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The Trilogy #1-3

Molloy / Malone Dies / The Unnamable

samuel beckett gabriel josipovici

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The first novel of Samuel Beckett's mordant and exhilirating midcentury trilogy intoduces us to Molloy, who has been mysteriously incarcerated, and who subsequently escapes to go discover the whereabouts of his mother. In the latter part of this curious masterwork, a certain Jacques Moran is deputized by anonymous authorities to search for the aforementioned Molloy. In the trilogy's second novel, Malone, who might or might not be Molloy himself, addresses us with his ruminations while in the act of dying. The third novel consists of the fragmented monologue - delivered, like the monologues of the previous novels, in a mournful rhetoric that possesses the utmost splendor and beauty - of what might or might not an armless and legless creature living in an urn outside an eating house. Taken together, these three novels represent the high-water mark of the literary movement we call Modernism. Within their linguistic terrain, where stories are taken up, broken off, and taken up again, where voices rise and crumble and are resurrected, we can discern the essential lineaments of our modern condition, and encounter an awesome vision, tragic yet always compelling and always mysteriously invigorating, of consciousness trapped and struggling inside the boundaries of nature.

512 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1958
Series
The Trilogy
Literary awards
premio formentor de las letras, 

This edition

Format
512 pages, Hardcover
Published
September 16, 1997 by Everyman's Library
ISBN
9780375400704
ASIN
0375400702
Language
English
Characters More characters

More editions

About the author

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samuel beckett

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Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet, who lived in France for most of his adult life. He wrote in both English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.

Beckett is widely regarded as among the most influential writers of the 20th century. Strongly influenced by James Joyce, he is considered one of the last modernists. As an inspiration to many later writers, he is also sometimes considered one of the first postmodernists. He is one of the key writers in what Martin Esslin called the "Theatre of the Absurd". His work became increasingly minimalist in his later career.

Beckett was awarded the 1969 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his writing, which—in new forms for the novel and drama—in the destitution of modern man acquires its elevation". In 1984 he was elected Saoi of Aosdána.

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Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
39(39%)
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26(26%)
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Felipsu-
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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What words can I use to describe the indescribable?

This is a question that often plagues us when we encounter something truly extraordinary or beyond our normal understanding.

The indescribable could be a feeling of profound joy, a moment of absolute tranquility, or a sight that takes our breath away.

It might be the beauty of a sunset over a vast ocean, the wonder of a newborn baby, or the mystery of the universe.

Sometimes, we try to use words like "amazing," "incredible," or "astonishing," but these still seem to fall short of capturing the essence of the indescribable.

Other times, we might resort to using more abstract terms like "transcendent," "divine," or "ethereal."

However, even these words may not fully convey the depth and complexity of what we are trying to describe.

In the end, perhaps the best way to describe the indescribable is to simply experience it and let it speak for itself.

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DarkLordofYuri
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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All of the greatest elements of Beckett's tales from this period, such as first love and stories & texts for nothing, are present here, which is widely celebrated. However, the additions not only explain why people say this is a "trilogy" but also why Beckett was insistent it was not. This new element is a regarding, where one character sees or invents another. Just as Molloy is both Maron's enemy, self, fantasy, and creation, so is Sapo-MacMann for Malone and the thousand Ms for the Unnameable. Indeed, the hyperdevelopment and reduction of this "social" recognition is the progress that creates the trilogy. Yet, for Beckett, it is only three attempts at what he views as the only possible novel. Murphy is the same (and, being often referenced, is accordingly a perfect prequel in this schema), and I believe Watt too (also mentioned) will prove to be. My dumb ass can only speculate the way Beckett thought of Finnegans Wake as prefiguring this (perhaps, as Percy Lewis said of Ulysses, as the all-inclusive graveyard of the past [non-sic]). Of course, it's unthinkable that anyone would or should ever read them out of order.

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mdgam3r
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I read this particular piece during a long train journey from Chicago to Salt Lake City and then back again several years ago. The reading experience was truly excruciating. It was difficult and felt like a real grind. By the time I finally finished it, I was convinced that I had just read a masterpiece of literature (and indeed I had!). However, the process had been so painful that I could only bring myself to give it four stars.


Now, after skimming through it once more, the vivid images and the overall experience have come flooding back. But this time, there is only a modicum of the pain that I had felt before. It's an incredible and exhilarating feeling, with just a very slight pinch of discomfort. What an amazing piece of art this is!


It's high time that I filled in that fifth star and seriously consider re-reading it. Despite all the pain that it initially caused, it was truly worth it. This work has left an indelible mark on me, and I look forward to exploring it again in the future.

