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Realism and Naturalism - Ibsen and 'The Doll's House'

Introduction



The turn of the century saw a move towards selectivity rather than generalisations in the work of modern dramatists


The emphasis was on human psychology and the relationships between men and women


Realists such as Henrik Ibsen favoured work which reflected social problems whilst Emile Zola, a naturalist writer, advocated scientific observation (hence the rise of naturalism in theatre) where life was revealed indiscriminately in a non-selective, photographic way


In short, drama was no longer represented in artificial and contrived ways - melodramatic and romanticised approaches to dramatic form was rejected.


Realism fuelled by advances in modern science and rational thinking (deduction and explanation). The work of Charles Darwin (1859) gave impetus to the dramatists with its focus on environment and heredity.

Distinctions between realism and naturalism


Let' s consider the differences between the work of the realists (e.g Ibsen) and those of the naturalists (e.g Chekhov and Zola). We can do this best by considering two speeches from associated plays. (reference: 'Acting in Person and in Style', 1980)


For eight years I've been waiting patiently; I knew, of course, that such things don't happen every day. Then, when this trouble came to me - I thought to myself; Now! Now the wonderful thing will happen! All the time Krogstad's letter was out there in the box, it never occurred to me for a single moment that you'd think of submitting to his conditions. I was absolutely convinced that you'd defy him - that you'd tell him to publish the thing to all the world; and that thenة

(Nora to Torvald. 'A Doll's House' by Henrik Ibsen)

Not only in two or three hundred years but in a million years of life will be just the same; it does not change, it remains stationary, following its own laws which we have nothing to do with or which, anyway fly backwards and forwards and whatever ideas, great or small, stray through their minds, they will go on flying just the same without knowing where or why. They fly and will continue to fly, however philosophic they may become; and it doesn't matter how philosophical they are so long as they go on flyingة

(Tusenbach 'The Three Sisters' by Anton Chekhov)


Nora's speech (realism)


In Nora's speech, the flow of words is orderly and selective, logical in intent


The lines are believeable and truthful although a little heightened


The character is inwardly motivated - this is a realistic speech




Tusenbach's speech (naturalism)


A closer representation to everyday, real life conversation with its uneven flow of cascading thoughts with at times a repetitious quality


Truthful and believeable with a use of silences and pause if so desired - this is a naturalistic speech.



The rise of Naturalism



Zola proposed the first naturalistic doctrine in 1873 in the introduction to his play Therese Raquin


Regarded man forming laws of human conduct through the powers of observation, analysis and classification


A rebellion against stereotyped formula of morality of the Romantic movement


Prescribed lifelike scenery, costumes and methods of acting 'a slice of life.'


Action on stage simplified and lifelike, characters psychologically motivated and physiologically correct in the way that looked and acted on stage