Proust, Photography, and the Time of Life: Ravaisson, Bergson

Suzanne Guerlac's book explores Proust's Remembrance of Things Past through the lenses of Proust's contemporaries, arguing that it is not a melancholic text but one that records the dynamic time of change and the complex vitality of the real. It situates the novel within a modernism of money and broadens the exploration through references to cultural events and visual technologies. The study reveals that Proust's subject is not the esthetic recuperation of loss but the adventure of living in time, on both the individual and social levels, at a concrete historical moment.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 12 November 2020
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Suzanne Guerlac delves into an innovative interpretation of Marcel Proust's renowned masterpiece, Remembrance of Things Past (A la recherche du temps perdu). By engaging with the philosophical perspectives of contemporaries such as Proust's friend Félix Ravaisson, Henri Bergson, and Georg Simmel, Guerlac offers a fresh perspective on the novel. Challenging traditional interpretations, she argues that Proust's magnum opus is not a melancholic text but rather a vibrant record of the ever-changing time and the intricate vitality of the real world.

Guerlac situates Proust's novel within the context of modernism, emphasizing the influence of money and exploring various cultural events and visual technologies. These include commercial photography, photojournalism, pornography, prostitution regulation, the Panama Scandal, and the Dreyfus Affair. By broadening the scope of inquiry, Guerlac reveals that Proust's subject is not solely about aesthetic recovery from loss but rather about the exhilarating adventure of living in time, both on an individual and societal level, at a specific historical moment.

Through her meticulous analysis, Guerlac sheds light on the complex web of themes and motifs that permeate Remembrance of Things Past. She explores how Proust's portrayal of memory, time, and the human experience resonates with the philosophical ideas of his contemporaries. She also examines the novel's social and historical context, highlighting the ways in which it reflects the changing attitudes and values of late 19th-century France.

In conclusion, Suzanne Guerlac's study provides a compelling and original interpretation of Remembrance of Things Past. By engaging with the philosophies of Proust's contemporaries and broadening the exploration of cultural and historical contexts, she offers a fresh perspective on the novel's themes and significance. This study will be of interest to scholars and readers alike, as it deepens our understanding of Proust's masterpiece and its enduring relevance to contemporary thought.

Weight: 330g
Dimension: 138 x 216 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350152236