Laurence Sterne

(1713 - 1768)

1. Intro
Anachronistic figure in English lit. Important for 20th century lit. Situation in English novelistic lit. at the time : 1. Serious, didactic, sentimental novel e.g. Richardson, Fieldings Amelia 2. Humoristic novel e.g. Fieldings Shamela, Joseph Andrews

 Sterne brought together those 2 streams Reactions: audience approved, critics partly negative, authors immitated (the Continent) Sternes target audience: higher intellectual and educational level Revolution: the technique, the form, the concept of novel

2. Bio
Author & clergyman November 24, 1713, Ireland Father poor regiment officer, dictated the family lifestyle First 10 years of life moving around 10 years old school, Halifax 18 years old, father dies, financial troubles

 Jesus college, Cambridge (great-grandfather Master of the College, scholarship) B.A. & M.A. Clergyman out of necessity: 1. Deacon 2. Vicar (vicarship in Yorkshire) Politics: the Whig (influence of uncle), political journalism (supporting Robert Walpole), then quits, falling out with uncle

 Marriage: loyal but not very intellectual wife, both ill with consumption 2 daughters, one died, other progressive imbecility Living a bit dull life in his parish for 20 years (reading, painting, violin, hunting, petty events) The Demoniacks club

3. Career
Started writing late & by chance 1759 A Political Romance (story, a Swiftian satire, local success) (supporting his dean in a church squabble) January 1, 1760 Tristram Shandy (2 volumes, written in 6 months) The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman published in York, selling also in London London (hoping for success)

4. Success
Immediate hit Sterne = fashionable author Literary circles, high society neglects boring wife, numerous sentimental (platonic?) affairs Mrs Draper Eliza in A Sentimental Journey 1775 Letters of Yorick to Eliza

 1760 Sermons Propovedi (2 volumes) Regularly publishes Tristram Shandy total of 9 volumes, last in January 1767 1762 acute tuberculosis South France, Paris, Italy 1766 Sermons (2 more volumes) 1768 A Sentimental Journey through France and Italy (2 volumes out of 4 intended) 1768 dies (less than 2 months later)

5. Tristram Shandy
Parody of accepted novel conventions Eccentric characters: Walter Shandy, Mrs Shandy, uncle Toby, widow Wadman, Yorick Ab ovo opening of the novel No plot, no chronology, subjective vs. objective time Kaleidoscopic structure (collage)

 Conversational style, different treatment of reality (impressions) Episodes & digressions Association of ideas (John Locke) creative continuum Educational novel Tristrapaedia

6. A Sentimental Journey
Parody of a travelogue Toying with genre, readers expectations In medias res beginning (parody) Revolution in attitude towards: 1. Characters (partially defined, implicitly characterized, laughed at) 2. Novel form (no plot, disrupted chronology, dual time, episodes, digressions, intertextuality) 3. Reader (defying conventions, chatting, more active)

7. Sterne & 20th century

Samuel Johnson: Nothing odd will do long. Tristram Shandy did not last. Goethe: The most beautiful spirit that ever lived. Innovator Free novel form, freedom in writing Interested in , introspection Stream-of-consciousness / interior monologue