Swann's Way: In Search of Lost Time, Volume One

Swann’s Way is a novel by French writer Marcel Proust. First published in 1913, it is the first volume in a series titled In Search of Lost Time. The series is famous for Proust’s exploration of memory and nostalgia and is widely considered among the greatest works of world literature. Swann’s Way has been adapted for film, television, and stage. This guide is based on an eBook version of the 1922 Henry Holt and Company translation by C.K. Scott Moncrieff.

Plot Summary

Swann’s Way tells two stories in a stream-of-consciousness manner. The first involves the narrator’s younger self. The narrator Marcel loses himself in memories after dipping a madeleine (a small butter cake) in a cup of hot tea. The rush of memories prompted by the smell and taste makes the narrator think about his life. He stays up late due to a fear of sleep. Ever since he was a child, he has suffered from insomnia. In scenes from his childhood, he tries to tempt his mother into his bedroom in a bid for her attention. Each goodnight kiss is welcomed but also a dreadful reminder of the impending darkness. He remembers every detail of his room. Each item and each part of the room makes him feel a distinct emotion. He vividly remembers his dreams, as well as his thoughts immediately before falling asleep and immediately after waking up. On one occasion, a man named Charles Swann visits his parents. Swann stays up late with Marcel’s parents, so his mother does not give him his goodnight kiss. Marcel stays awake. He sees Swann leave the house and notes in him an intense sadness. Marcel’s father also seems to pity Swann; he encourages Marcel’s mother to spend the night in the boy’s room.

When Marcel was young, his family visited the town of Combray in France. His memories of Combray are particularly pleasant, and the beauty of the countryside encouraged him to become a writer. Marcel provides a lengthy, detailed description of Combray, including the people, buildings, and wildlife. While in Combray, Marcel and his family stay with his great-aunt and his grandparents. His great-aunt is a rich, eccentric widow. Despite her odd behavior, she is beloved by her friends and family. Marcel shares fond memories of time with his great-aunt. They brewed tonics together and made medicines. Despite her wealth and kindly demeanor, Marcel hints at the sadness in her life as well as the sadness in the life of her maid.

Marcel first meets Charles Swann in Combray. Swann is a neighbor of Marcel’s great-aunt and, as a wealthy aristocrat, leads an opulent life. The wealth and fortune of Swann fascinate Marcel, even though he is also from a wealthy family. Marcel provides a detailed account of Swann’s life. He falls in love with a courtesan named Odette and decides to marry her though, unbeknownst to him, she has a fraught reputation. Marcel goes into detail about the first meeting between Swann and Odette at the Verdurins’ salon. Swann possesses a gentlemanly love of art, theater, and especially women. His life and behavior are frequent topics of conversation in Marcel’s household. Though many people admire and respect Swann, others judge him as disreputable.

Gathering his memories, Marcel pieces together the story of Swann’s love affair with Odette. She grows bored of the relationship and, in all likelihood, is repeatedly unfaithful to him. In turn, Swann begins to realize that he loved an idealized version of Odette rather than the real woman. Marcel keeps the sequence of events obscure, however. Swann marries Odette despite their differences, yet given Odette’s boredom with Swann, the chances of a happy marriage are low.

After telling Swann’s story, Marcel turns to his own life and love affairs. He describes his love for Swann’s daughter Gilberte. Marcel meets Gilberte during one of his family’s vacations in Combray. Later, they meet as schoolchildren in Paris and Marcel becomes obsessed with her. She is a natural continuation of his obsession with Swann. As he did with her father, Marcel observes Gilberte in detail. He seeks to spend time with her and bears witness to her life, even though she does not feel the same way about him. The novel ends with Marcel beginning to resemble his lonely great-aunt. Like her, he has become obsessed with the lives of people around him without living a life of his own. He spends so much time observing and thinking about Gilberte that he never engages with her.