Naturalism Literature: Definition, Epoch & Works

With the formula «Art = Nature – X» Arno Holz sums up the goal of the literary epoch of naturalism in 1891. Representatives of naturalism strive to reality to represent as accurately as possible. The factor X present in the formula stands for the subjectivity of the respective author and should be kept as small as possible. This means that the naturalists’ claim is that their own subjectivity influences the work as little as possible.

Naturalism Literature – Definition

Naturalism in literature represents the following:

The literary epoch of naturalism includes the years from 1880 to 1900. The word naturalism derives from the Latin word natural ab, which translated means nature. Artists of the epoch fromtake place the goal, society and reality as accurate and realistic as possible to map, too social problems are presented and criticized.

Naturalism – epoch in literature (1880-1900)

Naturalism runs parallel to the literary epoch of realism (1848 to 1890). The difference between the epochs of naturalism and realism can be seen in the way they depict reality: while realist authors embellish reality and hide the negative sides of everyday life, naturalists embody reality in their own Work unembellished with their social problems and grievances.

If you want to learn more about the literary epoch of realism, take a look at the explanation «Realism Literature»!

Naturalism – Contemporary Historical Background

The literary epoch of naturalism is on the one hand through the poverty of a large part of the population and on the other hand through scientific and technical developments shaped.

industrialization and poverty

The second half of the 19th century was heavily influenced by the industrialization influenced. The invention of the steam engine revolutionized the production of goods. While in the country many jobs were lost, new jobs were created in the cities. In search of work, people therefore moved en masse from the country to the city. It came to the so-called rural exodus and urbanizationas a result of which fewer people lived in the countryside than in the city.

However, as a result of the large number of people moving to the cities, not everyone who was looking for a job found a job: unemployment in the population increased. In addition, the available living space was limited. Large parts of the population lived in Poverty. the working conditions in the factories were characterized by physically demanding work, long working days and low pay. Diseases spread, alcoholism, prostitution and crime increased.

This social illswhich accompanied the industrialization in the 19th century, are also called social question designated.

Deterministic image of man

In addition to the invention of the steam engine and the associated revolution in the production of goods, scientific influences at the end of the 19th century also fundamentally changed the image of man. Man became as determined by external influences, i.e. perceived as externally determined. especially the milieu theory from Hippolyte Taine had a great influence on this image of man.

The milieu is the social environment and surroundings of a person.

the milieu theory assumes that the human being through the social conditions, i.e. through the milieuinto which he is born, foreign determined becomes. According to milieu theory, people are shaped by external factors such as inheritance of genes and his Belonging to a certain social classstrongly influenced and restricted in its development and in its decisions.

The naturalists’ image of man differs greatly from that of the realists: in realism, human beings are granted free will, which means that human beings are regarded as autonomous, ie independent beings. Representatives of naturalism, on the other hand, see people as being determined and dependent on their origin.

Also the evolution theory by Charles Darwin and that developed by Sigmund Freud psychoanalysis had a lasting influence on the human image.

evolutionary theory and psychoanalysis

Charles Darwin goes in his evolution theory from the year 1858/1859, among other things, assumed that the evolution of living beings on a natural selection based. Natural selection thinks that which is best at prevail over the less adapted individuals and reproduce successfully. the Genetic traits responsible for reproductive advantage are an passed on to the next generation and are present in this in a higher number than in the parent generation.

Sigmund Freud goes in his psychoanalysis assumes that the human psyche is based on partially unconscious psychological processes. Developed by Freud a few years later Three-instance model (1923) assumes that the human psyche consists of the three instances «It» (drives and needs),» (control body, consciousness) and «About me» (morals and values) that are in constant conflict with each other.

In the course of these new scientific perspectives and theories, people questioned the Christian world view and the Christian religion increasingly lost its importance. This process is also called secularization designated.

