"Realism and the Novel Form" by Ian Watt - Chapter Summary

Watt, Ian. "Chapter 1: Realism and the Novel Form." The Rise of the Novel. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1970. Print.

The literary form of novel appeared in the 18^th century among a group of writers who had very little in common- Defoe, Richardson and Fielding. However there must have been something prevalent in that era which led them to create this new form.

The novel differs from previous work in that it is characterized by realism. Realism isn't to be defined as the opposite of idealism. Realism is the attempt at portrayal of all aspects of human experience. Realism lies in the manner in which life is represented. The novel is marked by the attempt to view life scientifically. The modern idea of realism is that which we perceive via our senses.

In the middle ages it was universal ideas which were thought to be true reality. Descartes however hypothesized that reality is perceived by the individual and is not attached to previous ideas on reality. The development of the novel reflects this change in philosophy. This notion allowed for novels to detach themselves of history and of the conventions of a literary genre and create something "novel". The novel has thus few conventions which the literary critic may use to analyze the novel.

In addition, the novel does not utilize traditional plots as did works of all earlier genres. Instead they are rather more original. This also contributed to the realism of the novel. Along with the changing of the plot, characters had to become unique as well as situations within the plot.

Abstractions are ill tailored for entertainment, and that is the purpose of the novel. Thus the novel embodies the movement of literature away from the abstract. In addition, the prevalence of realism meant that the setting of the novel and characterization became integral.

Philosophers began to ascribe importance to personal identity. Previously in literature characters were named after universal characters they stood for; in the novel characters were given realistic names.

Locke saw people's history as aiding in their self definition. This idea is reflected in the novel, where many times a character's history and its exploration is the very topic of the novel. Instead of abstract events, events are now rooted in time and space and pertain to specific characters.

Characters change over time and do not adhere to static moral values. However the interest in realism necessitates a much more careful portrayal of time in the narrative. There is no longer in the novel a time constraint in which the plot must take place. Previously there was no interest in realistic minutiae of daily life; in the novel there is. Now events such as love stories may be allowed to develop in realistic time. There is an actual time scheme to the story. The same pertains to space. The novel, in conclusion, seeks to convey "an authentic account of the actual experiences of individuals".

The language of the novel reflects the realism inherent in the genre.

Ian Watt