Thomas Gray, William Blake, Goldsmith, Cowper and Crabbe in Light of Naturalism: A Critical Perspective

Abstract

The term ‘Naturalism’ consists of two words; natural+ism, which describes a type of literature that attempts to apply scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to its study of human beings. Unlike realism, which focuses on literary technique, naturalism implies a philosophical position. For naturalistic writers since human beings are, in Emile Zola’s phrase, “human beasts” characters can be studied through their relationships to their surroundings. As naturalism a theatrical style sometimes called ‘realism’. It began as a rebellion against romantic- artificialities of much 19^th century theatre. Initially such early exponents as Emile Zola conceived it as simply offering an unadulterated “slice of life” with all theatrical glossing over of hard facts removed and with only limited concern, if any, about the necessity of presenting such views in “well made” plays. However, it soon came to be perceived at least popularly, as answering portrayals of the seamiest side of existence. Gorky’s The Lower Depths is often cited as the classic example. Those who separate realism from naturalism often suggest that the former is more selective and therefore has to be more carefully contrived, and they offer the best plays of Ibsen as instances. Naturalism is often seen as a heightened form of realism with all five senses involved. On the basis of above mentioned details, we can say that the term naturalism used by Zola and other French writers to distinguish their methods from the realism of Balzac and Flaubert and it is opposed to idealism and it applies an extreme form of realism based upon a foundation of materialism.