-

Since the formation of Realism in philosophical ideas of Plato and Aristotle and its rather late manifestation in literature, the concept ‘realism’ has always been subject to many alterations and basic developments. In spite of the fact that realism has 2500 years background in philosophy and literature, the 19th Century is often known as the Golden Age of Realism in fictions in France. However, this fame is the result of the attempts made during the three periods before that. From the time of Baroque to the time of flourishing of Realism in the 19th Century, French literature witnessed a period during which basic reconsideration in the clarification of the concept of ‘Realism in fiction’ occurred. This reconsideration was done regarding the concept of ‘reality’. Therefore, the present article, along with investigating the origins of the meanings of ‘reality’ in Realism, sets out to study the developmental procedure of Realism in fiction during the three basic and key periods in French literature from the late years of Baroque to the end of the 18t1 century.