Beckett Collection: Manuscripts
The collection includes over 600 manuscripts and typescripts including manuscript drafts, annotated and corrected copies. The manuscripts are arranged by form of work: Poetry, Drama, Prose, and a series of Notebooks. There are over 22 works of poetry represented, including āMirlitonnadesā; over 34 dramatic works including āEh Joeā, āEn attendant Godotā and āNacht und TrƤumeā; and over 38 pieces of prose including āWorstward Hoā, āStirings Stillā, ‘The North’, and āPour finir encoreā.Ā The notebooks, chiefly dating from the 1930s, include the drafts of Beckettās first novel, āMurphyā and work for āSam Francisā, āDreamā and āWhoroscopeā.
Please note that aĀ surrogate copy of any Beckett manuscript will normally be made availableĀ in the reading room. Please contact Special Collections for more information on accessingĀ theĀ original item.
The copying of any of Beckettās handwriting and sketches, or any unpublished letters, typescripts, manuscripts or draft versions of his work that differ from the final published version is not permitted.
Please contact us if you need more information.
More Information
- A full description of the Beckett Collection is available via our online database.
- Handlists: Poetry; Drama; Prose; Notebooks.
- The manuscript and typescript items are also described inĀ Beckett at Reading: catalogue of the Beckett manuscript collection at the University of Reading, [compiled by] Mary Bryden, Julian Garforth, Peter Mills (Whiteknights Press and the Beckett International Foundation, 1998).
- See also an Introduction to the Beckett Collection for information on our other Beckett related collections.