Finnegans Wake

IV: Book IV

Details of the various draft stages.

Compiled by Danis Rose and John O'Hanlon
Draft Analysis: IV

2010 edition FW pages 463-493
1939 edition FW pages 593-628

Despite the last-minute inclusion of several Finn's Hotel pieces written in 1923, Book IV, the final episode of Finnegans Wake (“an Epilogue which is at the same time a Prologue”) was not written until 1938, in what was to be Joyce's last year of serious work. He wrote it while he was in the midst of frenetic activity assembling and correcting proofs for Books I and III and finishing off Book II before sending it to Faber and Faber.
IV is best read, and best understood, as comprising four sub-episodes. Each sub-episode has an individual style, a beginning, and an end, whose poetry and poignancy can only be appreciated when they are set off, as they are in the 2010 edition. In terms of compositional sections, the four sub-episodes are:
  • 1: Sections 1-2: 2010 FW 463-474; 1939 FW 593-607.22
  • 2: Section 3: 2010 FW 475-480; 1939 FW 607.23-614.18
  • 3: Section 4: 2010 FW 481-485; 1939 FW 614.19-619.19
  • 4: Section 5: 2010 FW 486-493; 1939 FW 619.20-628

Part 1, 1938

SECTION ONE: 1939 FW 593-604.26
IV§1.0
First draft (ink); mid-February 1938 (see Letters, NLPL, 16 February 1938).
IV§1.1
First typescript; probably Spring 1938.
IV§1.2
Second typescript; probably Spring 1938, revised Summer 1938 (see Letters, NLGC, 6 June 1938, where more information on a theme entered at this draft stage is sought).

1923

SECTION TWO: 1939 FW 604.27-607.22 (= FH iii: “A Tale of a Tub”)
IV§2.0
First draft (pencil), in hand of Nora Joyce; mid-March 1923 (see Letters, BLHW, 18 March 1923).
  • MS: Buffalo N3 (VI.B.3), pp. 42, 43, 44, 45
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 34-37
IV§2.1
Second draft (pencil); late March 1923. The beginning of a discarded extension (mostly written on the verso) appears mid-page (see fhii.0).
IV§2.2
Fair copy (ink); probably drafted in late March but revised July 1923.
  • MS: BL 47488, fol. 25r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 38c
  • Notebooks used: N4 (VI.B.25)
IV§2.3
Fair copy (ink); July 1923.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. (25r), 26r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 38c-38d
  • Notebooks used: N4 (VI.B.25)
IV§2.4
Third fair copy, unrevised, sent to Harriet Shaw Weaver on 26 July 1923 (see Letters, III, 26 July, 1923).
  • MS: BL 47488, fol. 27r-v
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 38e-38f
IV§2.5'
Typescript, made by Harriet Weaver, revisions in ink and pencil; made late July 1923 and revised Autumn 1923; this draft is not in the line of transmission of the text (see also §3.3' and II.3§7.3').

1938

IV§2.5 (See also IV§2.5')
New typescript, made by Harriet Weaver from the fair copy or from an unrevised carbon of §2.5' either in June 1929 (see Letters, I, 27 May, 1929) or in 1938.
  • MS: Zurich, 1, 2 (online)
  • JJA 63 not reproduced.
SECTIONS ONE AND TWO (INTEGRATED): 1939 FW 593-607.22
IV§1.3/2.6
3rd typescript; Summer 1938 (see Letters, NLHW, 11 July 1938).
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 29r-v, 30r-v, 31r, 48r, 49r-v, 32r-v, 33r-v, 34r-v, 35r, 35v, 36r-v, 37r, / (36v), (37r), 38r, 41r, 39r, (41r), 40r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 43-66
  • Notebooks used: N53 (VI.B.46), N56 (VI.B.41), VI.C.5°
IV§1.3χ
Extradraft material.
  • MS: BL 47488, fol. (30v)
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 46
IV§1.4/2.7 (See also IV§1.4+/2.7+)
Typescript; Summer 1938 (see Letters, 17 August 1938).
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 43r-v, 62r, 45v, 46r-v, 63r, 47v, (48r), (49r), (49v), 50r, 50v, 51r-v, 64r-v, 65r-v, 66r, 56v, 57r, / (57r), 57v, 55r-v, 67r-v, 68r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 67-95
  • Notebooks used: N56 (VI.B.41), VI.C.7°, VI.C.9°, VI.C.12°, VI.C.18
IV§1.4+/2.7+
Retyped and reworked pages of above draft; Autumn 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. (43v), 44r, 45r, (46v), 47r, (51v), 52r-v, 53r, 54r-v, 55r, 55v, 56r, / (58v), 59r-v, 60r-v, 61r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 96-117
  • Notebooks used: N56 (VI.B.41), VI.C.18

