I can’t go on, I’ll go on

by Richard W. Seaver

  For published works, order of publisher follows date of publication. For dramatic works, dates of premieres are given in parentheses.

  Works Written Originally in English

  Poetry

  Whoroscope. Paris: The Hours Press, 1930. In Poems in English, London: Calder & Boyars, 1961; New York: Grove Press, 1962.

  Echo’s Bones and Other Precipitates. Paris: Europa Press, 1935. In Poems in English and in Gedichte; see also: Dublin Magazine, Vol. VI, No. 4, Oct.-Dec. 1931; transition, No. 24, June 1936; Evergreen Review, New York, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1957.

  Collected Poems in English and French (1930-1976). London: John Calder, 1977; New York: Grove Press, 1977.

  Collected Poems 1930-1976. London: John Calder, 1984.

  Fiction

  “Assumption.” transition, Nos. 16-17, June 1929, pp. 268-71. In transition Workshop, New York, 1949, pp. 41-43.

  “Serendo et Quiescendo.”franstfton, No. 21, March 1932, pp. 13-20. (Extract from the still unpublished novel Dream of Fair to Middling Women.)

  More Pricks Than Kicks. London: Chatto & Windus, 1934; New York: Grove Press, 1970. Two stories from this collection were printed separately: 1. “Dante and the Lobster” in This Quarter, Paris, Dec. 1932, pp. 222-36 and in Evergreen Review, New York, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1957, pp. 24-36; 2. “Yellow” in New World Writing, New York, No. 10, Nov. 1956, pp. 108-19.

  “A Case in a Thousand.” The Bookman, Vol. LXXXVI, No. 515, Aug. 1934, pp. 241-42.

  Murphy. London: Routledge, 1938; New York: Grove Press, 1957; London: Calder, 1963. French tr. by S.B. and Alfred Péron, Paris: Bordas, 1947; Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1953.

  Watt. Paris: Merlin/Olympia, 1953; New York: Grove Press, 1959; London: Calder & Boyars, 1961. Variant extracts in: Envoy, Dublin, Vol. I, No. 2, Jan. 1950, pp. 11-19; Irish Writing, Cork, No. 17, Dec. 1951, pp. 11-16 and No. 22, March 1953, pp. 16-24; Merlin, Paris, Vol. I, No. 3, Winter 1952-53, pp. 118-26.

  From an Abandoned Work. (B.B.C. Third Programme, Dec. 14, 1957.) Evergreen Review, New York, Vol. 1, No. 3, 1957, pp. 83-91; London: Faber & Faber, 1958; in First Love and Other Shorts, New York: Grove Press, 1974.

  Fizzles. New York: Grove Press, 1976.

  For To End Yet Again. London: John Calder, 1976.

  Company. New York: Grove Press, 1980.

  Worstward Ho. New York: Grove Press, 1983.

  Collected Shorter Prose 1945-1980. London: John Calder, 1984.

  Stirrings Still London: John Calder, 1988.

  As the Story Was Told. New York: Riverrun Press, 1990.

  Plays for Stage, Film, Radio, and Television

  All That Fall. (B.B.C. Third Programme, Jan. 13, 1957.) London: Faber & Faber, 1957; New York: Grove Press, 1960. French tr. by S. B. and Robert Pinget as Tous ceux qui tombent in Les Lettres Nouvelles, No. 47, March 1957; Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1957.

  Krapp’s Last Tape. (Royal Court Theatre, Oct. 28, 1958.) Evergreen Review, New York, Vol. 2, No. 5, 1958, pp. 13-24; London: Faber & Faber, 1959; New York: Grove Press, 1960. French tr. by S.B. and Pierre Leyris as La dernière bande, Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1959. Operatic version, Krapp ou la dernière bande, music by Marcel Mihalovici, Théâtre des Nations, Feb. 13, 1961.

  Embers. (B.B.C. Third Programme, June 24, 1959.) London: Faber & Faber, 1959; Evergreen Review, New York, Vol. III, No. 10, Nov.-Dec. 1959, pp. 28-41; in Krapp’s Last Tape and Other Dramatic Pieces, New York: Grove Press, 1960.

  Happy Days. (Cherry Lane Theater, New York, Sept. 17, 1961.) New York: Grove Press, 1961; London: Faber & Faber, 1962. French tr. by S.B. as Oh les beaux jours, Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1963.

  Words and Music. (B.B.C. Third Programme, Nov. 13, 1962, music by John Beckett.) Evergreen Review, New York, Vol. 6, No. 27, Nov.-Dec. 1962, pp. 34-43. In Play and Two Short Pieces for Radio, London: Faber & Faber, 1964; in Cascando and Other Short Dramatic Pieces, New York: Grove Press, 1969. French tr. by S.B. as Paroles et Musique, in Comédie et Actes divers, Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1966.

