Greece - Manuscripts · James Merrill: Life and Archive

Greece - Manuscripts

Title: "The Thousand and Second Night"
Description: Notebook pages showing the first title of and early notes toward the pivotal, experimental, multifaceted poem "The Thousand and Second Night," which was based partly upon Merrill's Bell's palsy experience. These notes capture Merrill's uncertainty what is happening to his half-paralyzed face, and his realization the condition can be a metaphor for his soul. These are just three of a total sixty-eight manuscript pages in the collection. The drafts includes pages toward a pseudo quote about the soul and abuse of the earth, two major themes of the epic Ouija board poems that came later.

See also the photograph of Maria Mitsotaki and James Merrill.
Subject: Merrill, James, 1926-1995
Creator: Merrill, James
Source: James Merrill Papers (MSS083) - Box 139, Folder 3598
Relation: Series_IV_Manuscripts; Exhibit Cases 5-6: Greece; James Merrill: Life and Art, pp. 323-9
Format: 2 leaves. Recto and verso; 2 jpegs. 600 ppi.
Language: English
Type: Manuscript
Identifier: Subseries_IV-1-a_The_Thousand_and_Second_Night-001.jpg
Subseries_IV-1-a_The_Thousand_and_Second_Night-002.jpg
Rights Holder: Washington University in St. Louis
Rights: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Media: Subseries_IV-1-a_The_Thousand_and_Second_Night-001.jpg; Subseries_IV-1-a_The_Thousand_and_Second_Night-002.jpg

Title: "Days of 1964"
Description: "Days of 1964" was published in Nights and Days. Included here are two typescript draft pages (of a total thirty-two manuscript pages) with holograph corrections, drafts, and sketches. The poem documents his life in Greece and love for Strato Mouflouzelis.See also the photograph of Strato Mouflouzelis, the November 17, 1964 letter to Daryl Hine, and "Violent Pastoral" broadside.
Subject: Merrill, James, 1926-1995
Creator: Merrill, James
Source: James Merrill Papers (MSS083) - Box 129, Folder 3105
Relation: Series_IV_Manuscripts; Exhibit Cases 5-6: Greece; James Merrill: Life and Art, pp. 365-7, 372-5
Format: 1 leaf. Recto and verso.; 2 jpegs. 600 ppi
Language: English
Type: Manuscript
Identifier: Subseries_IV-1-a_Days_Of_1964-001.jpg
Subseries_IV-1-a_Days_Of_1964-002.jpg
Rights Holder: Washington University in St. Louis
Rights: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Media: Subseries_IV-1-a_Days_Of_1964-001.jpg; Subseries_IV-1-a_Days_Of_1964-002.jpg

Title: "From the Cupola"
Description: This typescript draft page (one among 265 draft pages) centers on James Merrill comforting Psyche (and himself) over her (and his) realization of the limitations of love and self-knowledge. "From the Cupola" was published in Nights and Days. See also February 18, 1965 note to Irma Brandeis.
Subject: Merrill, James, 1926-1995
Creator: Merrill, James
Source: James Merrill Papers (MSS083) - Box 131, Folder 3205
Date: Circa 1965
Relation: Series_IV_Manuscripts; Exhibit Cases 5-6: Greece; James Merrill: Life and Art, pp. 368-73
Format: 1 leaf. Recto.; 1 jpeg. 600 ppi.
Language: English
Type: Manuscript
Identifier: From_the_Cupola-001.jpg
Rights Holder: Washington University in St. Louis
Rights: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Title: National Book Award Acceptance Speech
Description: National Book Award Acceptance Speech for Merrill's first NBA, for Nights and Days. There was a sideshow at that year's ceremony, with a large group in the audience walking out in protest of the Vietnam war when Hubert Humphrey spoke.
Subject: Merrill, James, 1926-1995
Creator: Merrill, James
Source: James Merrill Papers (MSS083) - Box 144, Folder 3785
Date: 1967:March 8
Relation: Series_IV_Manuscripts; Exhibit Cases 5-6: Greece; James Merrill: Life and Art, pp. 409-10
Language: English
Type: Manuscript
Identifier: National_Book_Award_Acceptance_Speech_Mar_8_1967-001.jpg
Format: 1 leaf. Recto.; 1 jpeg. 600 ppi.
Rights Holder: Washington University in St. Louis
Rights: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Title: "Under Libra: Weights and Measures"
Description: "Under Libra: Weights and Measures," published in Braving the Elements, was dedicated to David McIntosh. Included here are two corrected typescript drafts of the poem. Through this seemingly impersonal poem Merrill realized, with the help of his therapist, that his life and art are equally present and giving each other meaning.
Subject: Merrill, James, 1926-1995
Creator: Merrill, James
Source: James Merrill Papers (MSS083) - Box 140, Folder 3636
Date: Circa 1969
Relation: Series_IV_Manuscripts; Exhibit Cases 5-6: Greece; James Merrill: Life and Art, p. 453
Format: 11 leaves. Recto and verso.; 13 jpegs. 600 ppi.
Language: English
Type: Manuscript
Identifier: Subseries_IV-1-a_Under_Libra_Weights_and_Measures-009.jpg
Subseries_IV-1-a_Under_Libra_Weights_and_Measures-010.jpg
Subseries_IV-1-a_Under_Libra_Weights_and_Measures-011.jpg
Subseries_IV-1-a_Under_Libra_Weights_and_Measures-006.jpg
Subseries_IV-1-a_Under_Libra_Weights_and_Measures-007.jpg
Subseries_IV-1-a_Under_Libra_Weights_and_Measures-008.jpg
Rights Holder: Washington University in St. Louis
Rights: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Media: Subseries_IV-1-a_Under_Libra_Weights_and_Measures-006.jpg; Subseries_IV-1-a_Under_Libra_Weights_and_Measures-007.jpg; Subseries_IV-1-a_Under_Libra_Weights_and_Measures-008.jpg; Subseries_IV-1-a_Under_Libra_Weights_and_Measures-009.jpg; Subseries_IV-1-a_Under_Libra_Weights_and_Measures-010.jpg; Subseries_IV-1-a_Under_Libra_Weights_and_Measures-011.jpg

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