About
Marcel Proust was a major French writer of the 20th century, known for his monumental work In Search of Lost Time. Born in Paris into a wealthy family, he suffered from severe asthma from childhood, leading to a reclusive life. After studying law and literature, he published a first collection, Les Plaisirs et les Jours (1896), and later translated John Ruskin. From 1909, he devoted his life to writing his masterpiece, exploring involuntary memory, time, and society. The first volume, Swann's Way, appeared in 1913. The second, Within a Budding Grove, received the Prix Goncourt in 1919. The remaining volumes were published posthumously after his death in 1922.
* 1871-07-10 — † 1922-11-18
Major works
- Les Plaisirs et les Jours (1896)collection of short stories and prose poems
- Du côté de chez Swann (1913)novel
- À l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs (1919)novel
- Le Côté de Guermantes (1920-1921)novel
- Sodome et Gomorrhe (1921-1922)novel
Key milestones
- 1909The episode of the madeleine dipped in tea triggers the involuntary memory that catalyzes his great work.
- 1913Swann's Way, the first volume of the Recherche, is published at the author's expense by Grasset after several rejections.
- 1919Within a Budding Grove receives the Prix Goncourt.
Themes
involuntary memorytimelove and jealousysociety and snobberyart and creation
Sources: britannica.com · cms-www-adm.bnf.fr