  Play. (First performed in German, Ulmer-Theater, Ulm, Jan. 14, 1963: Spiel tr. by Elmer Tophoven.) London: Faber & Faber, 1964; in Cascando and Other Short Dramatic Pieces, New York: Grove Press, 1967.

  Film. Made in New York, 1964, directed by Alan Schneider, with Buster Keaton. (Venice Film Festival, Sept. 4, 1965; New York Film Festival, Sept. 15, 1965.) In Cascando and Other Short Dramatic Pieces, New York: Grove Press, 1967; in Eh Joe, London: Faber & Faber, 1967.

  Eh Joe. (B.B.C. Television, July 4, 1966.) In Cascando and Other Short Dramatic Pieces, New York: Grove Press, 1967; London: Faber & Faber, 1967. French tr. by S.B. as Dis Joe, in Comédie et Actes divers, Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1966.

  Come and Go. (First performed in German, Schiller Theater, Berlin, 1966.) In Cascando and Other Short Dramatic Pieces, New York: Grove Press, 1967; London: Calder & Boyars, 1967. French tr. by S. B. as Va et vient, in Comédie et Actes divers, Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1966.

  Not I. (Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center in New York City, Dec. 7, 1972.) London: Faber & Faber, 1973. In First Love and Other Shorts, New York: Grove Press, 1974.

  Ends and Odds. Contains That Time, Not I, Footfalls, Radio I, Radio II, Theatre I, Theatre II and Tryst. New York: Grove Press, 1976.

  That Time. (Royal Court Theatre, London, May 20,1976.) New York: Grove Press, 1976.

  Footfalls. (Royal Court Theatre, London, May 20, 1976.) New York: Grove Press, 1976.

  Ghost Trio: A Play for Television. (B.B.C. Television, April 17, 1977.) New York: Grove Press, 1976.

  . . . but the clouds . . . : A Play for Television. (B.B.C. Television, April 17, 1977.) London: Faber & Faber, 1977.

  A Piece of Monologue. (Written for actor David Warrilow in 1979 and performed by him in New York in 1980.) Kenyon Review, 1979.

  Rockaby. (First performed in Buffalo, New York, in 1981.) New York: Grove Press, 1981.

  Ohio Impromptu. (Stadium 2 Theatre, Ohio State University, May 9, 1981.) New York: Grove Press, 1981.

  What Where. (Harold Clurman Theatre, New York, June 15, 1983.) London: Faber & Faber, 1984; Evergreen Review, New York, 1984.

  Three Plays: Ohio Impromptu, Catastrophe, What Where. New York: Grove Press, 1984.

  The Collected Shorter Plays of Samuel Beckett. New York: Grove Press, 1984.

  The Complete Dramatic Works. London: Faber & Faber, 1986.

  Criticism

  Disjecta: Miscellaneous Writings and a Dramatic Fragment. Edited by Ruby Cohn. New York: Grove Press, 1984.

  Works Written Originally in French

  Poetry

  “Poèmes 38-39.” In Les Temps Modernes, No. 14, Nov. 1946, pp. 288-93.

  “Trois Poèmes.” In transition No. 48 (bilingual text), pp. 96-97. Reprinted in Poems in English.

  “Trois Poèmes.” In Cahiers des saisons, No. 2, Oct. 1955, pp. 115-16.

  Fiction

  “Suite.” In Les Temps Modernes, No. 10, July 1946, pp. 107-19. (This is first portion of story later published in its entirety as “La Fin.”) Tr. by S.B. and Richard Seaver as “The End” in Merlin, Vol. II, No. 3, 1954, pp. 144-58. In Evergreen Review, New York, Vol. 4, No. 15, Nov.-Dec. 1960, pp. 22-41.

  “L’Expulsé.” In Fontaine, No. 57, Dec. 1946-Jan. 1947, pp. 685-708. Tr. by S.B. and Richard Seaver as “The Expelled” in Evergreen Review, New York, Vol. 6, No. 22, Jan.-Feb. 1962, pp. 8-20.

  Molloy. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1951. English tr. by S.B. and Patrick Bowles, Paris: Merlin/Olympia, 1954; New York: Grove Press, 1955. In Three Novels, London: Calder & Boyars, 1959; New York: Grove Press, 1965.

  Malone meurt. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1951. English tr. by S.B. as Malone Dies, New York: Grove Press, 1956; London: Calder & Boyars, 1958.

  L’Innommable. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1953. English tr. by S.B. as The Unnamable, New York: Grove Press, 1958. In Three Novels, London: Calder & Boyars, 1959; New York: Grove Press, 1960.

