Proust's Gods

Proust's works are peculiarly rich in figures of speech drawn from Christian and biblical, and classical and mythological sources. This study explores the functions and effects of these interweaving cycles of imagery - cycles which are vital to key thematic areas of A la recherche du temps perdu. It also opens up a wider, diachronic perspective, analysing the increasing sophistication of Proust's style from his earliest writings onwards, and re-evaluating the role of the largely-ignored Correspondance in his stylistic development.