V.B.9
Complete Printers’ Typescript of the “Sirens” (11) Episode for The Little Review and Ulysses (1919)
Material Description and Collation
The manuscript consists of 23 loose sheets of paper, all of which Spielberg described as “thin” typing paper (except for p. [17], which he described as “heavier”), with corrections and additions in Joyce’s hand in black ink on all of the pages. Except for p. [2] that is a blue ribbon top (original) copy, all the pages are black ink bottom (carbon) copies; all are typewritten and single-spaced and all the versos are blank. The sheets were all cleaned, de-acidified and encapsulated (but only the top copy typescript sheets were also backed with protective paper) in May 1988.
Measurements
The sheets measure approximately 27.9 x 21.5 cm., except for p. [17] that measures 27.4 x 21.1 cm.
Pagination
The sheets were paginated “1)”–”23)” in the lower left margin in lead pencil and also stamped “26”–”48″ in the upper right margin in black ink (therefore, this pagination is a continuation of the stamped page numbers of MS V.B.8.a.ii) and p. [20] was also paginated “45)” in the upper right margin in pencil.
Contents
The manuscript is a complete typescript of the episode, comprised of a bottom copy together with one sheet of the top copy of what were at least 2 but presumably 3 complete typescripts (a top copy and 2 bottom copies) of the “Sirens” episode, of which no other copy survives. The typescript was not prepared from the Rosenbach (faircopy) manuscript version of the episode and this is the printers’ copy of the typescript. The “Sirens” episode appeared in the August and September 1919 issues of The Little Review (VI.4 and VI.5), pp. 41–64 (11.0001–0919) and pp 46–55 (10.0920–1294), respectively. Joyce further revised the typescript pages in black ink for the printing of Ulysses and someone, presumably Hirschwald at Darantiere, made non-authorial alterations to the typescript . The text on the pages is as follows:
| MS V.B.9 | Ulysses 1922 (1992) / 1984 |
|---|---|
| p. [1]: “1” & “26” | [245].01–246.29 / 11.0001–0057 |
| p. [2]: “2” & “27” | 246.30–248.06 / 11.0058–0107 |
| p. [3]: “3” & “28” | 248.07–249.21 / 11.0108–0162 |
| p. [4]: “4” & “29” | 249.21–251.02 / 11.0162–0220 |
| p. [5]: “5” & “30” | 251.01–252.19 / 11.0219–0276 |
| p. [6]: “6” & “31” | 252.20–253.34 / 11.0277–0331 |
| p. [7]: “7” & “32” | 253.34–255.16 / 11.0331–0388 |
| p. [8]: “8” & “33” | 255.17–256.34 / 11.0389–0444 |
| p. [9]: “9” & “34” | 256.34–258.13 / 11.0444–0498 |
| p. [10]: “10”& “35” | 258.14–259.31 / 11.0499–0555 |
| p. [11]: “11” & “36” | 259.31–261.14 / 11.0555–0615 |
| p. [12]: “12” & “37” | 261.14–263.02 / 11.0615–0678 |
| p. [13]: “13” & “38” | 263.02–264.24 / 11.0678–0737 |
| p. [14]: “14” & “39” | 264.24–266.07 / 11.0737–0793 |
| p. [15]: “15” & “40” | 266.07–267.26 / 11.0793–0851 |
| p. [16]: “16” & “41” | 267.26–269.07 / 11.0851–0907 |
| p. [17]: “17” & “42” | 269.07–270.22 / 11.0907–0960 |
| p. [18]: “18” & “43” | 270.22–272.07 / 11.0960–1022 |
| p. [19]: “19” & “44” | 272.08–273.30 / 11.1023–1082 |
| p. [20]: “20” & “45” | 273.30–275.15 / 11.1082–1146 |
| p. [21]: “21” & “46” | 275.16–276.35 / 11.1146–1204 |
| p. [22]: “22” & “47” | 276.36–278.22 / 11.1204–1268 |
| p. [23]: “23” & “48” | 278.23–279.10 / 11.1269–1294 |
Dating
The typescript was prepared in July 1919 in Zurich and further revised by Joyce in black ink by late September 1921 for the printing of Ulysses .
Other Markings
Page [1] of the typescript is headed with the Roman numeral “XI” and ” Joyce “, all in lead pencil and crossed out in blue crayon. The notation “debut chapitre” was written in pencil in the upper center margin on p. [1] and “fin episode” was written in purple pencil at the end of the typescript on p. [23], probably by the printer. There are Darantiere printers’ markings, including printers’ signatures, on all of the pages (including p. [22v]), except on pp. [9], [11] and [14]. There are rust stains from a paperclip in the upper left corner on p. [1]. The sheets were folded in the center horizontally and vertically. During conservation, therefore after the manuscript’s publication in the JJA , a tear on p. [3] was repaired and the sheets were marked “V B 8 a, 1″–”V B 8 a, 22” in the lower right corner in pencil.
Publication
This manuscript has been reproduced in black and white photo-facsimile on JJA 13.058–080.
Notes
There are 3 pre-Rosenbach manuscript versions of the “Sirens” episode: an earlier draft (NLI MS 36,639/07/B) and a later draft (NLI MS 36,639/09 and Buffalo MS V.A.5). The first placards of the episode were set in late September 1921.