Realism in American Fiction: Contribution of William Dean Howells

In the current literary language, which is full of modernist, post-modernist, and post-postmodernist cliches, realism and all those associated with it are no longer considered relevant. William Dean Howells (1837-1920), a pioneer in American realism for almost three decades, is virtually obliterated from the present literary scene of America. The prime factor, of his disappearance is that the literary trend of realism which he initiated is out of fashion now. The present study is an innovative effort and attempts to bring Howell’s revival once again, with emphasis on his representative novels, which have been analyzed from two perspectives: firstly, from the contemporary context in which he was bound to write; and secondly, in the current context of post-modernism. It also puts in proper perspective such features of Howells’ works which had not received much attention earlier.