Sunday, April 16, 2006

English translations of Marcel Proust's lesser known writings

Introduction to Bricquebec: " The text we have here is the original corrected, but not proof-read, typescript of what was later to become Noms de pays: le pays. In this original incarnation there was as yet no mention of Albertine and the jeunes filles en fleurs - what was to become one of the most significant themes of the whole novel. During the years between 1914 and 1919 this episode was rewritten and extended almost beyond recognition. There are numerous textual inconsistencies within this early draft, names of people and places have yet to be definitively decided upon: Balbec is called Bricquebec, but also in places Cricquebec; Robert de Saint Loup is first called Beauvais then Montargis; Baron de Charlus is called M. de Fleurus (and at one point, intriguingly, Charlus); Mlle de Stermaria is called variously Sclaria, Silaria, Silariat.
In 1989 Richard Bales published a remarkable piece of scholarship Bricquebec: Prototype d' l'ombre de jeunes filles en fleurs in which he has deciphered and reproduced the typescript including all of Proust's extensive handwritten additions, paperoles, changes and crossings out. I have translated this text incorporating all the corrections. "

Marcel Proust Ephemera Letters, Articles, Translations

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home