Naturalism vs. Romanticism — What's the Difference?

Uses a detached and clinical narrative tone.

Often involves quests or journeys of self-discovery.

Focuses on how environment and genetics control human behavior.

Celebrates the beauty and mystery of nature.

Employs detailed realism to depict life situations.

Emphasizes emotion and individual against societal norms.

Often portrays life as a struggle against an uncaring universe.

Uses imaginative and expressive language.

Characters are typically ordinary people facing ordinary challenges.

Focuses on heroism, adventure, and the uncommon.

(in art and literature) a style and theory of representation based on the accurate depiction of detail

Impractical romantic ideals and attitudes

The philosophical belief that everything arises from natural properties and causes, and supernatural or spiritual explanations are excluded or discounted

Romanticism (also known as the Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate period from 1800 to 1850. Romanticism was characterized by its emphasis on emotion and individualism as well as glorification of all the past and nature, preferring the medieval rather than the classical.

The practice of describing precisely the actual circumstances of human life in literature.

Often Romanticism An artistic and intellectual movement originating in Europe in the late 1700s and characterized by a heightened interest in nature, emphasis on the individual's expression of emotion and imagination, departure from the attitudes and forms of classicism, and rebellion against established social rules and conventions.

The practice of reproducing subjects as precisely as possible in the visual arts.

Romantic quality or spirit in thought, expression, or action.

A movement or school advocating such precise representation.

A romantic quality, spirit or action.

The principles and methods of such a movement or of its adherents.

A fondness for romantic characteristics or peculiarities; specifically, in modern literature, an aiming at romantic effects; - applied to the productions of a school of writers who sought to revive certain medi val forms and methods in opposition to the so-called classical style.

(Philosophy) The system of thought holding that all phenomena can be explained in terms of natural causes and laws.

A movement in literature and art during the late 18th and early 19th centuries that celebrated nature rather than civilization;

(Theology) The doctrine that all religious truths are derived from nature and natural causes and not from revelation.

An exciting and mysterious quality (as of a heroic time or adventure)

Conduct or thought prompted by natural desires or instincts.

A state of nature; conformity to nature.

The doctrine that denies a supernatural agency in the miracles and revelations recorded in religious texts and in spiritual influences.

(philosophy) Any system of philosophy which refers the phenomena of nature as a blind force or forces acting necessarily or according to fixed laws, excluding origination or direction by a will.

(philosophy) A doctrine which denies a strong separation between scientific and philosophic methodologies and/or topics

(arts) A movement in theatre, film, and literature that seeks to replicate a believable everyday reality, as opposed to such movements as romanticism or surrealism, in which subjects may receive highly symbolic or idealistic treatment.

(nonstandard) naturism, nudism, social nudity.

The belief in natural law.

A state of nature; conformity to nature.

The doctrine of those who deny a supernatural agency in the miracles and revelations recorded in the Bible, and in spiritual influences; also, any system of philosophy which refers the phenomena of nature to a blind force or forces acting necessarily or according to fixed laws, excluding origination or direction by one intelligent will.

The theory that art or literature should conform to nature; realism; also, the quality, rendering, or expression of art or literature executed according to this theory.

The principles and characteristics professed or represented by a 19th-century school of realistic writers, notably by Zola and Maupassant, who aimed to give a literal transcription of reality, and laid special stress on the analytic study of character, and on the scientific and experimental nature of their observation of life.

(philosophy) the doctrine that the world can be understood in scientific terms without recourse to spiritual or supernatural explanations

An artistic movement in 19th century France; artists and writers strove for detailed realistic and factual description

Romanticism views nature as a source of inspiration, beauty, and emotional depth.

Romantic works often portray their characters as deeply emotional, creative, and capable of overcoming their limitations.

Yes, Naturalism can be considered a response to Romanticism, emphasizing scientific realism over emotional idealism.

Naturalism typically employs an objective and detached narrative style.

Naturalist literature typically features mundane and realistic settings.

Romanticism influences modern literature by continuing to inspire themes of individualism, the celebration of nature, and the exploration of personal identity.

Naturalism focuses on how environmental and genetic factors irrevocably shape human behavior.

Romanticism is associated with creativity because it values imagination and personal expression over societal norms.

Yes, determinism is a key theme in Naturalism, suggesting that people's fates are largely determined by uncontrollable forces.

Imagination is central to Romanticism, serving as a tool for transcending reality and exploring new emotional and intellectual territories.