Today (I wrote this text on the 23rd of September, 2024), I will provide some insights into the “Proust vs. Dostoyevsky” duel.
I read practically all of Dostoyevsky’s novels in 2013. When I was reading Russian writer’s masterpieces, I frequently had dazzles in my mind and imagination. These ‘dazzles’ and ‘revelations’ were like sudden bursts of understanding or inspiration that made me fall in love with Dostoyevsky’s works. Since the middle of August 2023, I’ve been reading Marcel Proust’s “In Search of Lost Time.” When I read it, do I feel satisfaction or dissatisfaction? For most of my lecture, the latter one. While reading the French writer’s work, I did not have such a dazzle and revelation as in 2013, when I read almost all of Dostoevsky’s works in a year. Or maybe it’s just getting old? Maybe younger Adam Mazek was much more keen to absorb knowledge? I do not know it.
The fact is that I still haven’t finished reading “In Search of Lost Time.”
For now, I read the 5th chapter (The Fugitive [Albertine Gone]). I do not think I will manage to finish reading it until the end of 2024. Undoubtedly, this is one of the most significant differences between reading Dostoyevsky and Proust. I have practically swallowed almost all of Dostoyevsky’s novels in one year. On the other hand, I have read Proust’s masterpiece for more than a year. Why did I call it a masterpiece? It is because, for me, there are many significant fragments in the novel. These are passages that are particularly thought-provoking or beautifully written, often spanning more than 20 or 30 pages.
Still, for me, there are also moments when I was simply bored (I have never had a similar feeling while reading Dostoyevsky). Does comparing the readings of the two geniuses mentioned above make sense? Is the “Proust vs. Dostoyevsky” duel necessary? In general, somewhat no. Thus, I won’t write precisely which writer was better for me today. I must first finish Proust and wait a few months to gain a proper perspective on ‘In Search of Lost Time.’
