In March 2018, I discovered the “Correspondence 1914–1922” by Marcel Proust and Jacques Rivière, published by…
Translated from French.
In March 2018, I discovered “Correspondance 1914–1922” by Marcel Proust and Jacques Rivière, published by @editions.sillage ✨.
From their letters 📬, I have noticed that Proust often behaved like a diva, a veritable despot in his slippers. His outbursts against @nrf.larevue in April 1920 resemble the verbal barbs of a Charlus, as proud as he is ridiculous. He dares to warn Rivière against excessive pride… but he is far from setting an example himself! When he finally calms down, after spewing out a few pages filled with betrayals and veiled references to honour, he tells him of his fear that the mysteries of his reclusive life might be exposed, and naively pleads, “Don’t give me away!” 🥺
Rivière, the younger of the two, stands in awe 🙇🏻 of Proust; he is both a young author seeking advice and a self-assured editor within @la_nrf. To get his own way, Proust makes the whole world feel sorry for him 🩺 by complaining almost constantly about everything. He makes Rivière his confidant, his spokesperson, his right-hand man. 🛎️
One must not think that Proust, in his later years, took an interest in others for who they were. When Rivière happily announced the birth of his son 👨🏻🍼 to him, as one might to a friend, Proust offered only half a line of polite response, showing no curiosity or interest in the news. Without dwelling on it, he talks about himself, complains as ever, and makes demands. Proust, haunted by the idea of death 🧟♂️ and the work he wishes to complete, is interested in others solely as a means to achieve his goal. From the comfort of his bed 🛌, he manipulates everyone: friends, publishers, everyone. He torments Céleste, his brother, Gide (who loves it), and Gallimard (who thinks only of his business).
Did Rivière have the benefit of hindsight? Did he know how to create an environment that was as conducive to the NRF as it was to Proust? Proust’s posthumous success, which has never wavered, seems to confirm both Proust’s genius as an author and Rivière’s talent as a publisher. 🤵🏻♂️📚
#JacquesRivière #MarcelProust #proustagram #NRF #BarondeCharlus #RTP #Correspondance #Gallimard
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