Du côté de Viareggio: rêveries italiennes autour d’un titre de Charlus

Abstract

This contribution focuses on a specific episode from Proust’s Sodome et Gomorrhe. During «La Soirée chez les Verdurin», M. de Charlus lists his titles of nobility in order to assert his superiority over the other guests. Among the many titles, he also refers to that of «prince de Viareggio». However, this is the only title that directly relates neither to the history of France nor to the plot of À la recherche du temps perdu. In order to test the historical accuracy of this title, the genesis of the episode will first be investigated. Then, after analysing the notes related to it in Italian and French editions of La Recherche, the study will focus on historical pieces of evidence, e.g. the stays of Paolina Bonaparte and the Bourbon-Parma family in Viareggio, and Shelley’s last journey. Literary sources, such as Michelet’s La Mer, that could have led Proust to invent this title and assign it to M. de Charlus, will also be examined.