47 pages • 1 hour read
Marcel ProustSwann's Way: In Search of Lost Time, Volume One
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1913A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Literary Context: The Proustian Influence
In Search of Lost Time (also translated as Remembrance of Things Past) is considered a landmark in Western literature. Though Proust wrote comparatively little outside of this sequence of novels, his literary technique became famous and much imitated. The term “Proustian” was coined to refer to his use of long scenes, long sentences, and a sentimental style of revery that explores themes in depth. The term “Proustian memory” refers to an intense, involuntary memory inspired by a sensation such as taste. The most famous instance of a Proustian memory occurs early in Swann’s Way when the narrator dips a madeleine into a cup of hot tea and has a vivid memory of his childhood when he first experienced the taste.
A key influence on Proust’s work was the philosopher Henri Bergson, who also happened to marry Proust’s cousin. (Proust served as the best man at their wedding.) Bergson published an essay titled “Time and Free Will: An Essay on the Immediate Data of Consciousness” in 1899. In the essay, Bergson proposes that traditional conceptions of time are flawed. Scientists had traditionally suggested that time should be considered quantitative. Bergson instead believes that time should be thought of as qualitative. He focuses on time not as an objective phenomenon but as the psychological experience of duration. In Proust’s work, Bergson’s theories manifest as “shifting and confused gusts of memory” (6) that overwhelm the narrator when he tastes his tea-soaked madeleine. Memory, time, and subjective psychological experience blend into reveries that come to define the Proustian style.
Proust’s literary legacy is far-reaching. In Search of Lost Time is a cultural phenomenon and has been hailed as one of the most essential works of literature of all time. It influenced generations of writers both by its style and its self-examination and attempt to recover the past. Many authors and other artists have cited Proust’s work as inspirational, and references to Proust and In Search of Lost Time can be found in innumerable works of art.
Historical Context: La Belle Époque
La Belle Époque—meaning The Beautiful Epoch—refers to a period in French history during the late 1800s and early 1900s. A rush of innovation in art, technology, and science made France a financial capital and a center of world culture. Paris was famous for its climate of artistic expression. Painting, music, literature, and theatre all flourished. The era was bought to a close by World War I when the nations of Europe descended into a brutal, bloody war that had far-reaching consequences for French society. The geography of the country was reshaped by bombs, trenches, and years of fighting.
Swann’s Way and the In Search of Lost Time series were written at the very end of this period and into the inter-war years. Yet, the novels are set during the relatively peaceful Belle Époque. Proust played a key role in France’s reputation for emboldened artistry and enlivened culture. His novels became vital, innovative examples of the vivacity of French literature. Many of the characters in Swann’s Way embody the mood of artistry and culture that were evident in the Parisian society of the day. The narrator (named Marcel and a stand-in for Proust) becomes obsessed with French authors and determines to follow in their footsteps. Theatre and music are also portrayed in the novel as being similarly groundbreaking, captivating, and inspirational.
Cultural Context: Gay Relationships in Early 20th-Century France
France in the early 20th century was comparatively tolerant of gay and lesbian relationships in comparison to other European countries. This tolerance has been described as a product of the French Revolution of the late 1700s, which drastically and violently re-ordered French society and expunged many long-held cultural traditions. During this period, the revolutionary government completely rewrote French law. Previously, sexual relations between people of the same sex were illegal. During the legal reform, such laws were removed. France was the first country to essentially decriminalize gay and lesbian relationships in this fashion. As such, France became regarded as one of the most tolerant and progressive nations in Europe.
Despite the decriminalization of gay and lesbian relationships, cultural intolerance remained. Proust’s relationships with men were only made public after his death. In Swann’s Way, the narrator (who is based largely on Proust) is attracted to women rather than men. By depicting Charles Swann’s occasional interest in men, however, the narrator is bringing the audience into the largely hidden gay world of the period, bypassing exterior lives to see a more honest, secret interior.
