Realism and naturalism are two distinct dramatic movements that emerged in the nineteenth century and continue to influence theater today. Dramatic realism is characterized by an attempt to depict real life and society as it is, rather than idealizing or romanticizing it. The goal of realism is to create a realistic or realistic appearance through the use of detailed characterization, naturalistic dialogue, and a focus on everyday events. Examples of plays considered representative of realism include Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. “Nineteenth-century theater became the laboratory of realism, a place where new ideas about the nature of reality were tested and refined,” says playwright and director David Mamet.
Naturalism, on the other hand, is an extension of realism and emphasizes scientific observation of human behavior and the natural world. Naturalistic drama usually depicts characters determined by environmental, biological, and social conditions. The focus is on the characters’ objective reality, not their subjective experiences. The goal of naturalism is to portray characters as determined by natural laws rather than free will. Examples of plays considered representative of naturalism include August Strindberg’s Miss Julie and Maxim Gorky’s The Underbelly. Drama professor George Pierce Baker stated, “Naturalism is the imitation of nature. It is distinguished from realism, which is the imitation of nature as it appears to ordinary people.” Encyclopedia Britannica defines naturalism It is “a style of writing that attempts to describe human behavior and the environment, or human nature, with as much scientific accuracy as possible. It is a literary movement that developed in the fields of literature, film, drama, and art in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.”
It is worth noting that different authors and theater experts may have different views on the definition of these movements and their characteristics, so it is always a good idea to cross-reference and consult multiple sources when researching theater.
To summarize, realism and naturalism are two distinct movements in drama. They have some similarities but the main difference is that realism focuses on the appearance of reality while naturalism focuses on the science of human behavior and the natural world. Research. Dramatic realism is characterized by an attempt to depict real life and society as it is, without idealization or romanticization, while naturalism is an extension of realism and emphasizes scientific observation of human behavior and the natural world. Both movements had a major impact on theater and continue to shape theater today
