For twenty-six years after his first mention of the character, J.M. Barrie worked on the story of Peter Pan as he appeared through different incarnations: the three-act play Peter Pan, or the Boy who Wouldn’t Grow Up (1904), the illustrated novella Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1906), the Epilogue to the play “An After Thought” (1908), the full-length novel Peter and Wendy (1911), two short stories, and finally a longer version of the original play. This edition of Peter Pan includes not only the novel and revised play as they were first published, but also an earlier novella and the previously unpublished original play.
Appendices include materials from Barrie’s personal writings and contemporary reviews and illustrations.
Comments
“A unique achievement—the bringing together of Barrie’s various and scattered Peter Pan texts within a single volume. As such it is an absolute gift to Peter Pan devotees, containing as it does much material that is otherwise unavailable to the general reader. An added bonus is the inclusion of numerous contemporary reviews for both the play of 1904 and the later novelization of 1911.” — Andrew Birkin, author of J.M. Barrie and The Lost Boys
“This edition of Peter Pan is an exemplary work of scholarship, giving us not only the 1911 edition of the full novelization of this much edited and reproduced story, but also the 1904 slim pantomime version never before published, “An Afterthought” (1908), and the 1906 novella Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. The reader has in this edition a thorough exposure to this complicated text. Alton has chosen the Appendices carefully and wisely. Her Introduction meticulously covers the complicated history of the writing, editing, performing, and publishing of this famous story. And she provides us with a review of the major critical responses to the story. This edition of Peter Pan is simply the best we have.” — Roderick McGillis, The University of Calgary
Acknowledgements
Introduction
J.M. Barrie: A Brief Chronology
A Note on the Text
Primary Text:
Peter and Wendy
Formative Texts:
Peter Pan, or the Boy who Wouldn’t Grow Up
“An After-Thought”
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens
Appendix A: Contemporary Reviews (Plays)
- Peter Pan, or the Boy who Wouldn’t Grow Up
- The New York Times (28 December 1904)
- The Times (28 December 1904)
- The Saturday Review (7 January 1905)
- The New York Times (12 November 1905)
- The New York Times (10 June 1906)
- “An After-Thought”
- The New York Times (15 March 1908)
Appendix B: Contemporary Reviews (Books)
- Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens
- The New York Times (4 December 1910)
- The New York Times (4 December 1910)
- Peter and Wendy
- The New York Times (22 October 1911)
- The Literary Digest (19 November 1911)
Appendix C: Peter Pan Material
- Barrie’s Manuscript Page of “Fairy” (1903)
- “Davy Jones’ Locker” (1904)
- Frank Gillette’s Costume Designs for 1905 London Production of Peter Pan, or the Boy who Wouldn’t Grow Up (1905)
- Maude Adams from the 1905 New York Production of Peter Pan, or the Boy who Wouldn’t Grow Up (1905)
- Pauline Chase from the 1907 Playbill Touring Production Poster of Peter Pan, or the Boy who
Wouldn’t Grow Up (1907)
Appendix D: Related Texts by J.M. Barrie
- Preface to The Coral Island (1913)
- “Captain Hook at Eton” (1927)
- “To the Five” (1928)
Appendix E: Images and Illustrations
- “The Child’s Map of Kensington Gardens.” Illustration by Henry Justice Ford from
The Little White Bird (1902)
- “Peter Pan’s Map of Kensington Gardens.” Illustration by Arthur Rackham from
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1906)
- J.M. Barrie’s Key to Kensington Gardens (1903)
- “We Feel Dancey.” Illustration by Arthur Rackham from Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (1906)
- “Title Page.” Illustration by Francis Donkin Bedford from first edition of
Peter and Wendy (1911)
- “Peter Flew In.” Illustration by Francis Donkin Bedford from first edition of
Peter and Wendy (1911)
- “Peter Pan Playing Pipes” and “Wendy on Rock.” Illustrations by Mabel Lucie Attwell from
Peter Pan and Wendy (1921)
- Diarmuid Byron-O’Connor’s Sculpture of Peter Pan at GOSH (2000)
Bibliography and Works Cited
Anne Hiebert Alton is Professor of English at Central Michigan University and the editor of the Broadview Edition of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.