SPANISH LITERARY REALISM: CHARACTERISTICS, AUTHORS AND WORKS - LITERATURE - 2025

The Spanish literary realism is the literary trend that emerged in Spain in the middle of the nineteenth century due to the development of political and social life experienced by the European country at the time. It was, practically, what resulted after the culmination of the current of literary Romanticism.

Although it was born in France, it was perhaps the situation in Spain that made the conceptualization of this movement feasible. It was framed in the development of literary genres, giving them strength and identity. Literary Realism was defined or characterized by almost accurately reflecting the reality of the historical context of society.

Benito Perez Galdos, representative of the Literary Realism of Spain. Source: Joaquín Sorolla

With the emergence of Spanish literary realism, the era of passionate emotions and feelings was left behind, to give way to new topics of social interest, and to a verb more in keeping with the reality that the characters in the stories lived, not far from life itself.

Historic context

In general terms, literary realism as such emerged in the year 1825. It was used to refer to the use that the romantics made of nature and its staging. Two years later the French writers presented it as a movement totally distanced from Romanticism.

From its birth, its primary purpose was to portray reality. Its main representative was the French Honoré de Balzac, who with his novels left moral and social teachings. Within this movement the position of the narrator was critical.

In the case of Spain, literary realism emerged in the nineteenth century, during one of the most difficult times in its history. He had lost the territories of Cuba and the Philippines, and later the war against France began. At the same time, Fernando VII and Isabel II were overthrown.

With the Revolution of 1868, also known as La Gloriosa, a new political period began. Francisco Serrano y Domínguez became president of the Council of Ministers, while Amadeo de Saboya, known as “El Rey Electo”, reigned the country for a brief period, between 1871 and 1873.

Some time later the Bourbon dynasty was reestablished with the opening of the First Republic, a period that lasted a year, between 1873 and 1874. He was the son of the deposed Isabel II, Alfonso XII, who presided over the Spanish monarchy for ten years, until 1885.

All these events aroused the interest of the writers of the time. Each one from their genre dedicated themselves to offering the audience a different style of literature, developed from the experiences and experiences of a society that they would have to live.

characteristics

Like any movement or current, Spanish literary realism was sustained by its own characteristics. Although it was established in poetry and theater, the novel was the genre that gave it its main characteristics. This was due to the great boom that had to express the conditions of society in times of revolution.

With the novels, the literary Realism given in Spain revealed the wishes of two of the main social strata of the time: the bourgeoisie and the middle class. From both directions individualism, attachment to the material, and the need to climb positions at the level of society were longed for.

Among the main characteristics are the following:

Objectivity

Presentation of reality in an objective way. That is, personal appreciation and fantasy were put aside to write from observation. The real changes that occurred in Spanish culture were reflected in the way they emerged.

Colloquial language

The use of a language close to the people was applied. It was common and popular in such a way that it was understood by all. This allowed the majority of society to have access to the new culture, and at the same time soak up the events that were taking place.

Emphasis on the everyday

The themes that were developed were typical of everyday life. The reader could feel identified. The defense of rights, freedom, marriage, were points that were expanded very often. This specific point was what triggered the acceptance of the novel genre in many parts of the world.

Social criticism

Each author exposed what they considered was harmful to people, and in one way or another provided solutions. It is important to note that they did it as omniscient or know-it-all storytellers, they knew the psychology of the characters, and consequently the way to act.

In detail descriptive

Finally, the environments where the actions took place were described in detail.

Genres, authors and representative works

The main genres of Spanish literary realism were the novel, poetry and theater. Each one with its particular characteristics was not separated from the characteristics of the movement in question. Each one is described below, with its main authors and works.

-The novel

It was its heyday that shaped the literary trend. He developed topics of social interest, and his language allowed all of society to have access to it. There were several authors who achieved renown in Spain through the novel.

Benito Pérez Galdós

He was a playwright, chronicler, writer and politician. He was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canarias on May 10, 1843; he died in Madrid in 1920. He has been considered the most prominent author of Spanish Realism. He was a defender of republicanism as the best form of government.

Among his most important works are: The National Episodes, Doña Perfecta, Marianela or La Familia de León Roch, Gloria, Contemporary Spanish Novels, Fortunata and Jacinta, and Misericordia.

The National Episodes

It was Galdós's greatest work both for its content and its length. It consists of 46 novels of a historical nature, which he wrote between 1872 and 1912. In them he developed the history of his native Spain during the events of the 19th century. He wrote them in series for a better understanding of the facts.

Fortunata and Jacinta

It is contained in Contemporary Spanish Novels, and is considered the best work of Pérez Galdós, at the same time it faithfully represents Spanish literary Realism. It is a story of love and hate, which takes place in the final days of the 1868 Revolution or La Septembrina.

