Theatre History Overview - Part 69 - Realism

Realism started in Europe in the late 19th century. It rejected the sentimentality of romanticism. Naturalism is also part of realist theatre.

Realism refers to depicting life in an accurate and faithful manner. In writing, the events in human life are depicted as matter-of-fact. There were three basic rules for realist art forms.

1. Truth resides in material objects that we can perceive with all five senses. (Ex. truth can be found in a rock, but it isn't found in the wind).
2. Observation could solve everything.
3. The highest home of science was human problems.

Realism also resulted in whte is know as the well-made play. This form was mainly created and popularized by Eugine Scribe and Henrik Ibsen. There are seven basic rules to a well-made play. Most of these rules can be found in Ibsen's A Doll's House, but he had started to play with the rules at the time he wrote that play, so there are times it veers away from the rules.

1. The plot contains plot points that are secrets to the characters in the play, but they are known to the audience. (e.g. In A Doll's House, only Nora, Krogstad, and the audience know that Nora signed the note for money and owes Krogstad. The audience waits to find out what the other characters will think about this situation if they ever find out about it).
2. Careful attention is paid to exposition. This may take up the entire first act. Then props such as letters and contrived entrances such as a friend visiting at an inopportune time, are used to increase suspense. (e.g. The whole first act of A Doll's House tends to deal with the fact that Nora is a spendthrift and talks about her history with money).
3. Expected logical reverses happen. The protagonist of the play will have successes and failures with the antagonist. (e.g. Nora feels like they are not in financial trouble and will spend money. Then Torvald will remind Nora that she can't frivolously spend money.)
4. The antagonist will have scenes were things are discovered about the protagonist that can be used to hurt the protagonist. (e.g.
5. The audience knows of a misunderstanding that happens in the play, but the characters in the play do not know that it occurred. (e.g. The audience knows that Nora got the money through forgery to get a loan, but the others don't know this until Nora tells Kristine.)
6. The denouement (the end where things are resolved) is logical and believable. (This one is one that breaks the rules. At the time A Doll's House was written, as condesending that Torvald treats Nora, a wife leaving her husband and children was not believable.)
7. The general action of the play is repeated in each individual act. (e.g. Nora has not paid all that much attention to her children and leaves them with the nanny at the end of the first act. She is getting ready for a party to which she is concerned, not about Torvald or her children, at the end of the second act. Then, at the end of the third act, she leaves, abandoning Torvald and her children).

Other authors of realism include George Bernard Shaw, Anton Chekhov, Emile Augier, and Alexandre Dumas fils (the "fils" indicates that he was the illegitimate son of Alexandre Dumas [the author of The Three Musketeers.]) Realist plays are still performed to this day.

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