Part 2, 1923

SECTION THREE: 1939 FW 607.23-614.18 (= FH i: “The Irish Chinchinjoss”)
IV§3.0
First draft or perhaps a fair copy (ink); probably late March 1923 (see Letters, III, 28 March 1923).
IV§3.1
Fair copy (ink); July 1923.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 99v, 100r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 146b-146c
  • Notebooks used: N3 (VI.B.3)
IV§3.2
Fair copy (ink); early August 1923 (see Letters, BLHW, 2 August, and III, 2 August, 1923.
  • MS: BL 47488, fol. 101r-v
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 146d-146e
IV§3.3'
Typescript made by Harriet Shaw Weaver early August 1923 and revised Autumn 1923; this draft did not enter the line of transmision of the text (see also §2.5' and II.3§7.3').
  • MS: Private, SP1 James Joyce Broadsheet: 29 pp1-4 (June 1989)
  • Notebooks used: N5 (VI.B.2)

1938

IV§3.3 (See also IV§3.3')
Composite draft stage; a typescript (fols. 102-103) sent to Joyce on 27 July 1938 and made from the fair copy or an unrevised carbon of §3.3' (see Letters, NLHW, 27 July 1938), extended by long holograph (ink) additions at the beginning and end; August 1938 (see Jacques Mercanton memoir, 25 August, 1938).
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 87v, 88r-v, 89r-v, 90r, 91r, 92r, 93r, 102r, 103r, 94v, 95r-v, 96r, 97r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 148-165
  • Notebooks used: N56 (VI.B.41), VI.C.12°, VI.C.18

Part 3, 1938

SECTION FOUR: 1939 FW 614.19-619.19 (REVERED LETTER)
IV§4.0
Reworked version (ink) of ALP's letter (cf. I.5§2.4) made shortly after Joyce began working on ALP's monologue (IV§5); probably November 1938.
IV§4.1 (See also IV§4.1+)
Typescript; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 129r, 130r-v, 131r, 132r, 133r, 134r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 196-203
IV§4.1+
A long paragraph to be added to the first page of §4.1; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 194v, 195r, 196r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 204-206, not reproduced

Part 4, 1938

SECTION FIVE: 1939 FW 619.20-628 (ALP MONOLOGUE)
The most beautiful passage in the Wake, and perhaps in all of Joyce's works, ALP's monologue was the last thing he ever wrote, his coda, his swansong.
IV§5.0
First draft (ink); November 1938 (see Letters, NLHW, 14 November and 5 December, 1938).
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 119v, 120r, 126r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 208-210
  • Notebooks used: N56 (VI.B.41), VI.C.12°
IV§5.0χ
Extradraft material; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fol. 127r, 119v
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 211, 208
IV§5.1
Typescript; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 134v, 135r, (134v), 136r, 135v, 137r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 212-217
  • Notebooks used: N56 (VI.B.41)
IV§5.1χ
Extradraft material; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fol. 119r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 219