Secularization comes from the Latin saeculum, meaning «age» or «century». The term describes the separation of church and state as well as the decreasing importance of religion in people’s everyday lives.

performance bans

Social classes such as the educated middle class were outraged by the explicit and unembellished descriptions the poor living and working conditions Working classwho also as proletariat referred to as. The performance of some literary works of naturalism was banned.

Due to these performance bans, 1889 in Berlin a group of young naturalistic authors who Theater Association «Freie Bühne» founded to give the forbidden works a stage within the framework of club life.

By the club closed events held, in which only members of the association were allowed to take part, it was possible to circumvent the ban on performances. The works performed for the first time in the «Freie Bühne» theater association include the social drama «Die Weber» by Gerhart Hauptmann from 1892.

The social drama «Die Weber» is the best-known work by the German writer Gerhart Hauptmanwhich is the real event of Weaver Rebellion in Silesia from 1844. Because of himself Working and living conditions deteriorating as a result of industrialization 1844 Silesian weavers protested against the manufacturers.

If you want to learn more about Gerhart Hauptmann’s social drama «Die Weber», check out the explanation «Die Weber» on !

Naturalism Literature – Characteristics

Representatives of naturalism focused thematically the social changes triggered by the industrial revolution. she criticize capitalism and turned themselves in against possessiveness, false morality and so-called false heroism. Instead, they put the ffocus on the poverty of urban slums as well as broken existences. Through this focus, the naturalists demanded that social compassion with the lower classes of society.

Addressing the ugly

The works of naturalism deal thematically with everything so-called «ugly» of everyday lifehow Poverty, Illness, exploitation, failed existences, alcoholism and Prostitution. The aim of the naturalists was to social illsthat arose or were exacerbated by the industrial revolution as realistically as possible and to criticize them. The locations of naturalistic works included, for example urban slums and factories.

The Role of Origin

Of the Influence of milieu theory is also reflected in the themes and motifs of Naturalism, particularly in the choice of locations. Every little detail of the locations is described in order to emphasize the importance of the origin or the environment for the development and the actions of the human being.

Influence of science on art

In order to do justice to their claim of depicting reality, the representatives of naturalism use a factual and scientific approach to their works. The influence of science on the art of the epoch can be seen in particular in that set up by Arno Holz Formula «Art = Nature – X» recognize the structure of which is reminiscent of mathematical formulas.

Just like science, literary works are supposed to be in the epoch of naturalism objective representations of reality be. Subjective influences such as the artist’s opinions or interpretations should be as small as possible in order to andndistorted representation of reality to allow.

Naturalism Literature – Language

In order to depict reality as precisely as possible, the representatives of naturalism use a very simple and everyday language in the form of slang and dialect. For example, Gerhart Hauptmann used the Silesian dialect in his social drama «Die Weber» (1892) in order to make his work as realistic as possible.

I say yes. Until I’m not simple. A will come soon. A brings a nice sandwich and Kerndlkoffee. – When it’s time for work, mother takes the potato shells, they carry them to the break, and he gives the fire a nice Neegl Puttermilch firsch Jungl.

By using dialects and colloquialisms, members of certain social classes can also be characterized and distinguished from other social classes. In «Die Weber» (1892) Hauptmann dThe difference between the group of weavers and the group of manufacturers emerges in that the manufacturers, in contrast to the weavers, do not speak a dialect but standard German.

One more word and I’ll send to the police – immediately. – I won’t hesitate. – We’ll get through with you boys after all. I’ve already dealt with completely different people.

The writing style of the epoch of naturalism is from sentence breaks, sentence fragments and breaks shaped, which are part of the seconds style. With the help of the so-called second style the naturalists try every little detail and every perception, including e.g. B. optical and acoustic impressions, to describe.

sense perceptions or movements were «to the second» described in order to realistically depict everyday language. This should story time, i.e. the time it takes readers to read a work that told time correspond to. The narrated time is the period of time in which the action of a work takes place. If, as with the seconds style, told…