The Year of Reading Proust discussion
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Within a Budding Grove
Within a Budding Grove, vol. 2
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Karen~ who was "…sprinting breathlessly to catch up…" just handed me her baton. Re: "It's almost as if the narrator feels that he will not survive the end of the book."
Yes, I feel that same sense of limited-time for both the narrator and Proust.
Thus, when other readers complain of the 'errors,' I gently remind them that in late September, 1922, when he was seriously ill, Proust was still re-writing The Captive for the fourth time, and in October, he was even considering changing the location of a critical event. In early November, Proust sent the 'completed' Captive to Gallimard to be typeset for the first working proof. He died several weeks later on the 22nd.
Knowing that Proust heavily edited his proofs/galleys in his previously published books, it is obvious that the final three books would have been re-written.
So, it is with a sense of sorrow whenever I find contradictions or errors, because I understand why they are there…yet, I am so grateful to have them.
Re: the drawing master..."…kept her hat on?"
That is how I read it the first time! I thought of Proust, not trying to shock, but to explain that these type of trysts/relationships existed.
Karen, if you love "seeing" details in these works of art (clothing), then visit The Kyoto Costume Institute in Japan. Excellent images...just "zoom" in. There is also a graphic time-line: http://www.kci.or.jp/archives/digital...
Richard~
Re: "Margaret Dumont in those old Marx brothers films"
Ha! The perfect image.
"…Groucho perpetuated the story that Dumont had no idea what he was going on about…. There were times like that when she didn’t get a specific joke and needed to have it explained to her afterward. 'That was her charm, I think, that she was so deadly serious all the time.'" http://chiseler.org/post/27840480826/...
I taught my daughter to sing "Lydia the Tattooed Lady." Listen and find the lyric with the 1-degree of separation from Proust. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4zRe_...
Eugene~
Re: "In English "seeing" means perceiving by the eye, but it also means understanding by the mind which would be communicable in language."
It's Proust's incredible visual-writing style that is so rare. I wonder how many of us would consider ourselves visual-learners? And do you think the readers who don't "get" Proust are extremely auditory or kinesthetic?
"Note that a wandering "phrase of Vinteuil" is likened (it is a trope, a simile be exact) to the 'wandering' mole on Albertine's face which the Narrator has had trouble fixing."
This is so powerful…our vague experiences and memories, until we know/learn something by heart. After trying to remember the mole on Albertine's chin and then on her cheek, the narrator finally places the mole on her upper lip.
"As M Campagnon says 'What can you say new about Proust' but everybody hears music differently."
Eugene, I found that interesting that you would use an auditory-music example. If given a choice would you rather read or listen to Proust?
I do both, but being ridiculously visual, I must read in order to "see." Listening triggers another region in the brain for me. And, if I'm in a visually stimulating environment...I find I need to re-wind.
Having AC's lecture "Proust 1913" on "Swann's Way" makes me wish he would add the other volumes.
http://www.college-de-france.fr/site/...
Patricia~
Re: Fortuny Yes, the Fortuny dresses are so chic and modern. See Natalia Vodianova in vintage Fortuny # 16/26
http://www.vogue.com/vogue-daily/arti...
Fionnuala~
Re: "… he was indeed the one who hadn't even seen his mistress without her hat."
Thank you for clarifying. It seems so preposterous…that we have a difficult time accepting the truth. I wonder if Proust just wrote the passage to make a point or if he overheard the story.
Kalliope~
Re: "…we are tracking the particular way in which Proust goes about it." and "This is becoming a familiar pattern in this whole work,…"
Patterns are emerging…and the couplings of characters, so get out your Venn diagrams.
http://srufaculty.sru.edu/david.daile...
For instance, here's a pattern...trying to meld imagination with reality.
The lady in pink: "I felt somewhat disillusioned, for this young lady was in no way different from other pretty women whom I had seen from time to time at home, in particular the daughter of one of our cousins to whose house I went every New Year's Day."
Albertine: "...this use of perfectly” may be, it indicates a degree of civilization and culture which I could never have imagined as having been attained by the bacchante with the bicycle, the orgiastic muse of the golf-course." … "To begin with, Albertine struck me as somewhat shy instead of implacable; she seemed to me more proper than ill-bred,..."
Leading to a favorite truth-passage:
"Thus it can be only after one has recognized, not without some tentative stumblings, the optical errors of one's first impressions that one can arrive at an exact knowledge of another person, supposing such a knowledge to be ever possible."
(page 619)
Marcelita wrote: Having AC's lecture "Proust 1913" on "Swann's Way" makes me wish he would add the other volumes. http://www.college-de-france.fr/site/...
Yes. The voice-over translations of Proust in 1913 are about a month behind, currently at Mar 26; they keep adding new ones weekly.
Eugene wrote: "Marcelita wrote: Having AC's lecture "Proust 1913" on "Swann's Way" makes me wish he would add the other volumes. http://www.college-de-france.fr/site/...
Yes. The voice-over translations of Prou..."
I had checked "Proust 66" from February 01, 2011, earlier and heard only French.
However, I decided to try to listen again and "see" what I could understand. Suddenly......@ 3:50...what to my wondering ears should appear, but an English voice!)
http://www.college-de-france.fr/site/...|
The other AC lectures series, "1966" and "Baudelaire," have voice-overs in English.
Jocelyne wrote: "Fionnuala wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "...I.'ve read that "M. Biche" is sort of an equivalent of "Mr. Sweetie." All you French speakers: help me on t..."I'm a bit confused about what Proust intend..."
"Thank you for reminding us of Baudelaire's poem. I had missed it before."
Antoine Compagnon's lectures on Baudelaire, with English voice-overs.
http://www.college-de-france.fr/site/...|
Marcelita wrote: "The fashion pages tucked in this weeks's reading:"But I hear that a Venetian artist, called Fortuny, has rediscovered the secret of the craft, and that in a few ..."
Marcelita, you are a treasure! Thank you for these fantastic links.
Marcelita wrote: "Éclair au café
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fil... "
You just knew it had to be some special eclair that was distracting him from his introduction to Albertine.
But then toward the end of this section he starts contemplating the shadow of age and "ruined beauty" in the faces of the young girls. If one can't see the foreshadowing then all one has to do is look at them beside their mothers and aunts.
The Narrator truly does not shy from revealing himself frankly and honestly...and not always admirably.
Kalliope wrote: "A couple of paintings of "falaises", with architectural echoes.And of course, one of the paintings of the Rouen cathedral:
..."
Kalliope, such a beautiful and illustrative scroll of images for this section of reading. Thank you.
Kalliope wrote: "And now an excerpt from the sentimental "Cavalleria Rusticana" (the most famous of the Verismo operas and premiered in 1890) that Albertine likes so much.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OvsVS......"
Thank you kalliope ~ This music is stunningly beautiful. I had never listened to Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusicana. Merci x100
Elaine wrote: "Kalliope wrote: "And now an excerpt from the sentimental "Cavalleria Rusticana" (the most famous of the Verismo operas and premiered in 1890) that Albertine likes so much.http://www.youtube.com/w..."
I am glad you enjoyed it....
Beautifully expressed, Reem.