Overview
A literary movement that sought to represent ordinary life and social conditions faithfully, favoring detailed characterization over idealized or romantic plots.
Key Figures
Gustave Flaubert, Henry James, Mark Twain, Anton Chekhov
Key Works
Flaubert's 'Madame Bovary' (1856), Twain's 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' (1884), Chekhov's short stories
Themes
- —Everyday life
- —Social conditions
- —Character
- —Verisimilitude
Sources and further reading