Proust and America: The Influence of American Art, Culture, and Literature on A la recherché du temps perdu

"It is strange," Proust wrote in 1909, "that, in the most widely different departments . . . there should be no other literature which exercises over me so powerful an influence as English and American." In the spirit of Proust's admission, this engaging and critical volume offers the first comparative reading of the French novelist in the context of American art, literature, and culture. In addition to examining Proust's key American influences-Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edgar Allen Poe, and James McNeill Whistler-Proust and America investigates the previously overlooked influence of the American neurologist George Beard, whose writings on neurasthenia and "American nervousness" contributed to the essential modernity of the author's work. It's odd, Proust wrote in 1910, how in every genre, however different... there's no literature that has a power over me comparable to English and American. While recent studies of A la recherche du temps perdu have focused on Proust's Anglomanie, this engaging and critical volume offers in the spirit of Proust's admission the first comparative reading of his novel in the context of American art, literature, and culture. In doing so it takes issue with an aspect of Proustian criticism that looks to neutralize the presence of non-French influences in his work.

Murphy shows how Proust's novel is uniquely open to the many and varied American influences in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century French society, and how the New World contributed to the essential modernity of Proust's depiction of a world undergoing rapid technological, political, economic, and sexual change. In addition to significant artistic figures such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edgar Allan Poe, and James McNeill Whistler, Proust and America investigates the presence in the book of the American neurologist George Beard and his concept of American Nervousness. What Proust captures is a culture in transition. In doing so he gives us a road map to what was in the process of becoming, with all its continuing implications, provocations, and reverberations, the American Way.

About the Author:
Michael Murphy is Senior Lecturer in English Literature at Nottingham Trent University

""It's odd," Proust wrote in 1910, "how in every genre, however different ... there's no literature that has a power over me comparable to English and American." While recent studies of A la recherche du temps perdu have focused on Proust's Anglomanie, this volume offers in the spirit of Proust's admission the first comparative reading of his novel in the context of American art, literature, and culture. In doing so it takes issue with an aspect of Proustian criticism that looks to neutralize the presence of non-French influences in his work." "Murphy shows how Proust's novel is uniquely open to the many and varied American influences in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century French society, and how the New World contributed to the essential modernity of Proust's depiction of a world undergoing rapid technological, political, economic, and sexual change. In addition to significant artistic figures such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edgar Allan Poe, and James McNeill Whistler, Proust and America investigates the presence in the book of the American neurologist George Beard and his concept of "American Nervousness." What Proust captures is a culture in transition. In doing so he gives us a road map to what was in the process of becoming, with all its continuing implications, provocations, and reverberations, the American Way."--Jacket It is strange, Proust wrote in 1909, that, in the most widely different departments . . . there should be no other literature which exercises over me so powerful an influence as English and American. In the spirit of Prousts admission, this engaging and critical volume offers the first comparative reading of the French novelist in the context of American art, literature, and culture. In addition to examining Prousts key American influencesRalph Waldo Emerson, Edgar Allen Poe, and James McNeill Whistler Proust and America investigates the previously overlooked influence of the American neurologist George Beard, whose writings on neurasthenia and American nervousness contributed to the essential modernity of the authors work. Offers a comparative reading of the Proust in the context of American art, literature, and culture. This volume examines Proust's American influences - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edgar Allen Poe, and James McNeill Whistler. It also investigates influence of the American neurologist George Beard.