The Gardens of Desire : Marcel Proust and the Fugitive Sublime

The Gardens of Desire is at once a model of literary interpretation and a groundbreaking psychocritical reading of a literary masterpiece, Marcel Proust’s ? la recherche du temps perdu (Remembrance of Things Past). Shedding new light on the origins of the creative impulse in general, and on the psychological origins of the Recherche in particular, the book illuminates the hidden associations between matricidal, suicidal, sadistic, masochistic, homoerotic, and creative impulses as manifested in Proust’s work. The book moves beyond traditional Freudian readings of Proust to consider the theories of Otto Rank, Jacques Derrida, and others, and provides provocative readings of the "privileged moments" that comprise many of the work’s "critical cruxes," as well as a thought-provoking rereading of the novel’s ending. Both elegant and accessible, this book boldly explores the violence of desire as it relates not only to Proust’s narrator, but also to Proustian criticism itself, with its own violent desire to appropriate the essence of Proust’s masterpiece. The Gardens Of Desire Is At Once A Model Of Literary Interpretation And A Groundbreaking Psychocritical Reading Of A Literary Masterpiece, Marcel Proust's A La Recherche Du Temps Perdu (remembrance Of Things Past). Shedding New Light On The Origins Of The Creative Impulse In General, And On The Psychological Origins Of The Recherche In Particular, The Book Illuminates The Hidden Associations Between Matricidal, Suicidal, Sadistic, Masochistic, Homoerotic, And Creative Impulses As Manifested In Proust's Work. The Book Moves Beyond Traditional Freudian Readings Of Proust To Consider The Theories Of Otto Rank, Jacques Derrida, And Others, And Provides Readings Of The Privileged Moments That Comprise Many Of The Work's Critical Cruxes, As Well As A Rereading Of The Novel's Ending. This Book Explores The Violence Of Desire As It Relates Not Only To Proust's Narrator, But Also To Proustian Criticism Itself, With Its Own Violent Desire To Appropriate The Essence Of Proust's Masterpiece.--jacket. Introduction : Entering The Garden -- The Kiss Of Death : Desire In The Garden Of Good And Evil -- The Art Of Sapphic Desire : The Curse Of The Little Phrase -- The Hymenoptera Of Self And Other : The Making And (un)making Of Knowledge -- Three Moments Of Desire : The Ideal, The Real, And The Remembered -- Recherche And The Rankian Gaze -- Conclusion : The Art Of Madness. Stephen Gilbert Brown. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 237-240) And Index. The Gardens of Desire is at once a model of literary interpretation and a groundbreaking psychocritical reading of a literary masterpiece, Marcel Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu (Remembrance of Things Past). Shedding new light on the origins of the creative impulse in general, and on the psychological origins of the Recherche in particular, the book illuminates the hidden associations between matricidal, suicidal, sadistic, masochistic, homoerotic, and creative impulses as manifested in Proust's work. The book moves beyond traditional Freudian readings of Proust to consider the theories of Otto Rank, Jacques Derrida, and others, and provides provocative readings of the'privileged moments'that comprise many of the work's'critical cruxes,'as well as a thought-provoking rereading of the novel's ending. Both elegant and accessible, this book boldly explores the violence of desire as it relates not only to Proust's narrator, but also to Proustian criticism itself, with its own violent desire to appropriate the essence of Proust's masterpiece. "The Gardens of Desire is at once a model of literary interpretation and a groundbreaking psychocritical reading of a literary masterpiece, Marcel Proust's A la recherche du temps perdu (Remembrance of Things Past). Shedding new light on the origins of the creative impulse in general, and on the psychological origins of the Recherche in particular, the book illuminates the hidden associations between matricidal, suicidal, sadistic, masochistic, homoerotic, and creative impulses as manifested in Proust's work. The book moves beyond traditional Freudian readings of Proust to consider the theories of Otto Rank, Jacques Derrida, and others, and provides readings of the "privileged moments" that comprise many of the work's "critical cruxes," as well as a rereading of the novel's ending. This book explores the violence of desire as it relates not only to Proust's narrator, but also to Proustian criticism itself, with its own violent desire to appropriate the essence of Proust's masterpiece."--BOOK JACKET. The Gardens of Desire......Page 2 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 10 Introduction: Entering the Garden......Page 12 1. The Kiss of Death: Desire in the Garden of Good and Evil......Page 32 2. The Art of Sapphic Desire: The Curse of the Little Phrase......Page 62 3. The Hymenoptera of Self and Other: The Making and (Un)Making of Knowledge......Page 104 4. Three Moments of Desire: The Ideal, the Real, and the Remembered......Page 154 5. Recherche and the Rankian Gaze......Page 186 Conclusion: The Art of Madness......Page 228 References......Page 248 G......Page 252 S......Page 253 Z......Page 254 The Gardens of Desire 2 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 Introduction: Entering the Garden 12 1. The Kiss of Death: Desire in the Garden of Good and Evil 32 2. The Art of Sapphic Desire: The Curse of the Little Phrase 62 3. The Hymenoptera of Self and Other: The Making and (Un)Making of Knowledge 104 4. Three Moments of Desire: The Ideal, the Real, and the Remembered 154 5. Recherche and the Rankian Gaze 186 Conclusion: The Art of Madness 228 References 248 Index 252 A 252 B 252 C 252 D 252 E 252 F 252 G 252 H 253 I 253 J 253 K 253 L 253 M 253 N 253 O 253 P 253 Q 253 R 253 S 253 T 254 U 254 V 254 W 254 Z 254