Copy for Faber and Faber

IV§1.5/2.8/3.4 (See also IV§3.4+)
Typescript, incomplete, lacking page 19; probably November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 70v-71r, 71v-72r, 72v-73r, 73v-74r, 74v-75r, 76r, 76v-77r, 77v-78r, 79r, 79v-80r, 80v-81r, / (81r), 82r, 83r, 83v-84r, / 105r, 106r, 106v-112r, 112v-113r, 113v-[missing page]
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 118-143, 166-172
  • Notebooks used: Moore's Melodies, N56 (VI.B.41)
IV§3.4+
Retyped versions of pages 17-19 (now numbered 17-21) of §3.4; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 107r, 107v-108r, 108v-109r, 109v-110r, 111r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 173-180
  • Notebooks used: N56 (VI.B.41)
IV§4.2
Typescript, missing, probably numbered 22-28; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, [missing]
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): not reproduced
  • Notebooks used: missing
IV§5.2
Typescript. Very little revision at this draft stage, although the text was later marked up after it was returned, to facilitate the correction and revision of §5.3; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 139v, 140r, 141r, 142r, 143r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 220-225
  • Notebooks used: N56 (VI.B.41)°
The above typescript of Book IV was sent to Faber and Faber by Paul Léon on 19 November 1938 (see Letters, NLFF, 18 November and 21 November 1938). It consisted of §1.5/2.8 (pages 1-14), §3.4 augmented by §3.4+ (pages 15-21), §4.2 (missing), and §5.2 (4 pages). §5.2 was replaced by §5.3 on 20 November and returned to Léon (see Letters, NLFF, 22 November 1938). This was not the end of the story. After the galley proofs were set, Joyce made further changes to §5 and a new typescript was sent on 26 November (see Letters, NLFF, 2 December 1938, and draft §5.6 below).
IV§5.3'
Typescript, missing, sent to Faber and Faber 20 November 1938 (see Letters, NLFF, 22 November, 1938). It was from this draft that the first galley proofs of the section was made (this is evident from a line on page 1, “The sehm asnuh. And her, you wait. Eager to choose is left to her shade.”, skipped in retyping).
  • MS:, missing
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): not reproduced

Proofs for Finnegans Wake IV (1939 FW 593-628)