Juan Valera

He was born in Córdoba in 1824 and died in the city of Madrid on April 18, 1905. He was a writer, politician and military man. Although initially he rejected both Romanticism and Realism, he later accepted the latter because it allowed him to choose real spaces to develop his works.

Pepita Jimenez

It was Valera's first novel, its plot is based on love and betrayal. In it the author exposes the story of a young priest candidate named Luis de Vargas, who goes to visit his father and falls in love with his fiancée, a young woman who makes him doubt his priestly vocation. It has come to life in film and theater.

Leopoldo Alas

This Spanish writer and politician was known as “Clarín”. He was born on April 25, 1852, and died in Oviedo on June 13, 1901. He served as a professor and professor. Besides that, he worked in various newspapers as a literary critic. His main work was La Regenta.

The Regent

Alas's main work was published in two parts or volumes, the first in 1884, while the second in 1885. It is set in the city of Vetusta, and tells the story of Ana Ozones, whose family loses their possessions, and she must have married someone she didn't love.

The name of the novel originates from the position held by Víctor Quintanar, Ana's husband, who served as regent of the Audiencia. The protagonist is described as a boring and isolated woman whose only wish is to be able to be a mother.

The above are the most important authors of the novel within Spanish literary realism. However, Vicente Blasco Ibáñez also took part with his work Los Cuatro y Jinetes del Apocalipsis, Emilia Pardo Bazán and his main work La Cuestion Palpitante, and finally, Luís Coloma with Pequeñeces.

-Theater

The Spanish theater within Literary Realism developed within conservative patterns, to raise the strongest concerns of a society that was recovering from decadence. With the staging the lost customs were recovered.

Among the most renowned representatives were: Manuel Tamayo y Baus, Eugenio Sellés, José Echegaray, Leopoldo Cano, Enrique Gaspar and José Feliú y Codina.

Manuel Tamayo and Baus

He was a playwright son of actors, and decided to continue the family legacy. He was born in Madrid on September 15, 1829; he passed away in 1898. He grew up in his parents' theater company. Later he ventured into Romanticism, until he reached Realism.

Manuel Tamayo and Baus. Source: Bartolomé Maura Montaner (1844-1926), via Wikimedia Commons

The following are his most outstanding works: Locura de Amor, La Bola de Nieve, Lo Positivo, Lances de Honor, Los Hombre de Bien and Un Drama Nuevo, the latter his most important work.

A New Drama

As its title indicates, it is a dramatic work, it takes place in three acts. It tells the story of a married couple where the husband discovers that his wife has a lover. This leads the protagonist to commit suicide. There are eight characters that give life to this work.

Jose Echegaray

He was born in Madrid in 1832, and stood out as a writer, playwright, politician and mathematician. His work turned out to be one of customs and tragic situations.

All of this derived from his attempt to unify sentimentality with the very foundations of Realism. El Loco Dios, Mancha que Limpia and El Gran Galeoto are his top works.

Stain Cleaning

This play is based on jealousy and unbridled passion. Matilde, the main character, loses her sanity when she finds out that Fernando, her great love, is going to marry Enriquita, who is unfaithful to her. The play was premiered on February 9, 1895.

-The poetry

It is perhaps one of the genres of Literary Realism that advanced more slowly. The change towards the new current took long enough to continue to see some traces of Romanticism reflected in the verses. Ramón de Campoamor and Gaspar Núñez de Arce were its highest representatives.

Ramon de Campoamor

He was born in Navia on September 24, 1817; He died in Madrid on February 11, 1901. Within Spanish literary realism his works were characterized by being prosaic, and lacking in elegance. However, the language he used reached many people, and that made him popular.

His poetry is extensive. Among the most recognized are the following: A Generous Woman (1838), Humoradas (1886-1888), Las Doloras (1846), Colón (1853), The Universal Drama (1853), Los Buenos y Sabios (1881), Don Juan (1886) and Complete Fables (1941).

Las Doloras

They are a series of short poems, which are based on drama and philosophy. They have outstanding characteristics of Realism. From the moment of its publication they had a high level of popularity and receptivity, and they became part of Spanish culture.

Gaspar Núñez de Arce

Poet and politician, who went from Romanticism to Realism. He was born on August 4, 1832 in Valladolid; He died in the Spanish capital on June 9, 1903. With each of his works he tried to express his verses in a simple way, and without elaborate words.

Gaspar Núñez de Arce. Source: See page for author, via Wikimedia Commons

The following were his most important works: Gritos del Combate (1875), Un Idilio (1879), El Vertigo (1879) and La Pesca (1884). With the first he wanted to give readers verses based on patriotism and characteristics of civilization.

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