialism
is the philosophical view that the only reality that exists is the one that can be seen through the natural sciences.
One chief concern that Realist playwrights shared with Realist authors and artists was ________.
showing likeness to life- Like other Realists, playwrights of this period believed that likeness to life, or an honest representation of theatrical situations, dialogue, and setting, would allow audiences to relate more intimately with the drama.
Realism*
was a movement that overlapped chronologically and, in some ways, thematically with the Romantic Period. Like Romanticism, it was also a strong reaction to the turmoil and revolution taking place in the Western world during the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. Realism differed in that it rejected the lofty idealism of Romanticism and concerned itself with solving real-life problems that were largely the result of rapid industrialization, urbanization and the growth of empire. Realism did not focus on glamorized subjects but rather on real people and their everyday, lived experience. It involved a close attention to detail, and it did not shy away from unpleasant topics, like poverty, hunger, and violence.