IV§1.6/2.9/3.5/4.3/5.3'+
Galley proofs 31-48 for Finnegans Wake, dated by the printer 29 November 1938; the proofs for §5 (made from §5.3') have been crossed out where extant and are otherwise missing. Galleys §1.6/2.9/3.5/4.3, when revised, were returned to Faber and Faber together with §5.7 below on 7 January 1939 (see Letters, NLFF, 9 January 1939).
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 199, 200r, 201r, 202r-v, 203r-v, 204r-v, 205r-v, 206r, 206v, 207r, / (206v), (207r), 208r, 209r, / (209r), 210r-v, 211r-v, 212r, 212v, 213r-v, 214r, / (213v), (214r), 214v, 215r-v, 216r-v, 217r, / 217v, 218r-v, 219r-v, 220r-v, 221r-v, 222r-v, 223r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 286-329
  • Notebooks used: Moore's Melodies°, N55 (VI.X.5), N57 (VI.B.47), N58 (VI.B.30)
IV§5.3 (See also IV§5.3+)
Typescript (carbon), revised, repaired and extended by long autograph additions; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. (139v), 145r, 146v, 147r, 148v, 149v, 150r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 226-233
  • Notebooks used: N57 (VI.B.47), N58 (VI.B.30)°
IV§5.3+
A few late additions (‘from blugpuddels’, ‘of mourning’, missing) incorporated in next draft stage; November 1938.
IV§5.4
Typescript; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 152v, 153r, 154v, 155r, 156v, 157r, 158v, 159r, 160r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 234-243
  • Notebooks used: N57 (VI.B.47), VI.C.9°
IV§5.5
Typescript; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 163v, 163r, 164v, 165r, 166v, 167v, 168r, 169v, 170r, 171r, 172v, 173r, 174v, 175r, 176r, 177v, 178r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 244-262
  • Notebooks used: N56 (VI.B.41)°, N57 (VI.B.47)
IV§5.5χ
Extradraft material; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 162r, (169v), 179r, 180v, 181r-v
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 263-267
  • Notebooks used: N57 (VI.B.47)
IV§5.6 (See also IV§5.6+)
Typescript, mixed carbons and originals, incomplete; sent to Faber and Faber 26 November 1938 (see Letters, NLFF, 26 November, 2 December and 6 December, 1938).
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 183v, 184r, [missing], 185r, 186r, 185v, 187r, (185v), 186v, 188r, 187v, 189r-v, 190r-v, 191r, [missing], 192r, [missing]
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 268-282, not reproduced
  • Notebooks used: N57 (VI.B.47)
IV§5.6χ
Extradraft material; November 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 191v, 197r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 283-284
  • Notebooks used: N57 (VI.B.47)
IV§5.6+
A few late revisions (missing); December 1938.
IV§5.7 (See also IV§3.5+/4.3+/5.7+)
Galley proofs 49-53 for Finnegans Wake; revised and returned (or a copy returned) to Faber and Faber on 7 January 1939 (see Letters, NLFF, 10 January 1939).
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 199, 200r, 201r, 202r-v, 203r-v, 204r-v, 205r-v, 206r, 206v, 207r, / (206v), (207r), 208r, 209r, / (209r), 210r-v, 211r-v, 212r, 212v, 213r-v, 214r, / (213v), (214r), 214v, 215r-v, 216r-v, 217r, / 217v, 218r-v, 219r-v, 220r-v, 221r-v, 222r-v, 223r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 286-329
  • Notebooks used: Moore's Melodies°, N55 (VI.X.5), N57 (VI.B.47), N58 (VI.B.30)
IV§4.3χ/5.7χ
Extradraft material; December 1938.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 223v, 224r-v, / (223v), (224r-v), 225r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 330-333
  • Notebooks used: N58 (VI.B.30) (pp. 76f)
IV§3.5+/4.3+/5.7+
Typescript (carbon) of late additions to above draft; only one change seems missing (‘undertaking’ to ‘endurtaking’); sent 12 January 1939 (see Letters, NLFF, 12 January and 13 January, 1939).
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 226r, / (226r), 227r, 228r
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 334-336
IV§5.7+χ
Extradraft material; probably January 1939.
  • MS: BL 47488, fol. 226v
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 337

Page proofs for IV (1939 FW 593-628)

IV§1.7/2.10/3.6/4.4/5.8 (See also IV§4.4+)
Page proofs (missing); January 1939.
IV§1.7+/2.10+/3.6+/4.4+/5.8+
Typescript of additions to the page proofs; January 1939.
  • MS: BL 47488, fols. 238r, / (238r), / 239r, 240r, / (239r), (240r)
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): 338-340
IV§4.4+
Final corrections sent to Faber and Faber (see Letters, NLFF, 27 January, 29 January, 30 January and reply 30 January, 1939).
  • MS: NLI, Léon papers, and missing
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): not reproduced

Errata for IV (1939 FW 593-628)

IV§1.8/2.11/3.7/4.5/5.9
Errata for Finnegans Wake, begun in 1939 (see Letters, NLFF, 22 July, NLPL 10 August, 19 August, and NLFF, 30 August, 1939), involving marking up an unbound copy of the first edition (minimal corrections only as the paging could not be redone), and completed in the summer of 1940 at Saint Gerand-le Puy. The corrections were then typed in duplicate (Buffalo VI.H.4.b, c) or triplicate and given to Maria Jolas on 28 August, 1940 for delivery in New York to B.W. Huebsch of the Viking Press. The third copy was presumably sent to Faber and Faber.
  • MS: Buffalo VI.H.4.a, pp. 593-628 [ → ]; Buffalo VI.H.4.b, fols. 30r, 31r [ → ]; Buffalo VI.H.4.c, fols. 30r, 31r [ → ]
  • JJA 63 (Book IV): not reproduced; 380-381; not reproduced