Reading Proust's In Search of Lost Time in 2014 discussion
This topic is about
The Captive / The Fugitive
The Captive & The Fugitive
>
Week ending 09/27: The Captive, to page 368 / location 43360
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Renato
(new)
May 11, 2014 09:13AM
Mod
reply
|
flag
Mod
Mod
Mod
There was also an addenda in my Vintage MKE version after the sonata performance which is the (another) argument between M. Verdurin and Sanniete and the expulsion of Saniette from the soiree. This was just included in the Penguin version with no mention of its inclusion being odd. However, the note in the MKE version mentions that Saniette appears again later on. Personally I'd rather have all the material included and any inconsistencies just pointed out, after all we realise that it was unfinished and that Proust would have finished polishing it if he'd lived.
I've decided I'm not going to spend too much time analysing the differences between the versions, or what's missing etc. I'm just going to go with the flow.
Mod
Mod
Mod
Indeed, in the concluding section of this work, we shall see M. de Charlus himself engaged in doing things which would have stupefied the members of his family and his friends far more than he could possibly have been stupefied by Léa's revelations.Is this little titbit to make sure we'll keep reading?
Mod
There's a lot of tension in this week's reading; what has Mme Verdurin got planned for Charlus - there are a lot of hints that something's about to happen - and what is going to happen between the narrator, Albertine and Mlle Vinteuil.
Mod
In any case Mlle Vinteuil had acted only out of sadism, which did not excuse her, though it gave me a certain consolation to think so later on.Why is it consoling to think that someone acted out of sadism? Hopefully we'll find out.
Mod
The only true voyage, the only bath in the Fountain of Youth, would be not to visit strange lands but to possess other eyes, to see the universe through the eyes of another, of a hundred others, to see the hundred universes that each of them sees, that each of them is; and this we can do with an Elstir, with a Vinteuil; with men like these we do really fly from star to star.
Jonathan wrote: "Charlus's favourite phrase seems to be: concatenation of circumstances. I think I'll start using it myself."A well chosen phrase Jonathan - I've been deliberately trying to imitate Proust's use of alliteration and assonance in my own writing.
Jonathan wrote: "Proust seems quite happy killing off his characters. So far we've had Swann, Bergotte, Cottard, Sherbatoff, Saniette. Have I missed any?"Aunt Leonie and grandmother. Death is one of the main themes in the book. Marcelita pointed out that one of the results of the novel being incomplete is that a few characters are resurrected! Killed off then show up later looking none the worse for ware.
Jonathan wrote: "Given that the narrator is anxious that Albertine doesn't meet Mlle Vinteuil and her friend (do we know her name?), why does he not seem concerned that Albertine is at home and Mlle Vinteuil & frie..."I certainly relate to your confusion Jonathan. Mlle Vinteule's friend remains anonymous, but I believe anonymity is important to the important role she plays in the book that is only tangentially related to her friendships and sexuality.
Jonathan wrote: "Proust sure likes to tease us:Indeed, in the concluding section of this work, we shall see M. de Charlus himself engaged in doing things which would have stupefied the members of his family and his..."Proust delivers on this promise in spades.
Jonathan wrote: "The narrator says 'I kept putting off to the morrow my plans for Albertine' - does this sound sinister to others? My feeling was that he just couldn't decide whether to break up with her or to marr..."There is a lot of excitement coming in what remains in this volume.
Jonathan wrote: "Favourite quote of the week:The only true voyage, the only bath in the Fountain of Youth, would be not to visit strange lands but to possess other eyes, to see the universe through the eyes of anot..."This is an important statement of a main theme. An artist can achieve immortality only through his/her artistic creation; others can access the past ultimately only through art.
Mod
Aunt Leonie and grandmother. Death is one..."
Oh, of course, how could I have forgotten his grandmother!
A lot of the Verdurins' clan are being killed off at quite a rate in this volume. As you mentioned some will be resurrected - the note in my book mentioned that Saniette appears again. It's such a shame that Proust couldn't finish ISOLT before he died - I bet he was a bit annoyed by it as well!
It will be interesting reading Carter's bio next year to find out more about Proust's life at this point. I'm guessing that he knew he didn't have too long to live and wanted to get it as close to completion as possible.
I'm going to beg off reading Carter's bio next year. I bought both it and Tatie's bio in paperback (not available elcronically). They are both massive (2lbs?) and encyclopedic in scope. The only place I could read them would be at the kitchen table (which is not comfortable). They contain way too much detail for me. So I will follow with interest your comments that you post on Goodreads. Meanwhile, I'm reading "Proust at the Majestic". It wanders a bit in style but still gives interesting detail. I bought it specifically for its extensive description of Proust's funeral. I visited Proust's grave in Pere Lachaise on two occasions decades before I got past page 20 of his book.
Mod
Well thunderation! Carter's bio is now available on Kindle here too! I'll buy it at some point, being electronically searchable it will be quite useful. Interesting about the name change on the other book between UK and US. Too many movie theaters named Majestic over here I suppose, Yanks would think it was about going to the movies and pass, or on opening it, flee. Putting Proust in the title at least gives the possibility of sales to the "little band" of Proust aficionados in the US.
Mod
When the narrator is describing his encounter with the Septuor, he does it so perfectly... I felt I was transported and was listening there, by his side...
Mod
That would have been so great, haha!
Mod
I was thinking the same while reading the section where Saniette dies... it seems everyone's dying!
Mod
Interesting point. It seems a thing the narrator would at least consider - if not obsess over 20 pages! Are you also a jealous person, Jonathan? -- Haha, just kidding! :-)
Mod
It seems there are always triangles... Narrator-Albertine-Mlle. Vinteuil (at times it's Narrator-Albertine-Lea)... Swann-Odette-Forcheville... Charlus-Morel-Jupien's niece... Narrator-Gilberte-some guy (am I making things up or there was some guy?)
Mod
It's a bit easier to keep our prisoners under 24-hour surveillance these days Renato, what with all our cameras etc. ;-)
It's weird, when he found out that Mlle Vinteuil wasn't going to turn up I thought he was going to want to escape and check up on Albertine's whereabouts - or we'd at least get about twenty pages of him agonising over what she was getting up to - but nothing! After all, he didn't want her to be at the Verdurin's, even under his supervision, because Mlle Vinteuil & friend were going to be there.
Mod
Mod
I think I've said this before but....this volume seems more modern to me. The earlier volumes were more like 19th century novels.
Mod
Yes, I agree with you. It's natural that we expected that reaction from him. It seems though as the jealousy talk has been dimmed down these past two weeks and now he's focusing on the power of art and of the artist...
Mod
Wasn't the 'guy' actually a lesbian as well? I can't remember her name but it may be worth checking out. I think at the time the narrator was mollified with this information - he was relieved that it wasn't a male. He's not so relaxed with Albertine.
Mod
You caught my attention Renato when, listing your triangles, you ended with Narrator-Gilberte-Some Guy. I believe your uncertainty on this point will be resolved at the end of "The Fugitive."
Mod
Mod
Wow, after so much time this still will be mentioned once again?
Mod
Albertine? LOL
To be mysterious again, who it is is only incidental to the purpose of the disclosure.
Hmmm, I'm thinking of something else.....nevermind.
Mod
I do try Renato, but I usually only come off as goofy :)
Jonathan wrote: "Charlus's favourite phrase seems to be: concatenation of circumstances. I think I'll start using it myself."Me too!
Mod
He! He! e.g. 'I'm sorry I fucked it up, it was just the concatenation of circumstances.'