  Nouvelles et Textes pour Rien. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1955. Contains: “La Fin”; �
��L’Expulsé”; “Le Calmant”; and a series of “Texts for Nothing.” English tr. by S.B. as Stories and Texts for Nothing, New York: Grove Press, 1967. Collected edition under the title No’s Knife, London: Calder & Boyars, 1966.

  Comment C’est. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1961. English tr. by S.B. as How It Is, New York: Grove Press, 1964; London: Calder & Boyars, 1966.

  Imagination morte imaginez. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1965. In Têtes-Mortes, Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1967, pp. 49-57. English tr. by S.B. as Imagination Dead Imagine in Evergreen Review, New York, Vol. 10, No. 39, 1966. London: Calder & Boyars, 1966. In First Love and Other Shorts, New York: Grove Press, 1974.

  Bing. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1966. In Têtes-Mortes, Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1967, pp. 59-66. English tr. by S.B. as Ping, London: Calder & Boyars, 1967; in First Love and Other Shorts, New York: Grove Press, 1974.

  Assez. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1967, in Têtes-Mortes, pp. 31-48. English tr. by S.B. as Enough. In First Love and Other Shorts, New York: Grove Press, 1974.

  Mercier et Camier. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1970. English tr. by S.B. as Mercier and Camier, New York: Grove Press, 1974; London: Calder & Boyars, 1974.

  Premier Amour. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1970. English tr. by S.B. as “First Love.” In First Love and Other Shorts, New York: Grove Press, 1974.

  Le Depeupleur. Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1971. English tr. by S.B. as The Lost Ones, New York: Grove Press, 1972; London: Calder & Boyars, 1972.

  Mal Vu Mal Dit. Paris: Les Editions de Minuit, 1981. English tr. by S.B. as Ill Seen Ill Said, New York: Grove Press, 1981.

  Plays for Stage, Radio, and Television

  Eleuthéria. Three acts. Unpublished and unperformed.

  En Attendant Godot. (Théâtre de Babylone, Jan. 5, 1953.) Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1952. English tr. by S.B. as Waiting for Godot, New York: Grove Press, 1954; London: Faber & Faber, 1956.

  Fin de Partie. (Royal Court Theatre, April 3, 1957, in French.) Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1957. English tr. by S.B. as Endgame, New York: Grove Press, 1958; London: Faber & Faber, 1958.

  Acte sans Paroles I. (Mime; music by John Beckett. Royal Court Theatre, April 3, 1957.) Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1957 (together with Fin de Partie). English tr. by S.B. as Act Without Words I, London: Faber & Faber, 1958 (together with Endgame). In Krapp’s Last Tape and Other Dramatic Pieces, New York: Grove Press, 1960.

  Acte sans Paroles II. (Mime; Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, Jan. 1960.) Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1966, in Comédie et Actes divers. English tr. by S.B. as Act Without Words II, in New Departures, No. 1, Summer 1959, pp. 88-90. In Krapp’s Last Tape and Other Dramatic Pieces, New York: Grove Press, 1960; in Eh Joe and Other Writings, London: Faber & Faber, 1967.

  Cascando. (Radio play, first performed on French National Radio, Oct. 13, 1963. Music by Marcel Mihalovici.) Paris: Editions de Minuit, 1966, in Comédie et Actes divers. English tr. by S.B. as Cascando, in Evergreen Review, New York, Vol. 7, No. 30, May-June 1963, pp. 47-57; in Cascando and Other Short Dramatic Pieces, New York: Grove Press, 1969; in Play and Two Short Pieces for Radio, London: Faber & Faber, 1964.

  The Collected Works of Samuel Beckett (19 Volumes). New York: Grove Press, 1970.

  Rough for Theatre I. English tr. by S.B., in Ends and Odds, New York: Grove Press, 1976.

  Rough for Theatre II. English tr. by S.B., in Ends and Odds, New York: Grove Press, 1976.

  Rough for Radio I. First published in English as Sketch for Radio Play, in Stereo Headphones, No. 7 (Spring 1976).

  Rough for Radio II. (First broadcast as Rough for Radio, on B.B.C. Radio 3, April 13, 1976.) In Ends and Odds, New York: Grove Press, 1976.

  Catastrophe. (Avignon Festival, Avignon, France, July 21, 1982; Harold Clurman Theatre, New York, June 15, 1983.) London: Faber & Faber, 1984; Evergreen Review, New York, 1984.

  Works Written Originally in German

  Quad. (First broadcast as Quadrat 1+2, by Süddeutscher Rundfunk, 1982; B.B.C. Radio 2, Dec. 16, 1982.) London: Faber & Faber, 1984; in Collected Shorter Plays, New York: Grove Press, 1984.

