Swann's Way (eBook)

Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust, known as Marcel Proust, was an influential French novelist, critic, and essayist best known for his monumental à la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time); the first volume, 'Swann's Way' ('Du côté de chez Swann'), was published in 1913. Born on July 10, 1871, into a wealthy family in Auteuil, France, Proust's work is renowned for its introspective depth, exploring themes of memory, time, and identity. The novel utilizes Proust's pioneering narrative technique known as involuntary memory, most famously illustrated by the 'madeleine episode,' wherein the taste of a madeleine cake dipped in tea evokes profound recollections. His writing style is characterized by meticulous description and the seamless flow of consciousness from one subject to another, often over lengthy, intricate sentences. Proust's body of work has had a profound influence on literary theory and modernist literature. His detailed probing into the human psyche and society through the lens of his own experiences, including his homosexuality and Jewish heritage, was groundbreaking at the time. Proust passed away on November 18, 1922, before seeing the completion of his magnum opus, yet his legacy endures through the lasting impact of his literary contributions.