8 Laurence Sterne: Tristram ‘Shandy, 1760-67 +My good fiend quoth I are Setaml -andyouare you~ = And who az you? sald he =— ‘Don't pale me; si ‘Tein Shandy, vl. Tc 5 “these were dhe fur lines [moved ia ubroogh my fis, second. eae volumes, Inthe ih volume I have Been ry SRSa Se prec line Thave deserved in it being ax sect Tito San. 5, 19186 isin of Remastiroy ahd Pudie, where the duplicity of irony wanes with te ralichmen’ of aiured truth In Jag Yale rouy inensiied through the proliferation of akermaves, Nov er than thee diferent endags are one, eah in tel open tne, as eth: to mock the desire for an ending, or sugaet theendlesines ofthe probleme rated in toryaling aia He “The thre endings are werd in by ap precedente Kid of breach inthe narrative Hoson Ina purenuhe peat of ie passage of tie, an unspecied "dieu (p16) mcdenly Ire, whorls the wrk in hand ae témoie and Te ‘manuser”(pp. 326-7) Th othe hte naar epi tof his fame to comment on ie own tx Te late ad Unexplained appearance of ths new peton nroduces eater ‘erat of mystiieetion Into Jaser flan proving ‘nigvings aso extemal nat: haan edited manusepe ‘Reluing pagar fom Triton Shandy, athe second of ie fnulng else? ore tt independently invented Econ? or he {fue relation of experince? The implication that hs et beng writen dowa heres as imperious to certsiny os that eer tet “crit hat’ Wih characters equivocal, fru ote breaks of e paragraph tht hint the leieod of farce persesties afer Jacques" marrage; is world gf chancnes olds lise prospec eiving happy ever ake. But ito Ieftopan: Jenene cee en fp 30; don't know bout tha). The only unqualified facia Wi the termination of he tareave are that Jacques pt he trot in wt as ert chat (eh we iow by thet, very pale) and ate went {seep (oichrny be rc). These stings indheral othe moos witly cach he inpase Jus flit dees lose Wena i's pioopealy snd shel locked ito s quandary tha ange be ered and can ony be poruayed the very paradoxes The Brimaty means forthe ietarar eprescinon of prado is = 3 Ficcich Slee! reopised~ ny. The iany of agus le {ast canbe sends an exresion ots ahr piloophicd ‘cepts, of ermal rletance to fx on any fal ole Wiew.S0 Dien has een called le romancier dee poobles™ (ihe nwt of pessbltie' for whom narion became ay of exploring the erative of fe, though andr Ba faa te tices more than merely’ # "chet decurre de nan gerent™ (masterpiece of hon-comunianene) bese Diderot: Jacqueste fais etvonmalue 187 oes make a commitment, if only to unceraingy It is a ‘asterpige of paradoxical irony that deconsrace every tytem, forder to leave no propordon other than iintimatgp of doubt all levels: ontologial, moral and aesthetic. Anything may be Possible, nothing i sue: ir thie perception of perpetual Du ‘he rormal at of human existence that i ebnveved inthe text's ‘ever ending abd never answeced questions. acl false it {deed 'sll-negaing™ bain moa the same breath, art wer it recrenter itself with unabsied energy. This i yet another pect ofthe ironic paradosieality chat governing principle, nd hat mae its model of romantic irony. "in Jac flit vari hinde of Ierary irony ~ verbal, sieuadooal, vrai), communicative ~ become the artic ‘correlative ofthe central metaphyseal irony. Tarough the se of ‘tony ashe iearaation of para, vivid tangible shape ie even to the iutablity of exinente and the cusivenes of truth. These banc concepts ake the conerete form of « perpeciviem thet “admits alternatives and eles for nose; a sch ie represents {he eranlation into graphic terms ofthe indeterminacy of human life. In place of the eihelor tensions, generally between sppearance and realy, of traditional irony, which are rnenabe ‘eresluion within a referential ramewark oa stable reality, cis type of irony offers a eres of multiple choices without deft, Tet alone correct, sluions. Where the frame of reference is 8 realty perceived at eatenally shifting, ors puter of introverted felfeeerenalty, de abioltes of tru are englled in the co fesion of appencance and realy, “The network of phlomphieal and aesthese irony ip Jagr le {oles ar removed indeeé from the liaited verbal vice that tony signified inthe conventions of rhetoric. Here tony denotes made of shoughe and of expression that asens to the Fea ‘of al positions, including the antichesi