😉 Greetings to my regular readers and new guests of the site! In the article “Marcel Proust: biography, creativity, curious facts” – about the life of an amazing personality, French novelist, critic and short story writer.
Biography of Marcel Proust
Valentin Louis Georges Eugene Marcel Proust was born in the capital of France – Paris on July 10 (Cancer zodiac sign) 1871.
The family was quite wealthy and famous. My father worked as a doctor, quite famous in his circles. He even held a prominent position in the Ministry of Health. Mother was from a wealthy Jewish family from Alsace-Lorraine.
The childhood of our hero took place in Paris, and only on vacation did he leave for the small town of Illier. The guy was in poor health. Asthma attacks began to torment him from the age of nine and did not let go throughout his life.
Marseille’s training took place at the Paris Lycée Condorcet. His favorite subjects were literature and philosophy, where he achieved excellent results.
After graduating from the lyceum, the young man entered the army. After serving, in 1890 he decided to enroll in further studies at the School of Political Science. Proust had a goal: to get the position of a professional diplomat.
Writer’s creativity
The creative path of the young writer began timidly, with timid publications of essays. The first publications took place in the collection “Joy and Days” in 1896. For the public they went almost unnoticed, but not for the writer.
The collection was criticized by Jean Lorrain, French poet and novelist. This led to a duel between Marcel and Jean.
Passion for literature led Proust to the literary salons fashionable at that time. All the bloom of French writers, poets and young journalists gathered there.
The most significant in his life were the salons: the widows of Bizet, Madame de Caiavet and Madame Strauss. In 1892, Proust, together with his friends, decided to organize his own magazine “Feast”. After 2 years, a book with poetry was published.
In 1895, Proust began writing a voluminous novel, Jean Santeuil. The author worked on it for four years and, in the end, left the work on writing it.
Around 1907, work began on a work that became the main work of his entire life. This is a book called In Search of Lost Time. It consisted of 3 parts, it was planned to publish it in two volumes. A book was written 4 years later.
In 1912 it received the name “Disruptions of Feelings”, but there was a problem with the press. The author could not find a publisher, three well-known publishers refused to publish. As a result, one of the publishers was found, Bernard Grasse. He agreed on terms to publish at the expense of the author and with an abridged manuscript.
A year later, the novel Towards Swann was published. Readers took it more than cool. However, the author continued to work and instead of the planned 3 parts wrote – 5. They were released in 1919-1927.
In 1919, the novel “Under the canopy of girls in bloom” was published. For him, Marseille was awarded the Goncourt Prize.
Proust’s idols were Russian writers of that time – Fyodor Dostoevsky and Leo Tolstoy. From the works of these writers, he drew strength and wisdom. They helped him hatch ideas for his novels.
Illness and death
The writer’s personal life was full of contradictions. He was homosexual. Even at one time he kept a brothel where homosexuals gathered. He led a predominantly reclusive life, devoting himself to literature and writing.
In 1922, in a cold autumn, he caught a cold. The consequence of a cold was bronchitis, a complication of which was pneumonia. On November 18, 1922, the writer Marcel Proust passed away. Buried in the Parisian cemetery Père Lachaise.
Proust’s questionnaire
Many have heard of the Proust questionnaire. This questionnaire appeared before the birth of Marcel. At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, the questionnaire was very fashionable. It was called “Album for recording thoughts and feelings.” Here are some questions from the questionnaire:
- Your most characteristic feature;
- what do you value most in your friends;
- what is your main disadvantage;
- where would you like to live;
- Your idea of happiness;
- what do you hate the most;
- Your favorite writers;
- Your favorite artists and composers;
- Your favorite food, drink;
- historical characters you despise;
- Your favorite saying;
- how you would like to die.
Two questionnaires have come down to our time, which Proust filled out. Therefore, the questionnaire began to be called by his name. Find on the Internet this questionnaire with Proust’s answers. How would you answer these interesting questions? Check yourself.
Marcel Proust: biography – “In Search of Lost Time” (video)
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