Here's why:
* Focus on the Ordinary: Realist authors aimed to portray everyday life, often focusing on middle-class characters and their struggles, rather than idealized heroes or fantastical settings.
* Objectivity and Verisimilitude: They sought to present their characters and situations objectively, avoiding sentimentality or melodrama. They aimed for verisimilitude (the appearance of being real) in their writing.
* Social Commentary: Realism often served as a vehicle for social commentary, exploring issues of class, poverty, gender, and social injustice.
However, it's crucial to note that:
* Realism is not simply "realistic" writing: It's a specific literary movement with its own set of conventions and goals.
* Other periods also explored realism: For example, the later Naturalism movement built upon Realism's emphasis on objectivity, focusing on the influence of heredity and environment on human behavior.
* Modernism, Postmodernism, and even some contemporary writers often employ realistic techniques to create believable characters and situations within their narratives.
So, while Realism is the period most directly associated with a striving for accuracy in portraying life, it's not the only literary period that explored this approach.