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Shinyashinshine
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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In one of the acclamations, Al Alvarez describes the Three Novels (Beckett disliked ‘trilogy’) as ‘at least as aesthetically terminal as Finnegans Wake’.

Aesthetic terminality is indeed a rather wild concept and far too interesting to attempt a truly in-depth discussion. However, it is particularly interesting when considering Beckett.

This is the man who authored ‘Endgame’ and a short story entitled ‘The End’ after this trio. So, what do we really know about terminality?

To be quite frank, this is difficult fiction. Molloy is the most lucid of the three texts, yet even then one can struggle. Wonderfully so, for those who are feeling a bit literarily masochistic.

I mentioned with Murphy that Beckett can handle words in a way that only someone like Joyce can. There is simply nothing else that comes to mind that is written quite like these three novels.

I have a particular fondness for The Unnamable [sic?]. I suppose we would conventionally call it the most abstract of the three. There is not really a narrative of any kind, only a monologue that at times appears to be a Penelopean stream of consciousness.

This is a wonderfully metatextual piece of writing, referring not only to the novels one has just read but also to Murphy and Watt. There is a curious dialogue here with Beckett’s later minor play Not I, which I highly recommend reading. The Unnamable beautifully explores the literary philosophy of silence.

We often forget, in our poetic enthusiasm, that reading is primarily a silent act.
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Upswing
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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The craziest book that I have ever read.

It was impossible for me to recognize a storyline in it for more than one sentence.

I also didn't understand what it was about at the end, although it did make me feel and think a lot.

Sometimes it was pure rhythm, sometimes pure chaos, and most of the time it was very disorienting.

It is an endless source of inspiration.

I must definitely read it again.

I'm curious if I will be able to get a handle on it then.
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SiennaDitBot
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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A book divided into two parts with two different protagonists/anti-heroes.

There is no plot, there is no action.

The anti-heroes loiter. They think, they chatter and they contradict. They wander and loiter: one is an old and now weak man who wants to return to his mother (there is ambiguity in the details) and the other is a detective who takes on the next job and wanders and loiters (again there is ambiguity in the details).

Finally, perhaps the details don't interest us?

Excerpt 1: "No, all these aren't worth sitting and getting hurt for, and yet you sit and get hurt, because you have lost every sense of worth. And with those things that are worth it, you don't sit and get hurt for them, you leave them, for the same reason, knowing that all this hypothesis of worth and worthlessness isn't for you, you who no longer know what you're doing, nor why, and who must continue not to know, otherwise you're at risk, from what, I would like to know from what you're at risk, yes, I would like to know."

Excerpt 2: "If there is a question that I tremble at, to which I could never give a satisfactory answer, it is the question of what I do."
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Kurogashi
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This book, which consists of only 400 pages, gives the impression that it holds an infinite ocean of words within it.

I consider myself to be a rather fast reader, yet this particular book truly put my reading skills to the test.

I have a deep affection for books that require me to exert some effort.

This one, without a doubt, will be a book that I will return to frequently.

It has that certain charm and depth that keeps pulling me back, eager to explore its contents further and uncover the hidden gems of knowledge and inspiration that it surely holds.

Each page seems to offer a new adventure, a new perspective, or a new idea that captivates my mind and makes me think.

Despite its relatively short length, it has managed to leave a lasting impression on me, and I look forward to many more reading sessions with this wonderful book.

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BookGuardian
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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In Samuel Beckett's Trilogy - namely, "Molloy," "Malone Dies," and "The Unnamable" - a powerful torrent of consciousness rages on without any sign of abatement. It leads readers on an arduous journey through the convoluted and often perplexing depths of the human mind.

Beckett's unique stream of consciousness style is a remarkable feat. It meanders through the hidden recesses of thought with a precision that can be both disorienting and captivating. His prose is a vivid reflection of the ceaseless flow of inner dialogue that constantly ebbs and flows within us. In this literary exploration, the boundaries between memory and perception become so blurred that they merge into a seamless continuum. Through these works, we are forced to confront the harsh and unvarnished truths of human existence. We see the fragility of our memories, which can fade and distort over time. We also face the inevitability of decay, both physical and mental. However, despite these bleak realities, Beckett's Trilogy stands as a powerful testament to the remarkable resilience of the human spirit in the face of the absurdity that pervades our lives.

This book? It may seem worthless to some, but in truth, it is meant for everybody. It has the potential to touch the hearts and minds of readers from all walks of life, offering them a profound and thought-provoking exploration of the human condition.
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