Bibelot in Marcel Proust’sSwann’s Way: A Representation of Material Culture

Abstract

Marcel Proust’s novelSwann’s Way, analyzes on the prospective of cultural materialism with reference to Bibelot, the household good of medieval society. In the novel, writer tries to illustrate the different versionsof material culture. Through the narratives of Swann and Odette Proust shows the perception of material culture and compares it with various historical and philosophical landscapes. The novel captures the scene of early twentieth century’s perception of material culture and compares it with bibelot culture of medieval French. There are various philosophical practices in the world about the material culture. Swann is the representative character of aristocratic aesthetic value of materialism. Odette loves Swann but she denies accepting bourgeois philosophy although both accept the existence of material culture.