10 MAIN AUTHORS OF LITERARY REALISM - LITERATURE - 2025

The main authors of literary realism presented a new artistic proposal that emerged in Europe in the mid-nineteenth century. It is believed that it originated in France as a response in rejection of Romanticism.

Due to the great social, economic and political changes that were taking place at the time, the authors of this current implemented a new philosophical and scientific mentality in their works.

Realist writers suggested an objective look at reality. Therefore, the literary genre used to highlight this analysis was the novel.

Realism is characterized by having achieved a rigorous documentation of the author's contemporary society, emphasizing social criticism through a simple and sober language.

Main authors of literary realism

The following authors are recognized worldwide for the impact generated by their works, each one carries its own style where they represent the usual objectively.

1- Gustave Flaubert - France

Gustave Flaubert is a renowned French writer, born on December 12, 1821. He is considered one of the greatest novelists in 19th century literature.

Among his works, Madame Bovary stands out, for being a revolutionary, realistic and controversial novel.

In it, not only the psychological factors of the characters are presented in detail, but also a strong criticism of French society from the daily life of the town of Yonville.

However, his work was not exempt from the negative reaction on the part of the society of the time, which brought him to trial for immoral and unethical. Fortunately, the court ruling was in his favor. He died on May 8, 1880.

2- Henrik Ibsen - Norway

Henrik Johan Ibsen was born in Norway on March 20, 1828 and died on May 23, 1906, at the age of 78. He was a Norwegian poet and playwright.

In his works he questioned the values, family models, and social problems of his time and turned them into an argument for debate.

Some of his works that allude to socio-critical realism are Dollhouse (1989), Specters (1881) and Un Enemigo del Pueblo (1882).

3- Alexandre Dumas son - France

He was born on July 27, 1824 and died on November 27, 1895. He was a renowned French writer, his life experiences determined his thinking and these he transferred to his writings.

His novels and plays such as The Lady of the Camellias (1848), were very successful for their moral teachings and their great scrutiny of social denunciations. In particular, she advocated for the rights of children and women.

4- Henry James - United States

Henry James (1843-1916) was an American whose stories and novels were fraught with great psychological tension.

He studied Literature and was characterized by providing the characters with a new conception of force that revolved around the inner world.

His most important work was The Art of the Novel. However, the reception was not to the liking of the audience, until now.

5- Guy de Maupassant - France

The French writer (1850-1893) represents at the beginning of the 19th century a real image of everyday life, with characters full of social problems and prejudices.

With only 10 years in literary production, he left a large collection of works with more than six novels, 300 short stories, several volumes of journalistic chronicles, etc.

His language opted for a colloquial and critical one, under the meticulous concept of truth where he managed to represent the objectivity of his surroundings.

6- Stendhal - France

French writer whose real name was Marie-Henri Beyle, but was known by his pseudonym Stendhal.

He represented man in a society in constant evolution and constrained by economic and political events.

8- Leo Tolstoy - Russia

Lev Nikoláievich Tostói (1828-1910), is known for works such as Anna Karenina and Guerra y Paz, novels admired by royalist exponents.

They reflect a sense of diversity in Russian society at the time, as well as the beliefs and experiences of the characters themselves.

9- Charles Dickens - England

Charles Dickens (1812-1865) was an outstanding writer of the Victorian era. He made a living writing and gradually rose within his personal aspirations as a writer.

He was always in favor of charitable associations that carried out social reforms, and above all, he was against slavery.

Among his most outstanding works are Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Hard Times, and A Christmas Carol.

The sentimentality of their stories, in contrast to the harshness of cruel reality, helps to denounce an unequal society, which did not care about the hardships of the lower class.

10- Honoré de Balzac- France

Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850) is valued by many as the founder of the realist novel. In his works the tireless reflection on the representation of French society is distinguished.

His first great bestseller and most famous novel was Eugenia Grandet (1833).

References

1. Barrish, Phillip. (2001). American Literary Realism: Critical Theory and Intellectual Prestige, 1880-1995. Cambridge, Oxford.
2. Becker, George. (1963). Documents of Modern Literary Realism. Princeton, Princeton University Press.
3. Glazener, Nancy. (1997). Reading for Realism: The History of Literary Institution. Durham, Duke University Press.
4. Fernandez, David. (2008) Universal Literature. Barcelona, ​​Almadraba.
5. Ferre, Jordi and Cañuelo, Susana. (2002). History of world literature. Barcelona, ​​Spain. Optimal
6. Pizer, Donald. (1998). Documents of American Realism and Naturalism. Carbondale and Edwardsville, Souther Illinois.