Realism and Naturalism

doi:10.1017/9781108617208.016

Chapter 14 - Realism and Naturalism

from Part II - Literary Contexts

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 December 2019

Chad Rohman

Edited by

John Bird

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John Bird: Affiliation:
Winthrop University

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Summary

Mark Twain was a central figure in the prevailing literary movements of the second half of the nineteenth century: realism and naturalism. His friend William Dean Howells was the leading proponent of realism in American literature, and in Mark Twain he early saw a writer who would join him in his efforts to move literature beyond romanticism. Howells, Twain, and Henry James were the three most prominent figures, but other writers were also important. Although Twain did not write literary criticism that outlined his philosophy of realism, his practice was important in establishing realism as the prevailing literary movement of the time.

Keywords

Mark Twain Samuel Clemens Realism Naturalism Romanticism literary periods William Dean Howells

Type: Chapter
Information: Mark Twain in Context , pp. 139 - 148

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108617208.016 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2020

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