Days reading Proust: 95 (16, 64, 15*)
Page: 309 (Guermantes Way)
Pages Read Since Last Post: 309
Books Read Since Last Post: A Venetian Bestiary, Jan Morris
Progress has been neither electric (a la Vol. 1) nor ponderous (Vol. 2), but steady; and, as discussed in previous postings, this seems to be the way to tackle Proust.
The Guermantes Way is an absolute delight. I have enjoyed this first section far more than any of the other society sections of the novel, although I still prefer the more pastoral sections of Combray or Balbec... alas, I fear we may not see too much more of these as the narrator continues to hob-nob his way through various salons. The people we encounter are increasingly caricatures, with our narrator playing the straight man to the social comedy he longs to be part of, yet is so scathingly critical of. I find myself chuckling uncomfortably as Bloch fumbles from one faux pas to the next... too much empathy there for my liking.
At this point in ALRDTP the novel seems to be one long thesis on the middle class complaint. Combray (geographically situated between the way by Swann's and the Guermantes way) being the very metaphor for comfortable middle class existence. Our narrator, of course, personifies this angst so beautifully. Seemingly ashamed of his own parents and preferring to hang-out with high society families who adopt him, yet unable to sleep so much as a wink without his mother (or grandmother) to kiss him goodnight. He is the epitome of the aspiring middle classes - he has no idea what to aspire to however, only that he needs to aspire in a general sense. Ultimately he knows he will never be part of society and his pining for the Duchesse in the early part of this volume is both futile and faintly ridiculous. I think he'd actually be far happier if he accepted his lot in life. After all, this is someone for whom the prospect of sleeping alone in a hotel room away from home is almost too terrifying to comprehend. Convenient, perhaps, that in the year he was due to visit Florence and Venice his health deteriorated and was forced to abandon the trip. A comment, along the lines of "Quite the adventurer, aren't we?", made to the narrator when he mentions that he's going back to Balbec, seems a trifle harsh - though he appears to miss (or ignore) the sarcasm himself.
Best of all, The Guermantes Way, has some very funny moments, particularly the re-appearance of Rachel (When From The Lord), and the hat incident at Mme de Villeparrisis' salon, which make it a real joy. I have to confess, however, I had to look up the Dreyfus affair to really follow that particular thread.
A Venetian Bestiary was short, fun and welcome relief from Proust. It referenced a lot of paintings and statues that I now need to look up, or better, visit in situ. I also have Ms Morris' full length Venice sitting on my new acquisitions shelf for a post Vol. 3 reward. I'll need very little encouragement to revisit La Serrenisima after that, and no degree of Proust-like manflu will hold me back... I may take my grandmother along with me though, just to be safe.
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
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