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.
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)
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.
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)
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
