Anne Carson writes in the appendix to this chapbook: “Habit, suffering, boredom, memory, tea drinking, tea biscuits and the inscrutable banality of existence are topics Beckett and Proust have in Common. They anatomize them differently. What is located in the head, the mouth or the mind for Proust moves lower down the body in Beckett.” Carson uses this theory to help us better understand one of Proust’s most elusive characters.
Carson ironically and brilliant writes a small pamphlet on a woman named Albertine who is present or mentioned on 807 pages of Proust’s novel. Albertine is oftentimes asleep and her main problems from the narrator’s perspective are lying, lesbianism and being imprisoned in the narrator’s house. Since Albertine is not a common name among females in France, many critics have speculated that she is a disguised version of Proust’s chauffeur, Alfred, with whom he had a secret affair. Carson examines fascinating details about Proust’s book and his life in order to explore this transposition theory.
Carson also provides an illuminating commentary of sexuality in Proust via Albertine. The narrator insists that Albertine is a lesbian, all of her friends are lesbians, but she vehemently denies this. He doesn’t understand how two women can be in love with one another and he can’t figure out what they do together so he is repulsed by what he cannot grasp. The narrator never actually uses the term “lesbian,” with Albertine, but instead he says “the kind of woman I object to.”
Finally, the appendix, which I quoted above, is just as intriguing as the main body of Carson’s text. In addition to exploring the similarities and differences in Proust and Beckett she also writes about the use of adjectives in a language, capture myopathy, the second paradox of Zeno, and my favorite, the difference between metaphor and metonymy.
I found Carson’s thoughts and writing engrossing and I am looking forward to diving in to more of her works.
Which Carson books would you recommend?
The Book Binder's Daughter 
I hadn’ t heard of this before. I read a few books on or about Proust after reading ISOLT but didn’t really enjoy them, except perhaps the Carson bio. I keep meaning to read Albertine by Jacqueline Rose but haven’t got round to it yet. Have you read it?
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btw I meant the Carter bio.
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I haven’t read that but thanks for the recommendation. I would love to read a longer book about Albertine.
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Sounds fascinating! I have only made it through two volumes of Proust so far, but I *will* get to the rest! 🙂
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I’ve been thinking about doing Probst over a summer!
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Excellent! Bon chance!
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If you haven’t read ISOLT then my one bit of advice would be: don’t rush it but maintain your momentum. I spent a year to read it.
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That’s great advice, Jonathan! I think slow and steady is the best way to go. Same with War and Peace.
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The main effect that Proust had on my reading was to slow it down. I already felt that I was a slow reader but Proust seemed to be saying ‘no, slower, slower.’
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I’ve read a couple of her earlier books (Red and another of that vintage) but always felt a sense of admiration rather than sense of connection. What about that beautiful, accordian-styled one? That just looks irresistible (but perhaps one you’d have to buy to properly enjoy)! Love the bookish connection of this one: maybe I’ll give her another try!
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Yes, that one is called Nox and I do have it. It is a lovely book dedicated to her brother. Really looking forward to reading that one.
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