naturalism
n. uncountablen. a style in art or writing that tries to show life exactly as it is, without any changes or improvements. It focuses on the details of everyday life and how people really behave.
n. a literary and artistic movement that seeks to depict reality with extreme accuracy and detail, often emphasizing the influence of environment and heredity on human behavior. In a legal context, it refers to the theory that law should be based on natural rights and moral principles rather than on positive legislation.
The author is famous for his naturalism in describing the harsh lives of workers.
The play's naturalism is evident in the realistic dialogue and the detailed set design that mimics a working-class kitchen.
While romanticism focused on the sublime and the ideal, naturalism insisted on the gritty, unvarnished truth of the human condition, often portraying characters as victims of their social and biological circumstances.
From natural + -ism. Compare French naturalisme.