with the thesis int ‘Scrutiny ao radial a transcend the radiionl islet. Inthe Jas esr, this ron exposes self 9 ie own irony in the avowal {hat everythings pthape a game: “Qo cat un eu” (823, “hat! twas alla game”), Jacquer’ marer exis ia surprise tnd. indignation. Huiman’ existence i=. acknowledged and Fepretentd as kind of eblime rport, and a0 isthe act of weriting Irs the ulate, wiumpham irony of fc ftlse that ie goer on deconstructing and reconstructing Tuell a an ‘xuberanyseri-eomi ame,8 Laurence Sterne: Tristram Shandy, 1760-67 = And wh are ‘Don't puss me; 3. “Ts Shandy, vl. 7c “These were the four lines moved in through my fev, secon hurd ad fourth volumes In the Bh volume have been Very {othe presi ine {Rave described inc being tht AB Tram Shandy vol, 189186 Fics of Romantic Imp ca apie, wie th di of tony, wane wih he Stalin’ of stared th ta Jega Yale ony iene tosh he plier of Uemans Ne eet Shan thee Aifren ndings areola, ech in il open Spied as eter trode dese ora eating of mp teens ft proms edn noisg se “The tire ening te tbe in by an wapeneetel isto breath inthe arte sina pase ean fe passage of tine an unpeted ‘eur p30) nleny tats, wo reer the ork a hand ale de ae ‘mane Gp 6°) The nthe Rive nara neppng Su of his fame 19 comment om hic own ten The eed tnerpained appears ef sme pena nade tos ‘tarum of iysicaon Into Jager faa povog ‘ntgiing fs cxmenil nate isan ted mearr oe inelecing piri oon Tran Shh ae acne oe ndings stmt ort an ncoendanty ened sce oe {hue eltionof exerins? Te pian that het beng ‘tien dows hes ingens enn aha cher cra. With crater equocaton, hey Pcl res offen preraph a hin the ied oft es plese ar Jacque marager tht wel af ance felis progestin py ever ae Butts ee li open: eaten nel te $50 don Enon sat that) The ony angelied faa the einai oe ‘aemive are shat Jars purr in mat oer eens Geis we knw yee pi) ad athe oe wo aep (rch nny bees ‘Tere nngrnsera ofthe nonend wily cach he mpaie of Face false I ees cone bees plea ind Sahel lst ine squundey ace oe eed 2a can only be gorse thr vay parse oe primary meas er elkerrery represen of padi rica Schege! scoped” tony The hors of epee aitecan oeseen woh eprint pooped ‘pic, of termina tans to fon ny hac oh Siew. 80 iden bas bes sae romancer to eee (Shea won mara cap a oy Seeing te terse i hugh a ce Dot fases 1 Gee re than ery 8 te acere ooo sogagenent™ Canerpee of noreomminese) bese h Diderot Jnquesle faite tson mare 187 oes make a commitment, if only to uncertiny. Ie is 2 masterpiece of paradoxical irony that deconsruts every system of order to leave ne proposition her than intimation of doubt a all levels: ontological, moral, and aesthetic. Anything may be possible, nothing i sure: i this percepion of perperal vx a {henoral wate of human existence tat i conveyed inthe tex’ fever ending and never answered questions. Jas ale Indeed ‘selsegaing™ bain almost the same breath, a wer, it recreates itself with unabated energy. This is yet anther sspet of that ionic paradoniality chat ft governing principle, tnd dat make a model of romantic ony. In Jace fei vastus Kinds of Ierary irony ~ verbal, sicuaconal, aructural, communicative ~ become the arc Conreatve ofthe cental metaphysical irony. Through the we of Irony athe inearnation of paradox, vivid tangible shape i given ‘othe mutbilty of exitence and the elusvenes of wuth. These Abaract cept uke the concrete form of perpectvien cht fcdmits all aernatives and sees for none; se nich it represents ‘he wanslation inc yraphle ers ofthe indeterminacy of human Iie. In. place of the eiteror tensions, generaly beeween appearance and fealty of wactonalireny, which ae amenabie {0 retolution within a referential framenvork of sable rely, his ‘9pe of irony offers erst of mulpe choices withoor dente, Tet alone correct, sltions. Where the fame of reference is realty perceived as essentially sifting, or a paternofinoverted Selfzelerentalty, ee buouts of eh ar engl in the eon Fusion of appearance and reali "The network of philosophical and aeshcic irony in Jacque le {etl nr remove ined rom the limited verbal deve tht {rony signifies in the convention of rhetre- Here irony denotes, 2 mode of thought and of expression that asente fo the Fela fall postions, Including the ancihess with the thesis in = ‘erutay