Charles Dickens: A Biography

Biography & Memoir, Reference, Historical
Cover of the book Charles Dickens: A Biography by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON, WDS Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON ISBN: 1230000146329
Publisher: WDS Publishing Publication: June 29, 2013
Imprint: Language: English
Author: G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
ISBN: 1230000146329
Publisher: WDS Publishing
Publication: June 29, 2013
Imprint:
Language: English

Considered merely as literary fashions, romanticism and realism are both tricks, and tricks alone. The only advantage lies with romanticism, which is a little less artificial and technical than realism. For the great majority of people here and now do naturally write romanticism, as we see it in a love- letter, or a diary, or a quarrel, and nobody on earth naturally writes realism as we see it in a description by Flaubert. But both are technical dodges and realism only the more eccentric. It is a trick to make things happen harmoniously always, and it is a trick to make them always happen discordantly. It is a trick to make a heroine, in the act of accepting a lover, suddenly aureoled by a chance burst of sunshine, and then to call it romance. But it is quite as much of a trick to make her, in the act of accepting a lover, drop her umbrella, or trip over a hassock, and then call it the bold plain realism of life. If any one wishes to satisfy himself as to how excessively little this technical realism has to do, I do not say with profound reality, but even with casual truth to life, let him make a simple experiment offered to him by the history of literature. Let him ask what is of all English books the book most full of this masterly technical realism, most full of all these arresting details, all these convincing irrelevancies, all these impedimenta of prosaic life; and then as far as truth to life is concerned he will find that it is a story about men as big as houses and men as small as dandelions, about horses with human souls and an island that flew like a balloon.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Considered merely as literary fashions, romanticism and realism are both tricks, and tricks alone. The only advantage lies with romanticism, which is a little less artificial and technical than realism. For the great majority of people here and now do naturally write romanticism, as we see it in a love- letter, or a diary, or a quarrel, and nobody on earth naturally writes realism as we see it in a description by Flaubert. But both are technical dodges and realism only the more eccentric. It is a trick to make things happen harmoniously always, and it is a trick to make them always happen discordantly. It is a trick to make a heroine, in the act of accepting a lover, suddenly aureoled by a chance burst of sunshine, and then to call it romance. But it is quite as much of a trick to make her, in the act of accepting a lover, drop her umbrella, or trip over a hassock, and then call it the bold plain realism of life. If any one wishes to satisfy himself as to how excessively little this technical realism has to do, I do not say with profound reality, but even with casual truth to life, let him make a simple experiment offered to him by the history of literature. Let him ask what is of all English books the book most full of this masterly technical realism, most full of all these arresting details, all these convincing irrelevancies, all these impedimenta of prosaic life; and then as far as truth to life is concerned he will find that it is a story about men as big as houses and men as small as dandelions, about horses with human souls and an island that flew like a balloon.

More books from WDS Publishing

Cover of the book The Case of Mrs. Ruhmkorff's Will by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book Sand and Foam by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book A Cumberland Vendetta by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book The Pilot Service of Port Jackson by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book Collected Stories by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book Memoirs of Mrs Caroline Chisholm by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book The Love Affair of George Vincent Parker by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book Balthasar by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book Appreciations and Criticisms of The Works of Charles Dickens by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book Round the Fire by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book The White Maniac; A Doctor's Tale by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book The Outcasts of Poker Flat by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book The Maid of Sker by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book The Duchess of Wiltshire's Diamonds by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
Cover of the book A White Bird Flying by G.K. CHESTERTON, F.G. KITTON
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy