THE ROLE OF REALISM IN ENGLISH LITERATURE
Abstract
Realism, as a literary movement, emerged in England during the 19th century as a response to romanticism and the social transformations brought about by industrialization. This article explores the development and influence of realism in English literature, focusing on its thematic concerns, stylistic features, and socio-political implications. It examines the works of key realist writers such as Charles Dickens, George Eliot, and Thomas Hardy, analyzing how their narratives reflect the complexities of ordinary life and challenge idealized representations of society. The article also highlights realism's continuing influence on contemporary literature, arguing that its emphasis on character psychology, moral ambiguity, and social critique remains relevant in the 21st century.
Keywords
Realism, English literature, 19th century, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, Thomas Hardy, literary criticism, industrialization, social realism, narrative form
References
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- Eliot, G. (1871). Middlemarch. William Blackwood and Sons.
- Hardy, T. (1891). Tess of the d’Urbervilles. James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co.
- Levine, G. (1981). The Realistic Imagination: English Fiction from Frankenstein to Lady Chatterley. University of Chicago Press.
- Dickens, C. (1854). Hard Times. Bradbury & Evans.
- Watt, I. (1957). The Rise of the Novel: Studies in Defoe, Richardson, and Fielding. University of California Press.
- Williams, R. (1973). The Country and the City. Oxford University Press.