Question

Discuss the characteristics of Realism versus those of Modernism. Use concrete and specific examples from both literary as well as visual works of art we have studied.

Answer 1

• The essential difference between modernism vs realism, the two forms of thinking patterns or philosophies is that it was the conflict between the old traditional values, beliefs and the new rational, logical views.
• Modernism, in strictest sense was a refusal to accept the conservative views, ideologies and theories of realism. Modernism was revolutionary in the sense that it challenged the issues that blocked the human progress.
• It focused deeply on human efforts, its self-consciousness to examine all aspects of human life and correct the things that were wrong.
• In realism, that preceded modernism, the main thought was that the reality in the everyday life is the ultimate truth. It is not dependent on the power of observers and so, it must be depicted as it is, in arts and literature.
• Modernism challenged realism, as it focused on inner self-consciousness and the power of scientific experimentation to challenge and consequently change reality.
• Modernism:-
• It has a pessimistic tone regarding various issues dealt in the writing.
• It portrays reality of life, without any romanticism or much optimism as in the Victorian or Romantic literature.
• Variety and complexity in novels made modernistic writing difficult to comprehend.
• Numerous themes of modern literature included the search within self, the inner dilemma human beings face, questions regarding existence of God in the modern world, overwhelming technological changes and the struggle of man to fit in urban life.
• Realism:-
• It generally dealt with everyday lives of the middle class people.
• The works in realism literature focused on the quality of individual's life, his daily tasks and that is why, in realism, character is always more important than the plot.
• No poetic, romantic language is used in realism. The voice of speech represents average man and so it is simple but the tone may be comic or satiric.
• Some of most prominent poets of the modernism era were T. S. Eliot, John Mansfield, W.B. Yeats, Rupert Brook, Robert Bridges, W. H. Auden, Stephen Spencer and Dylan Thomas.Example of one book is  Ulysses by James Joyce.
• Joyce’s "Ulysses replaces coherent narrative with a multi-layered stream of events, sights sounds, thoughts, impressions, emotions, sensations, reflections and observations.
• These fall together and represent an account of what moves through the active mind consciously immersed in a single day. From this we get a unique transparent vision of the subjective character and we see into the mind of Stephen as he navigates his existence.
• Joyce’s use of stream-of consciousness explores the levels of consciousness from what is merely perceived to the way this shapes an underlying thought monologue and presents itself as our opinions, feelings and experience of mind.
• The juxtaposing of grand narratives and everyday activities gives Ulysses its ability to crystallise and unite all of human culture and existence and insert it into the humble subjective state of one man’s mind through one day, which is arguably the overarching goal of much modernist fiction.
• In the visual arts the roots of Modernism are often traced back to painter Édouard Manet, who, beginning in the 1860s, broke away from inherited notions of perspective, modeling, and subject matter.
• Vincent Van Gogh, a Dutch painter, expressed modernism through his unpredictable behaviors. One of Van Gogh’s most famous art works in history, The Starry Night, greatly articulated Van Gogh’s inner chaos. Early Modernism created an expressive and artistic atmosphere of the 19th century.
• Some of the popular literary figures who used realism as a literary tool included Henry Adams, Horatio Alger, Frank Baum, Edward Bellamy, Kate Chopin, William Dean Howells, Henry James, Stephen Crane, Joseph Kirkland etc.Example is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.
• In his play, “The Crucible,” Arthur Miller presents realism, which is based on making his character appearing lifelike figures. Miller has created a chain of events to demonstrate iconic realism by using characterization, language, and dialogue.
• He has chosen a story of human interaction to describe his own concern for the cultural future of the United States, and humanity at large.
• It is true that the witch trials in Salem actually happened, and people such as Rebecca and John Proctor were killed.
• The murders of these innocent people have a powerful impact on readers, not because of the author’s style, but because of the horrifying subject matter.
• Miller’s use of language is also very powerful, especially where the judges and the accusers twisted ideas and words to create contrasts and paradoxes from which the accused could not escape. This was the reality of life at that time.
• With A Burial at Ornans, Courbet made his name synonymous with the young Realist movement. By depicting a simple rural funeral service in the town of his birth, Courbet accomplished several things.
• First, he made a painting of a mundane topic with unknown people (each attendee is given a personalized portrait) on a scale traditionally reserved for history painting.
• Second, he eschewed any spiritual value beyond the service; the painting, often compared to El Greco's Burial of Count Orgaz (1586), leaves out El Greco's depiction of Christ and the heavens.
• Third, Courbet's gritty depiction showed the fashionable Salon-goers of Paris their new political equals in the country, as the 1848 Revolution had established universal male suffrage. Artistically, Courbet legendarily stated, "A Burial at Ornans was in reality the burial of Romanticism," opening up a new visual style for an increasingly modern world.