  Nacht und Traume. (Süddeutscher Rundfunk, May 19, 1983.) London: Faber & Faber, 1984; in Collected Shorter Plays, New York: Grove Press, 1984.

  * Beckett noted, on several occasions, that were he a critic commenting on Beckett’s work—assuming that unfortunate situation ever arose—he would begin the work with the above two quotes.

  * For the simple reason that, in the succeeding two and a half decades, those novels, as well as Beckett’s later works, have probably been more commented on than any other works of the twentieth century, with the possible exception of those of Beckett’s compatriot and fellow exile, James Joyce.

  * When the translation finally appeared, in the May, 1931, issue of La nouvelle revue française, credit for the translation went to a “committee” composed of Beckett, Alfred Péron, Ivan Goll, Eugene Jolas, Paul-L. Leon, Adrienne Monnier, and Philippe Soupault, in collaboration with the author. The truth of the matter seems to be that Beckett did most of it, that Alfred Péron went over Beckett’s draft. But Joyce, who enjoyed the devotion, submitted their text to the scrutiny of the “committee,” which argued over it endlessly and did, finally, make numerous changes.

  * L’Innommable, published in 1953.

  †­ Samuel Beckett (New York: The Viking Press, 1973), p. 1.

  * For years after we first met, we “Merlin juveniles,” who were mostly in our early or middle twenties, always called him “Mr. Beckett.” It was not merely the age difference that accounted for it: there was a certain formality about the man, an awesome presence that overwhelmed even his own constant self-derogation, that prevented the first-name intimacy. Nor was it peculiar to us: in the reverse situation twenty years earlier, when Beckett-the-younger-man was involved with Joyce, both men apparently referred to each other inevitably as “Mr. Joyce” and “Mr. Beckett.”

  * Page numbers in parentheses refer to original Merlin edition,

  †­ When Grove Press, which became Beckett’s American publisher a short while later, printed the American edition of Watt in 1959, it decided, as young, struggling publishers often do, to offset the Paris edition rather than reset from “scatch.” Though Beckett and Grove combined managed to eliminate most of the original misprints, a few still crept through. But at least the magenta cover was not perpetuated.

  * Beckett’s French publisher, Jérôme Lindon, once told how he had invited Beckett to the country with him for the weekend. Almost apologetically, Lindon excused himself at one point, saying he was going out to play a round of golf. Beckett asked to join him and, although apparently he had not played in many years, stroked the ball with surprising skill. When pressed, he admitted that he had a certain acquaintance with the sport, aeons and aeons ago, as he put it. Lindon maintains that his “acquaintance” was sufficient to record the lowest score of the day.

  * “When I was at Trinity,” Beckett once told English drama critic Harold Hobson, “there were only fifteen people in the place who knew how the game was played. . . . It was therefore easier to get on the team than keep off it.” (The London Sunday Times, June 18, 1961.)

  * Israel Shenker, The New York Times, May 6, 1956.

  * The announcement for the volume had been printed on a bright yellow stock, and Beckett was worried the book might appear in a cover of the same color. He wrote to Reavey and asked, if it were not too late, to “be an angel and change it to putty.” Putty-beige it was.

  * “Because in French it’s easier to write without style.” Quoted in Michael Robinson, The Long Sonata of the Dead (New York: Grove Press, 1969), p. 133.

  †­ The italics are Beckett’s.

  * Beckett’s dozen seems to run to thirteen. Echo’s Bones also consists of thirteen poems.

  * Earlier Beckett had tried a new prose work in English, but had abandoned it. A surviving fragment, entitled From an Abandoned Work, was first read as a dramatic monologue on the BBC Third Programme, on January
13, 1957. It was later included in a collection of shorter Beckett works, but with no attempt to set it in the larger framework that the author had intended.

  * Both quotes from a letter to the American director, Alan Schneider. The American première took place at the Cherry Lane Theater in New York, on January 28, 1958.

  * An earlier novel, Dream of Fair to Middling Women, was never published. It was written probably in 1932, or at least completed that year, for we know that in the autumn of 1932 it was making the rounds of the British publishers, none of whom thought it fit for their august lists.

  * Much valuable space has been saved, in this work, that would otherwise have been lost, by avoidance of the plethoric reflexive pronoun after say.

  * Joyce himself is believed to have contributed to the volume, under a pseudonym.

  * ALL four wear bowlers.

  * Some critics date a fourth from this period, Le Depeupleur, which Beckett translated as The Lost Ones. Actually, though it was begun in 1966, it was not completed until 1970.