Wednesday, April 13, 2011

On Beckett's birthday

Samuel BeckettSamuel Beckett born April 13, 1906.
Was there one among them to put himself in my place, to feel how removed I was then from him I seemed to be, and in that remove what strain, as of hawsers about to snap? It's possible. Yes, I was straining towards those spurious deeps, their lying promise of gravity and peace, from all my old poisons I struggled towards them, safely bound.
- Molloy

I feel strained, half stranded, as ropes that tow dismasted frigates in a gale; and I may look so. But ere I break, ye'll hear me crack; and till ye hear that, know that Ahab's hawser tows his purpose yet.
- Chapter CXXXIV
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3 comments:

  1. LemuelApril 14, 2011 at 10:21 AM

    Intriguing juxtaposition. Does Beckett mention Melville or Moby-Dick in his letters?

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  2. Iron-bound BucketApril 14, 2011 at 1:08 PM

    He does, at least once that I know of.

    Beckett's letter to Thomas MacGreevy, 4Aug1932, "I bought Moby Dick today for 6d. That's more like the real stuff. White whales & natural piety."

    If you have a copy of Delbanco's Melville, look on page xiii.

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  3. LemuelApril 14, 2011 at 5:06 PM

    Thanks for the tip! I don't have Delbanco, but it's on my unwritten to-be-read list.

    ReplyDelete