Representing Realists in Victorian Literature and Criticism

Exploring the origins of the term "realism," this book delves into the mid-nineteenth-century debates among writers and critics who grappled with its meaning. Initially used with reluctance and confusion, the term evolved through examples and analogies rather than clear definitions. The text highlights how these discussions reflected broader societal concerns about reality and authority in artistic representation. By examining these early conversations, the book sheds light on how the understanding of realism developed by the end of the nineteenth century.