https://library.osu.edu/finding-aids/ead/RARE/SPEC.RARE.0124.xml Preliminary Inventory of the Samuel Beckett Papers, circa 1932, 1957-1987 SPEC.RARE.0124 Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Hubbard Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1858 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH, 43210
2019 June

Created from several other RARE Beckett collections.

 This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2019-07-17T14:38-0400 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Samuel Beckett Papers SPEC.RARE.0124 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections 2.33 Cubic feet circa 1932, 1957-1987 Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) was an Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and theatre director whose works were influenced heavily by modernist theory during the 1950s-1960s. Beckett moved to Paris in the late 1920s, eventually becoming a permanent resident of France. The Samuel Beckett Papers include correspondence sent by Beckett regarding his work, including to stage director Donald McWhinnie, notebooks, annotated typescripts, page proofs, and other materials related to Beckett's novels and plays. These include Dream of Fair to Middling Women, Watt, Endgamein English and the original French as Fin de Partie, Happy Days, More Pricks than Kicks, and How It Is. Some materials are written in French. The collection is dated circa 1932, and 1957-1987. (2) flat boxes; (2) 5" letter document box; (1) 2.5" letter document box; (1) card box English, French Beckett, Samuel, 1906-1989 Arrangement of Materials

This collection is unprocessed. Materials are preliminarily arranged in alphabetical order by titles based on topic or publication name.

 Acquisitions Information

Donated by Stanley Gontarski, date unknown; Purchase, 2001 April; Purchase, 2009 April; Purchase, 2009 June; Other purchases, dates unknown

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Samuel Beckett Papers, SPEC.RARE.0124, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University

 Access to Materials

Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.

 Use of Materials

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.

 Processing Information

This collection is unprocessed. Finding aid written by: Elizabeth Hubbard, 2019 June

 Biographical Note

Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) was an Irish playwright, novelist, poet, and theatre director whose works were influenced heavily by modernist theory and were associated with the Theatre of the Absurd movement during the 1950s-1960s. Beckett moved to Paris in the late 1920s to teach at the École Normale Supérieure, eventually becoming a permanent resident of France. He is known for writing the play Waiting for Godot, first performed in 1953. Other plays of Beckett’s include Endgame in 1957, which was originally written in French as Fin de Partie, and two plays written in English: Krapp’s Last Tape and Happy Days. Watt was his second novel, published in English in 1953.

 Scope and Contents

The Samuel Beckett Papers include correspondence sent by Beckett regarding his work, including to stage director Donald McWhinnie in reference to Beckett's television piece, "Eh Joe," and a broadside from the Defence of Literature and the Arts fund in London. The collection also includes seven notebooks, original holograpph manuscripts, annotated typescripts, page proofs, and other materials related to Beckett's novels and plays. These include Dream of Fair to Middling Women, Watt, Endgamein English and the original French as Fin de Partie, Happy Days, More Pricks than Kicks, and How It Is. Some materials are written in French. The collection is dated circa 1932, and 1957-1987.

 Related Materials Samuel Beckett Collection Beckett, Samuel, 1906-1989. Dream of fair to middling women. Beckett, Samuel, 1906-1989. Fin de partie. English. Beckett, Samuel, 1906-1989. Fin de partie. Beckett, Samuel, 1906-1989. Happy days. Beckett, Samuel, 1906-1989. Watt. McWhinnie, Donald Dramatists, French--20th century Dramatists, Irish--20th century English drama--Irish authors--20th century Fiction--Male authors--20th century French drama--20th century Notebooks Novelists, French Novelists, Irish Novels Plays (performing arts compositions) Typescripts Bean (Marshall E.) correspondence sent 1 1 circa 1967-1970 Scope and Contents

Some correspondence are photocopies.

 Arikha correspondence sent (envelope only) 6 1 1964 McWhinnie (Donald) correspondence sent, "Eh Joe" annotated typescript 1 2 1957-1987 Myron (Herbert B.) correspondence sent 1 3 1958-1988 Scope and Contents

Photocopies, originals held at Boston University.

 Schwartz (Jacob) correspondence sent 1 4 1957-1958 Correspondence sent 1 5 1958-1964 Dream of Fair to Middling Women annotated manuscript photocopy 1 6 circa 1932 Defence of Literature and the Arts Fund London broadside 1 7 circa 1966 Endgame annotated published script, note sent to Donald McWhinnie 1 8 1976 March 6 Fin de Partie and other drafts and sketches notebook, given to Tara McGowran 1 9 circa 1952 Fin de Partie and Endgame: original holograph manuscript, corrected typescripts, and author's translation 4 circa 1957-1958 Happy Days notebook with drafts 1 10 1960-1961 Happy Days typescript I Act I with revisions 1 11 circa 1960-1961 Happy Days typescript 1 Act II with revisions 1 12 circa 1960-1961 Happy Days typescript II Act I with revisions 1 13 circa 1960-1961 Happy Days typescript II Act II with revisions 1 14 circa 1960-1961 Happy Days typescript III with revisions 2 1 circa 1960-1961 Happy Days typescript IV with revisions 2 2 circa 1960-1961 How It Is: original autograph manuscript, author's translation of Comment C'est, and corrected typescripts, galleys, page proofs and advanced signatures 5 circa 1961-1964 More Pricks than Kicks typescript 6 1 1964 November Watt I notebook 2 3 circa 1967 March-May French Watt II notebook 2 4 circa 1967 June-August French Watt III notebook 2 5 circa 1967 August 31 French Watt IV notebook 2 6 circa 1967 September-December French Watt V notebook 2 7 circa 1967-1968 French Watt VI notebook 2 8 circa 1968 February 19-29 French Watt corrected page proofs 2 9 circa 1968 French Watt Jupiter Books edition, first page annotated 2 10 1963 Watt typescript with annotated corrections 3 1 circa 1963 French