V.A.11
First Copybook of the Earlier Draft of the “Oxen of the Sun” (14) Episode (1920)1
Material Description and Collation
The manuscript is a copybook in Joyce’s hand in black ink, with additions, revisions and/or connecting lines in pencil on all the inscribed pages, except pp. [1v], [2v], [3v], [4v], [5v], [8v] and [9v]. It consists of 10 leaves (20 pages) of unlined paper, of which 19 pages are inscribed and only p. [10v] is blank.
As manufactured, the copybook was held together with 3 metal staples in the center vertical fold; they were removed for conservation purposes and the manuscript was disbound. It has a heavier stock blue-violet cover that was in poor condition before conservation and detached from the copybook; there are two holes in the cover’s centerfold that were not repaired. A label is pasted on the front cover recto. The label has a stylized floral design and the stationer’s name and address are printed beneath the border of the label: “L. S molars & N ipote – T rieste “. This manuscript is identical in kind to NLI MS 36,639/11/A, the third copybook that comprises the earlier draft of the “Oxen of the Sun” episode. The cover and each sheet of the manuscript were cleaned, de-acidified and individually encapsulated in February 1988.
Title
Joyce wrote “Oxen | of | the | Sun | I” in the center of the label on the front cover recto in black ink.
Measurements
Each leaf measures 23.8 x 19.6 cm.
Pagination
Joyce foliated each recto page “1)”–”10)” in the left margin in pencil.2
Contents
The manuscript is the first part of the earliest complete draft of the “Oxen of the Sun” episode of Ulysses . Joyce wrote the remainder of this draft level in 3 further copybooks and then wrote the later draft of the episode in 9 copybooks and 3 loose sheets. The following table correlates the text between the two extant drafts:
| Earlier “Oxen of the Sun” Draft | Later “Oxen of the Sun” Draft |
|---|---|
| Buffalo MS V.A.11: 14.0010–0039 & 0071–0356 | Buffalo MS V.A.13: 14.0071–0122 |
| Buffalo MS V.A.14: 14.0123–0276 | |
| Buffalo MS V.A.12: 14.0357–0813 | NLI MS 36,639/11/C: 14.0277–0428 |
| Buffalo MS V.A.15: 14.0429–0473 | |
| NLI MS 36,639/11/D: 14.0474–0528 | |
| Buffalo MS V.A.16: 14.0529–0650 | |
| Buffalo MS V.A.17: 14.0651–0844 | |
| NLI MS 36,639/11A: 14.0845–1173 | Buffalo MS V.A.18: 14.0845–1109 |
| NLI MS 36,639/11B: 14.1174–1587 & 0007–70 | NLI MS 36,639/11/E: 14.1110–1439 |
| NLI MS 36,639/11/F: 14.1440–1591 |
The text on each page of this manuscript is as follows:
| MS V.A.11 Page | Corresponding Text on the Later Manuscripts |
Ulysses Text 1922 (1992) / 1986 |
|---|---|---|
| p. [1r]: “1” | See NLI MS 36,639/11/B, p. [20r] | See [366.10]–367.11 / 14.0010–00393 |
| p. [1v] | Buffalo MS V.A.13, p. [6r] | Additional texts for p. [2r] |
| p. [2r]: “2” | Buffalo MS V.A.13, pp. [6r] and [7r] | See 367.11–368.03 / 14.0039–0070 |
| p. [2v] | Buffalo MS V.A.13, pp. [6r] and [7r] | 368.12–26 / 14.0080–0095 |
| p. [3r]: “3” | Buffalo MS V.A.13, pp. [6r] and [7r] | 368.07–26 / 14.0074–0095 |
| p. [3v] | Buffalo MS V.A.13, pp. [7r] and [8r] | 368.26–369.06 / 14.0095–0114 |
| p. [4r]: “4” | Buffalo MS V.A.13, pp. [7r] and [8r] | 368. 26–369 .17 / 14.00 95 –0125 |
| p. [4v] | Buffalo MS V.A.13, p. [8r] | See 369.07–13 / 14.0114–0121 |
| p. [5r]: “5” | Buffalo MS V.A.14, pp. [2r]–[3r] | 369.17–370.29 / 14.0125–0176 |
| p. [5v] | Buffalo MS V.A.14, pp. [4r] and [5r] | See 371.14–16 / 14.0199–0201 |
| p. [6r]: “6” | Buffalo MS V.A.14, pp. [4r] and [5r] | 370.29–371.26 / 14.0176–0210 |
| p. [6v] | Buffalo MS V.A.14, p. [7r] | See 372.12–14 / 14.0235–0237 |
| p. [7r]: “7” | Buffalo MS V.A.14, [6r]–[7r] | 371.26–372.25 / 14.0210–0248 |
| p. [7v] | Buffalo MS V.A.14, p. [7r]–[8r] | Additional texts for p. [8r] |
| p. [8r]: “8” | Buffalo MS V.A.14, p. [8r] | 14.0248–0282 / 372.25–373.20 |
| p. [8v] | NLI MS 36,639/11/C, p. [2r] | Additional texts for p. [9r] |
| p. [9r]: “9” | NLI MS 36,639/11/C, p. [2r] | 373.21–374.16 / 14.0282–0317 |
| p. [9v] | NLI MS 36,639/11/C, p. [3r] | Additional texts for p. [10r] |
| p. [10r]: “10” | NLI MS 36,639/11/C, pp. [3r] and [4r] | 374.16–375.16 / 14.0318–0356 |
| p. [10v]: Blank | NA | NA |
Dating
Joyce wrote this manuscript between early February and 20 March 1920 during his post World War I stay in Trieste.
Other Markings
Joyce crossed through some or all of the text with X s and/or lines on each of the inscribed pages in red crayon as well as an additional text in the margin of p. [2r] in blue crayon. The staples left rust stains in the centerfold between pp. [5v] and [6r], [1r] and [10v]. There are water stains on pp. [1r], [1v], [10r] and [10v]. During conservation, therefore after the manuscript’s publication in the JJA , the recto of each leaf was marked “V. A. 11.” in the bottom right corner in pencil. The cover is not marked.
Publication
This manuscript has been reproduced in black and white photo-facsimile on JJA 14.005–025.
- La Hune, item 258.A; Slocum and Cahoon, item E.5.b.vii.
- Joyce foliated the rectos of the continuation of this draft in the third copybook of this draft “1)”–”10)” in the left margin in pencil as well (see NLI MS 36,639/11/A).
- Joyce rewrote Ulysses 14.0007–0070 on NLI MS 36,639/11/B, p. [20r].