Details
BECKETT, Samuel (1906-1989). Two typed letters signed ('Samuel Beckett'; 'Sam. Beckett') to Mr Walker, 6, rue des Favorites, Paris, 30 April and 2 May 1957, 2 pages, 4to; the second letter stapled to a retained carbon copy of a letter from Walker, 1 May 1957.
Two letters on Endgame [Fin de Partie], skulls and the interpretation of his work. The first letter refers to the translation of Fin de Partie, which Beckett has not yet begun, putting off 'the dreaded day' as far as possible; he discusses the various translations given for the title (suggestions have included 'Close of Play' and 'The Game is up'), settling however on 'End-Game', and concludes gloomily that 'The text is bound to lose, in English, much of whatever quality it may have'. The second letter responds warmly to a fulsome letter of interpretation, in particular on the prevelance of skull images in his work, of which Beckett offers a number of examples, including in Malone and Murphy, before giving a remarkable aperçu of his creative process, admitting that he hears such 'harmonics ... all kinds, dimly when working, but it is the immediate thing that concerns me, the literal statement'; his view of his work is perhaps by that measure 'irretrievably vitiated'. The letter ends with a characteristic mixture of apology, self-deprecation and generous encouragement, confessing that he could go on in such terms 'with unabated vagueness for pages'; although he 'cannot raise myself out of my non-interpretative mud', he is happy for others to do so, if in such style.
Fin de Partie was first performed (in French) at the Royal Court Theatre on 3 April 1957. (3)
Two letters on Endgame [Fin de Partie], skulls and the interpretation of his work. The first letter refers to the translation of Fin de Partie, which Beckett has not yet begun, putting off 'the dreaded day' as far as possible; he discusses the various translations given for the title (suggestions have included 'Close of Play' and 'The Game is up'), settling however on 'End-Game', and concludes gloomily that 'The text is bound to lose, in English, much of whatever quality it may have'. The second letter responds warmly to a fulsome letter of interpretation, in particular on the prevelance of skull images in his work, of which Beckett offers a number of examples, including in Malone and Murphy, before giving a remarkable aperçu of his creative process, admitting that he hears such 'harmonics ... all kinds, dimly when working, but it is the immediate thing that concerns me, the literal statement'; his view of his work is perhaps by that measure 'irretrievably vitiated'. The letter ends with a characteristic mixture of apology, self-deprecation and generous encouragement, confessing that he could go on in such terms 'with unabated vagueness for pages'; although he 'cannot raise myself out of my non-interpretative mud', he is happy for others to do so, if in such style.
Fin de Partie was first performed (in French) at the Royal Court Theatre on 3 April 1957. (3)
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