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The Count of Monte Cristo
Monte Cristo is an adventure novel that is one of the first accounts of realism to be achieved. "Realism in Monte Cristo is mostly used as dramatic or picturesque background." (Brockett 151). Nevertheless, this is before 1850, but is one of the first acts of realism that set the stage for all the rest, in the future. -
Mary Boykin Chestnut Civil War Diary
The Civil War Diary of Mary Boykin Chestnut shows what life was like during the war firsthand, making it an excellent example of realism. In her diary, she describes everything she heard, felt, and even saw about the American Civil War, and how it impacted her everyday life. Her diary spans four years during the Civil War. -
How Realism Started
Realism in theatre began as a way to bring hard subjects to the surface. The goal was to "make theatre more useful to society." At first, realism was raw and unfiltered, instead of the fairy tales. Despite its tough start, realism started in the staging and costumes, long before the first play involving the hard topics was performed. -
Henrik Ibsen: A Doll House
The play A Doll's House is an example of realism since it portrays the lives of middle class Norwegians and discusses Nora's journey and the power of money. Throughout the play, Nora is mainly impacted by the greed of her husband, Torvald, and society around them. Nora soon discovers that Torvald simply likes the idea of her and wishes to use her for his own gain. Once Nora comes to this realization she leaves him and finds her own independence as an induvial. -
Henrik Ibsen: Ghosts
In the play Ghosts, Henrik Ibsen perfectly showcases realism because it deals with controversial topics for the period when this play was written and produced. There is a lot of talk of family secrets, cheating, diseases, and so on in Ibsen's play Ghosts. As he explores and displays the raw, unfiltered moments of family and society in each of his plays, Henrik Ibsen is a powerful example of realism. -
Mark Twain: The Adventures of Huckleberry "Huck" Finn
Mark Twains, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a great example of realism. Huck Finn begins his adventure because he's tired of being abused by his drunken father. Faking his death and leaving is the only way he can truly escape the abuse. As a young boy battles with a difficult situation, the play captures the realism of these experiences and reveals the truth when faced with these circumstances. -
Johan August Strindberg: Miss Julie
A wonderful example of naturalism is Strindberg's play Miss Julie. In Julie and Jean's struggle to survive, the play centers on their struggle with society and the environment surrounding them, making it a perfect example of naturalism. -
Henrik Ibsen: Hedda Gabler
Throughout Hedda Gabler, playwright Henrik Ibsen explores gender roles for women, suicide, the inability for women to leave the home, and women's sole responsibility as wives and mothers. By the end of the play, Hedda has had enough of her life and shoots herself. -
The Holy Bible
Despite the fact that the bible was written long before 1850, many new versions have been published since then. The authenticity of the events in the Bible has been the subject of much debate. While there may be some controversy about The Bible, it describes a very realistic setting and people, which makes The Bible realism at its best. -
Lucas Hnath: A Dolls House Part 2
Playing 15 years after the first part of A Dolls House, Lucas Hnath follows in the footsteps of Henrik Ibsen's play. Despite Nora's previous reservations, she is now stronger than ever. Although her husband still hasn't fully divorced her. She still wishes to leave him despite his attempts to keep her. -
Words Cited Page 1
Brockett, Oscar G., et al. The Essential Theatre. Cengage Learning, 2017. Mary Boykin Miller Chesnut, 1823-1886. A Diary from Dixie, as Written by Mary Boykin Chesnut, Wife of James Chesnut, Jr., United States Senator from South Carolina, 1859-1861, and Afterward an Aide to Jefferson Davis and a Brigadier-General in the Confederate Army, https://docsouth.unc.edu/southlit/chesnut/maryches.html. Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Random House, 1996. Print. -
Words Cited Page 2
“Ghost 1987 Henrik Ibsen - YouTube.” Henrik Ibsen Ghosts Play, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dXw52Fm5aA. Miss Julie - Erin Kleiber - fall 2013 - YouTube. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7L_d9PVNZo. Ibsen, Henrik, Michael L. Meyer, and David Thomas. Hedda Gabler. London: Methuen Drama, 2002. Introduction to Theatre -- Realism, 16 Jan. 2009, https://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/realism.htm.
