Spanish literature classics

Spanish Realist literature is the literature written in Spain during the second half of the 19th century, following the Realist movement which predominated in Europe. In the midth century, the Romantic movement waned and a new literary movement arose in Europe: Realism. This new approach grew out of the French reaction to selected aspects of Romanticism, mainly costumbrismo.

Spanish literature canon

As artistic style rebelled against " art for art's sake " and literary imagination grew tired of fanciful and colorful depictions, artists and authors began to focus more objectively on people, actions, and society. This purpose, which became the almost exclusive concern of the writers of the time, soon led to Naturalism. The term realist was used for the first time in , referring to painting, but was later adopted by literature, in which it was applied mainly to the novel.

One of the reasons for the popular success of novels was their publication in newspapers in installments, conceived as a tactic to encourage the public to buy the newspaper daily. The attitude of the realistic writer is analytical and critical, and usually remains objective. The important novels of the 19th century focused on social character, leading the writers to consider themselves to be "historians of the present".

During the 19th century, Spain experienced one of the most tumultuous periods of its history.

Spanish modernism

The rule of Serrano — and the brief reign of Amadeo de Saboya — followed. This style descends from the positivist philosophy of Auguste Comte — , the methods of the physiologist Claude Bernard — , and many distinctive achievements of the modern spirit: democracy , experimental methods Claude Bernard , and theories of heredity Charles Darwin. Zola, a socialist , looks for the cause of social problems in society, and of the individual's problems in biological heredity.

Thus, Naturalism adopts a materialist and determinist concept of people as not morally responsible for their actions and the situations in which they are found, because these are determined by the environment and heredity. While the realist writer is conscious of what occurs, the naturalist investigates its cause and effect.