Proust and Stendhal--a study in analogies

Abstract

Proust is the intellectual child of Stendhal and has bespattered A LA RECHERCHE DU TEMPS PERDU with expressions of admiration for his master. In truth, he has taken over not only the methods hut the philosophy of his teacher. "Proust's inheritance from Stendhal is apparent on every page and acknowledged in scores of appreciative refer- ences to the master throughout the text." It is provocative assertions such as these, made boldly but without evidence, that have aroused my curiosity and stimulated a desire to analyze the two great writers, Proust and Stendhal with a view to discover whether or not a relationship does exist between them and if so, to determine its exact nature.