The Guermantes' Riches

The Guermantes' Way starts out with Marcel's move to a new house. The first line in this book (which I am reading in French since there are no English versions left at the library) concerns Francoise and becomes an entryway into her perceptions and her ideas.

"Le pépiement matinal des oiseaux semblait insipide à Françoise."

"The morning chirping of birds seemed insipid to Francoise." Hmmm... Is in possible that there is a deeper meaning here? Could it be the incessant chatter of rich people resembles the birds and therefore makes their chirping annoying rather than glorious? I think Marcel does something interesting with his narration: he introduces Francoise in a way that makes her seem very old maid-ish and grumpy, but as we read on, we discover why.

The paragraphs following set up the readers to understand Marcel's family's old servant by retelling the story of how the Guermantes came into their wealth. Marcel tells us that he has gotten his information from St-Loup. Apparently, the Guermantes "acquired" their castle in the 17th Century, at which moment, its name became "The Guermantes." And it was after this important turning point that many other landmarks were named after the family and their estate was slowly built. Marcel describes this and talks about the power of the wealthy as something bizarre. He asks why this ancient practice of Feudalism and right of inherited land ownership granted to the richer class still exists. But he only talks at length about the Guermantes in order to get back to the main character (of Marcel's interest) in this section: dear old, embittered Francoise. Francoise, who seeks comfort in the company of the young valet, Jupien (whom she calls "Julien" because she cannot hear the difference). For he is a fellow "travailleur" (worker).

Although she censors herself and even pretends to be impressed by the riches of the Guermantes, Marcel notices a hidden disdain in her words. She associates the wealthy with excess and this, for her, "n'est pas catholique." For Francoise, to be catholic is to be courageous and, as Marcel points out, "[c]ourageous equals worker."

"Courageux signifiait seulement travailleur."

Throughout these pages, Marcel discusses the power that the Guermantes' hold in their name alone. It is both a signifier of them - the family - and the land. So they are contained in this cocoon-like bubble of protection, made of inpenetrable casing in the form of G-U-E-R-M-A-N-T-E-S. It will outlive us all. Especially since Proust named and entire book after it.

Yep. It seems that even now, Francoise as a character is held tight in the confines of this name which has become the door - the cover - through which readers must enter just to get a glimpse at our dusty hausfrau.

Out of pity, or perhaps because I am slowly becoming a Marxist, I may entitle my next entry "Francoise," just to give the girl a little credit.

-natalie