Proust's Cup of Tea: Homoeroticism and Victorian Culture

ISBN-13: 9780754605188 / Angielski / Twarda / 2002 / 248 str.

Emily Eells

Opis

This work analyzes Proust's reading of Victorian authors, and studies the ways in which they contributed to his monumental A la recherche du temps perdu. Eells illustrates how Proust made his fictitious painter, Elstir, into a master of ambiguity, by modeling his works on British art. As Proust aestheticized male and female homosexuality using references to British art and letters, Eells coins the term Anglosexuality to refer to intersexuality represented through intertextuality. Proust's Cup of Tea proves that Victorian culture and homoeroticism form one of the cornerstones of Proust's masterpiece.

Recenzje

'...an important contribution to scholarly research in 19th-century literature, but with a wider appeal to readers interested in questions of gender, intercultural exchanges, and intertextual as well as transmedia relations.' Professor Jean-Jacques Lecercle, Department of English, Cardiff University 'The book's remarkable strength consists in a vastness of scope controlled by a tautness of purpose ... Of enormous value and interest to Proust scholars are the insights drawn from such archival sources as manuscripts, letters, and juvenalia - [Eells's] impressive research in ferreting out obscured Anglo references is matched only by the subtlety and penetration of her analysis.' Professor Margaret Gray, Department of French and Italian, Indiana University and author of Postmodern Proust 'The foundation of Eells's work is a learned, thorough and illuminating survey of Proust's engagement with English literature, art and culture... the material on which the book is based is fascinating and suggestive at almost every point... (Eells's) knowledge of the Proust archives, and her experience of editing Sodome et Gomorrhe... give her an inestimable advantage.' Times Literary Supplement '... the work has considerable interest and value for a wide readership, including specialists in Proust studies and Victorian literature, as well as those interested in the more general fields of intercultural and interaesthetic exchange.' Modern Language Review 'The author's wide-ranging study of English literature and art is as engaging and convincing as what she has to say about Proust. The book contains an extensive blibliography [...] as well as a useful index. The inclusion of eighteen black and white plates effectively supports the analysis of Proust's visual influences. This study should prove valuable for scholars of Proust or Victorian literature and art specifically, but it will also be enjoyed by anyone interested in intercultural study in general.' French Review

Spis treści

Contents: General editor's preface; Preface; Introducing Anglosexuality; A gay English tea party; Departures from Ruskin; A closeted reading of the Victorians; Writing double; Elstir the 'Modern Painter'; The visual revolution; Proust's phrase-type; Concluding insights; Bibliography; Index.

O autorze

Emily Eells