Romanticism vs. Realism: What's the Difference?
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Published on November 5, 2023
Romanticism is an artistic movement emphasizing emotion and imagination, while Realism focuses on depicting everyday life accurately.
Key Differences
Romanticism emerged as an artistic movement valuing emotion, nature, and individualism. Realism, in contrast, arose focusing on depicting life accurately, often highlighting the ordinary.
Romanticism often involves idealized, dramatic, or fantastical elements. Realism, on the other hand, strives for authenticity and factual representation.
In Romanticism, artists and writers sought to evoke deep feelings and highlight the sublime. Realism, conversely, aimed for a truthful, unembellished portrayal of life, including its hardships.
Romanticism celebrated the subjective experience and the mysterious. Realism, by contrast, was grounded in objective observation and scientific principles.
While Romanticism was a reaction against industrialization and rationalism, Realism emerged as a response to Romanticism, seeking to portray the world without romantic idealization.
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Comparison Chart
Emphasis
Emotion, imagination.
Everyday life, accuracy.
Elements
Idealized, dramatic, fantastical.
Authentic, factual.
Approach
Evoking deep feelings, sublime.
Truthful, unembellished portrayal.
Focus
Subjective experience, mystery.
Objective observation, scientific principles.
Reaction Against
Industrialization, rationalism.
Romantic idealization.
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Romanticism and Realism Definitions
Romanticism
An artistic movement valuing emotion and nature.
The painting's wild landscapes reflect Romanticism.
Realism
An artistic movement depicting everyday life accurately.
The novel's detailed descriptions showcased Realism.
Romanticism
A focus on individualism and the sublime.
Her poetry was deeply influenced by Romanticism.
Realism
Focusing on factual representation in art.
Her paintings are known for their adherence to Realism.
Romanticism
Emphasizing imagination and feeling in art.
Romanticism shaped his approach to storytelling.
Realism
Emphasizing the ordinary and authentic in art.
The sculpture captured the essence of Realism.
Romanticism
Celebrating the mysterious and fantastical.
His compositions were true to the spirit of Romanticism.
Realism
Grounded in objective observation and facts.
His writing style is deeply influenced by Realism.
Romanticism
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.
Realism
An inclination toward literal truth and pragmatism.
Romanticism
Romantic quality or spirit in thought, expression, or action.
Realism
The representation in art or literature of objects, actions, or social conditions as they actually are, without idealization or presentation in abstract form.
Romanticism
A romantic quality, spirit or action.
Realism
The scholastic doctrine, opposed to nominalism, that universals exist independently of their being thought.
Romanticism
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.
He [Lessing] may be said to have begun the revolt from pseudo-classicism in poetry, and to have been thus unconsciously the founder of romanticism.
Realism
The modern philosophical doctrine, opposed to idealism, that objects exist independently of their being perceived.
Romanticism
Impractical romantic ideals and attitudes
Realism
A concern for fact or reality and rejection of the impractical and visionary.
Romanticism
A movement in literature and art during the late 18th and early 19th centuries that celebrated nature rather than civilization;
Romanticism valued imagination and emotion over rationality
Realism
An artistic representation of reality as it is.
Romanticism
An exciting and mysterious quality (as of a heroic time or adventure)
Realism
(sciences) The viewpoint that an external reality exists independent of observation.
Romanticism
A reaction against rationalism in art.
The novel's focus on intuition over logic embodies Romanticism.
Realism
(philosophy) A doctrine that universals are real—they exist and are distinct from the particulars that instantiate them.
Realism
As opposed to nominalism, the doctrine that genera and species are real things or entities, existing independently of our conceptions. According to realism the Universal exists ante rem (Plato), or in re (Aristotle).
Realism
Fidelity to nature or to real life; representation without idealization, and making no appeal to the imagination; adherence to the actual fact.
Realism
The practise of assessing facts and the probabilities of the consequences of actions in an objective manner; avoidance of unrealistic or impractical beliefs or efforts. Contrasted to idealism, self-deception, overoptimism, overimaginativeness, or visionariness.
Realism
The attribute of accepting the facts of life and favoring practicality and literal truth
Realism
(philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that physical object continue to exist when not perceived
Realism
The state of being actual or real;
The reality of his situation slowly dawned on him
Realism
An artistic movement in 19th century France; artists and writers strove for detailed realistic and factual description
Realism
(philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that abstract concepts exist independent of their names
Realism
Portraying life truthfully, without idealization.
The film's raw portrayal of events reflected Realism.
FAQs
When did Romanticism emerge?
Romanticism emerged in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
What is Realism?
An artistic movement focusing on depicting everyday life accurately.
When did Realism become prominent?
Realism gained prominence in the mid-19th century.
What defines Realism in art?
Accurate depiction of life, authenticity, and factual representation.
What are key characteristics of Romanticism?
Emotion, imagination, nature, and the sublime.
Was Romanticism a reaction to something?
Romanticism was a reaction against industrialization and rationalism.
Did Romanticism influence literature?
Yes, Romanticism had a significant impact on literature.
Are there famous Romantic poets?
Yes, William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge are notable.
What is Romanticism?
An artistic movement valuing emotion, nature, and individualism.
Did Romanticism value emotion or reason more?
Romanticism valued emotion over reason.
Is Realism limited to visual arts?
No, Realism spans literature, theatre, and other art forms.
Can a work combine Romanticism and Realism?
Yes, some works blend elements of both movements.
How did Realism affect painting?
Realism led to more truthful and everyday subjects in painting.
Who are key Realist artists?
Gustave Courbet and Jean-François Millet are prominent Realist artists.
What prompted the rise of Realism?
Realism emerged as a response to Romanticism's idealization.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
