Naturalism it is a artistic-cultural movement which reached the plastic arts, literature and theater in the mid-nineteenth century. Naturalism is considered a radical offshoot of Realism, as it also aims to portray reality as it is.
Naturalism emerged in France, having as its main representative the French writer Émile Zola, which became famous and marked the beginning of this artistic movement in Europe, with the publication of "germinal", in 1970. Zola's work speaks crudely and clearly about the appalling living conditions of workers in coal mines in the interior of France in the nineteenth century.
One of the great concerns of naturalist works is the relationship between man and the "forces of nature". Naturalism had a strong influence from the theory of evolutionism of Charles Darwin, among other currents of scientific thought that predominated in Europe, with socialism and positivism.
The human being was analyzed and represented based on their pathological behaviors, their desires and sexual kinks, their animalistic side, their aggressiveness and their physiological characteristics and natural. Man is just a "fruit" of nature. Darwin's idea of "natural selection" would be the engine that motivated the transformation of species, according to naturalistic thinking.
Learn more about the meaning of Darwinism.
For the first time, controversial characters and themes for the time, such as homosexuals, blacks, mulattos and the poor became the main protagonists in the stories.
Characteristics of Naturalism
- Addressing controversial issues such as crimes, adultery, incest, homosexuality, poverty, etc.
- "Exaggerated scientism" - the narrator takes the position of a "scientist", who observes social relations and phenomena as if observing a scientific experiment.
- Strong influence of Charles Darwin's theory of evolutionism.
- Reality is approached from the scientific thought, under the influence of positivism.
- In literature, naturalists use colloquial, simple, and objective language.
- In the fine arts, painters recreated natural landscapes or "real life" scenes, that is, they painted what they observed.
- Heredity - the human being is doomed to their biological characteristics and the social environment in which they live.
- Desire to "reform society".
Naturalism in Brazil
The Naturalism movement arrived in Brazil in the 19th century, under the influence of the French writer Émile Zola.
Contrary to what romantic artists and writers did, Brazilian naturalists did not they only wanted to entertain the middle class of the time, but also to illustrate the reality of life in society in the Brazil.
The main representative of Naturalism in the country was the writer from Maranhão Aluzio Azevedo, who published the classic works "O Cortiço" and "O Mulato".
Another prominent name for Brazilian Naturalism was Eça de Queirós, author of Portuguese Realism that served as a great influence for Brazilian artists, with his works "O crime do Padre Amaro" and "O primo Basílio".
Among the main artists of Naturalism in Brazil, besides Aluízio Azevedo, are, Souza's English, adolph walks and Horacio de Carvalho.
realism and naturalism
O Realism it's the Naturalism they are two very similar artistic-cultural movements. Naturalism, however, is considered a "radicalization" of Realism, as it shows the human being as a "product" of nature, all of its aggressiveness, physiological needs, kinks and sexual manias, among other animal characteristics, shape the narratives and characters.
Realism, in turn, presents reality as it is, from a more social point of view. Human beings are represented in interaction with their social environment.
Realism and Naturalism are vanguards against Parnassianism and Romanticism.
See also the meanings of Realism, Parnassianism and Romanticism.
