The Role of the imperfect in M. Proust's novel "In search of lost time"

Doklady Bashkirskogo Universiteta. 2025. Volume 10. No. 3. pp. 125-131.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33184/dokbsu-2025.3.15

Download text.pdf

The article examines the temporal paradigm of Proust's text. Russian and French researchers of his creative method are unanimous in their opinion that it is impressionistic. This fact is reflectedin the style of his artistic discourse and is particularly convincing in the temporal space of the narrative,which focuses on the protagonist's recollection of events from the past. In our opinion, the influence ofA. Bergson's philosophy on M. Proust's creative method is undeniable. For M. Proust, the play of tenses becomes a crucial source for implementing his philosophical concept in the text. In the French language, the imperfect tense provides the author with a real opportunity to connect the past with the present, to stop time, and to recreate the most memorable moments in his memory.The broad stylistic paradigm of the imperfect tense is complemented by its extended use, which is referred to as the "infinite imperfect" or "impressionistic imperfect." The imperfect is acquiring a high frequency of use in the text due to the use of the paradigm of the finite/non-finite verbs in the composition of the sentences, which contribute to the expression of duration, length, regularity of the action, whichare strengthened by the context. It can influence the semantics of the finite verb, translating it into thecategory of non-finite verbs.