This book offers a comprehensive analysis of young Proust's evolving conception of the world, from his early friendships and educational experiences in the 1880s to the turn of the twentieth century. It looks in detail at his early fictional and critical writings, his associations with various literary periodicals, and the social milieus in which he moved. Its primary purpose is to understand Proust as a worldly figure with concrete attitudes and ideas about such issues as social class, the relationship between art and society, the responsibilities of the writer, and the debate between materialism and idealism as seen in the context of mid- to late-nineteenth-century thought.

The influence of the plastic arts, especially painting and sculpture, upon the Hispanic literary movement known as Modernismo is well-documented. Although numerous studies have referred to gems, Beyond the Glitter focuses upon the significance of gems and jewels in elaborating Modernismo's complex aesthetics. The role of gems and jewelry is discussed in the poetics of three prominent Modernista writers: Ruben Dario, Ramon del Valle-Inclan, and Jose Asuncion Silva. The conclusion underscores how the rich and varied symbolism associated with jewelry and precious gems enriched the poetics of Modernista writers because it enabled them to articulate their quest for ideal beauty, expressive of a sublime state of mind and spirit.