Samuel Beckett
Digital Manuscript Project
Not I / Pas moi

MS-UoR-1227-7-12-10-synopsis

X
Segment 1

[0004] Premature birth
[0005] Parents unknown
[0006] No love at any time
[0007] At age of 70 in a field picking cowslips suddenly finds
herself in the dark

X
Segment 2

[0008] No feeling apart from buzzing in her head and awareness
of a ray of light

[0009] Mind still active in a way
[0010] First thought: she is being punished for her sins

X
Segment 3


[0011] Dismissed as she realises she is not suffering
[0012] Second thought: perhaps she should groan (to please tormentor)
[0013] Failure to utter a sound
[0014] All silent but for the buzzing
[0015] Motionless but for eyes opening and shutting
[0016] Mind questions this in view of life scene1 1 9( field)
[0017] Hears a voice largely unintelligible

X
Segment 4

[0018] Accent suggests it is hers
[0019] Life scene 2 (shopping centre)
[0020] Tries to delude herself voice not hers
[0021] Renounces as she feels lips moving
[0022] Fear that feeling may come back but for the moment mouth

alone

X
Segment 5

[0023] Next thought: such distress can't continue
[0024] Description of same: unintelligible irrepressible voice,
consternation of mind

[0025] Prayer for voice to stop: unanswered
[0026] Life scene 3 (Croker's Acres)
[0027] Brain grabbing at straws (e.g. God's mercy)
[0028] Life scene 1 (field) again
[0029] Perhaps something she should tell? Life scene 4 (courtroom),
[0030] life scene 1 (field) and no from within

X
Segment 6

[0031] Something she should think? No as before
[0032] Life scene 5 (rushing out to tell)
[0033] Distress worse: description of same
[0034] Prayer for all to stop: unanswered
[0035] Life scene 1 9(field) again

X
Addition 1
for
Reading University
Library
-
Sam. Beckett
-
X
Title 1
NOT I - synopsis
Transcription
  • Segments
  • Marginal Additions
  • Titles