Swann's Way: In Search of Lost Time, Volume One

Life in Combray is somewhat depressing. Many of Marcel’s most pronounced memories concern his aunt. Aunt Léonie spends most days in bed, he says, in “an indefinite condition of grief, physical exhaustion, illness, obsessions, and religious observances” following the death of her husband (35). She is a hypochondriac who lists her medical problems to everyone to garner sympathy. Each morning, Marcel kisses his aunt and together they dip madeleines in tea. He remembers the details of the tea ceremony. Françoise the maid worked for Léonie for many years before working for Marcel’s parents. Françoise prepared food and shared with Léonie the happenings of everyone who walked past the house. Similarly, Léonie received her gossip about events at the local church from her friend Eulalie, who visited every Sunday after attending the service. Marcel loved the church in Combray. He remembers the gothic architecture, the stained-glass windows, and the tapestries, each of which told a story. In particular, Marcel loved the church’s steeple and the way it intersected with the Combray skyline. The tiles on the roof reflected a dizzying array of colors, depending on the time of day. Even as an adult, the memory of the steeple captivates him and occasionally sends him into reveries about the church.

Marcel remembers several people and events that occurred during the family’s time in Combray. While staying with his grandparents, Marcel was forbidden from entering his uncle’s study. Before the room was sealed off, Marcel spent his days reading there. For the young Marcel, his uncle’s love of literature was intriguing. Marcel also came to love the theater during this period. One day, while hoping to discuss a certain play with his uncle, Marcel is surprised by the presence of a visitor in his uncle’s office. Unbeknownst to the young Marcel, the woman is a prostitute. He treats her like a regular guest, politely kissing the back of her hand and she is very impressed with his manners. She says that Marcel has his mother’s eyes (53). Uncle Adolphe is embarrassed by his nephew. He tells Marcel not to mention the visit to his parents. Without realizing the nature of the circumstances, Marcel mentions the incident during a family dinner. He cannot comprehend why they might disapprove. His uncle is sternly criticized by Marcel’s grandfather and father. From that day on, the study is closed, and no one is permitted to enter.

Marcel also loves art. In particular, he loves Italian frescoes. He no longer has a quiet place to read, so he ventures into the garden to find somewhere hidden. While reading, Marcel feels himself becoming invisible. Alone, reading under a chestnut tree, he feels cut off from the world in a pleasant way. Beauty and truth appear regularly in his books, making Marcel realize how much they are lacking in real life. Marcel prefers the characters in his books to the people he meets in life. He struggles to understand or sympathize with real people, while the characters in his books are explicitly written to be understandable and evocative.

Charles Swann encourages Marcel’s love of reading. Swann recommends that Marcel read the work of a (fictional) author named Bergotte, as does Marcel’s sentimental friend Bloch. Marcel takes their advice and immediately falls in love with Bergotte’s work. Bloch is involved in an incident at the family house. He is welcomed by Marcel’s grandparents (though they note he has Jewish heritage as do many of Marcel’s friends) until he makes a risqué comment about Aunt Léonie. Bloch suggests that, in her youth, Léonie may have been wilder than she is now. After this comment, he is no longer admitted to the house. Despite his banishment, Marcel continues to love Bloch. He cannot dislike a fellow Bergotte fan. Indeed, Marcel is so moved by Bergotte’s writing—even though it is occasionally old-fashioned—that he cannot help but weep at certain passages, believing that they resemble his thoughts almost exactly.

Much to Marcel’s delight, Swann reveals that he is a close friend of Bergotte. Marcel bombards Swann with questions. Swann mentions that Bergotte and Swann’s daughter Gilberte spend a great deal of time in one another’s company. Marcel has never met Gilberte. All he knows about her is that his family disapproves of Swann’s wife, Odette, so they forbid Marcel from meeting Gilberte. This lack of contact has increased Marcel’s interest. Through rumor and implication, Marcel comes to believe that Odette had an affair with a man named Monsieur de Charlus. Even though he has never met Gilbert, even though their lives are very different, Marcel feels inexplicably drawn to her.

Marcel shares his memories of the people who lived in Combray. They influence the young Marcel and many of them play important roles in the events which will follow, both for Swann and for the older Marcel. Aunt Léonie gives money to both Françoise and Eulalie to keep her in their prayers, to the point where the two women develop a rivalry. Marcel becomes fascinated by his aunt’s strange routine and how the village of Combray takes care not to disturb her.  Léonie’s strange habits set the schedule for the entire family.

Another important figure from Marcel’s memories of Combray is a musician named Vinteuil. The people of Combray consider Vinteuil to be a strict moralist and something of a pendant. After their first meeting, Marcel becomes immediately fixated on Vinteuil. He watches Vinteuil closely. When Marcel’s parents visit Vinteuil, Marcel spies on the meeting through a window. He watches Vinteuil carefully place the sheet music for one of his songs on the piano in the hope that his guests will ask him about it, or even ask him to play it. Outside of music, Vinteuil’s greatest love is his daughter. Vinteuil fusses over his daughter at every opportunity, even though the older Marcel is unimpressed by her boyish looks. Marcel remembers how Léonie’s medical condition leads to her obsessing over minor incidents. On one occasion, she suspects that Françoise has been stealing from her. She suspects Eulalie of similarly minor indiscretions. Though she never confronts either woman directly, she rehearses her emotional accusations in private and confides in one woman her suspicions about the other. Françoise learns to be careful around Léonie.