oo radial ao tanacend the wadiional dali Inthe Tas resor,shis ony exposes ult ts own irony inthe avow that everything is perhaps game: "Quel! eit un jeu? (p. 325 "What! cas all a gume?”, Jacques” master exclaims in suri and indignation. Human’ existence is. scnewledged 2nd epreseated a5 2 kind of sublime spor, and so isthe act of writing. Ils theultimate, wiumphane irony of fog ftise thar I goes on deeonnrucing and reconsracing ste” at 50 uberanly serie gae130 Fionsof Roman lony 1 With Tilton Sandy dou and equivoation arise even betre {heft word ofthe narrative. Whe devited ts fl ey The Life Sd Opinion of Tristan Sond Ga? Tear the have {uthor oF See, the acon author?” Perhaps shoul be stetbvied to Trista since he himself refer tothe soy of my LIFE and my OPINIONS" Bt was it lo Tram wi chore the epgraph rom Epica? There eral no way ef knowing Becween the Daten Pi, ich isnguesionsly Seine sc Trinram’s opening wis” secs 2 Soquiting aes oe ‘anand that ites speevlatonsndindaces uncer. Ts ‘eutral space replete in hove blank pages, dashes aera fhe device ef eposopenie for which” uum Sho i trious, While timultng render parcpation, ese vc sts provide within and beyond the tet room for farer Iypothens ofthe kind that tharsceie ‘Tvtan's thinking ‘Such open spaces, temporally aswel as naraionaly, are tc ‘ery ement of Tio Shady, and ithe tres that ee ‘hehe fe aes eon ne Ite and perplexing ga that becomes apparent a he ‘outer aad pest tthe end tat beeen he fee ad he Seta! auer. Obviowly His Laurence Steae he eas ‘Triatram Shandy the write of his Life and Opinions Yet ough sie may sme ade oatey of he cavlent seower ho pried ‘he dll Mr Trsram Shandy" st ‘a wre lie, more ingenious and eneraning than anyother ofthe preset race of ‘novel’ in practice i ar from any to pode te five from the el abo, Sere spears without disguise oly in he inal Dedication to Pi it’ upplemenary Desestion Viscount Spencer ta precedes volume 5 (238), and tos incerentngly in ve ostaoe in which be snnouts or eos whet "ME Shandy” hat weten, thereby dary revealing hit Fesponsbliy asthe protnng editor of Tanram's mensns Generally, however, he remai conced behind the perons ‘Trinram Shandy, though his commenting inwunon i hoe foormote indiste that he two are not Mendel Tas ‘eduplation ofthe autor io ete trues us into cus lute role at reader stanly of Trnram Shandy an of [Laurence Sterne Here there would tem tubes hly ure oe Sern Tristar Shandy 1 sha vo ht wold perm an sted nterpeaon of flue urae memlog Bar he oot cae nom ‘Sin facet in we Doetons and OBotr on he ot smug of he marae, Sees pepe nt dace ede at ot rents, a rh ofthe narrator nD ur lies Fries ect ‘on el nt IE fawen Sint he cing Sonuivane isan na npapat ote ft, wich oly ‘Tanvam, ot Sema adtewes ws rely. Alough ey of cure Bn of Sere nono he art wee Son selene dl sie of his mcgrownd prone [eweheado Taran's et we have noe of a bates ‘iter guldne eed tala Pe nd Pade We ein tn nase ine posto Both hau w graphical cid en i St ha tied go tay Sd senda eter" Pinas Booth cence a toulng ara sacton, enc Inoeoer, one tat pre dine rena af oy For wie he tence tad sgl aT ron, Prana in cg, ch ony ike lzabebaw Duy pens Pond Pentel ote tal ean. ony ele tons one band emanates non Sh fom thst indcerminu une beorecn fave to acu fut andi fom ve at we ar ede mon operat eis fnilscre and uncon spor wiht any om fe om Thetis teow marnge whe ladon word of Tiaras le he nue of dive Speen undergoes change wi Spel dob nota of erie bt herdsoberso Eien sore or tie ony wich wil eto throupost Tare So nt ely fear mows bt sa tom Toby Tint und Wert tlw ech no awe tants de nd vey. totem ing ‘Seuu tn aliomnie snlons es uth uv ‘clnowegd ata th anda ot Pan Prd Yt nk svete ope andar hi weiner Sturt tpn ine apece af enon “Opin That Tran Shy iw hiory bk of wht eben sinn's own mad 2c yp) ha en bre Footed our Oftmnon importance he angle bom wich at Boag tls orwe epecece what poser in Travan sid Bought sxe ofhswn commuter ea, Lahan12 itis of Romantic ony maintain, ‘the application ofthe older narrative techniques to the ae djat of teal nacrative he prvae lie tha abocket ‘Seme'scomtemporaris, in retrospect that position is cevrsed; SE ta the subject than the subjectivity of Tristar Shandy ‘arscems is mont remarkable featre ‘Scene hes not merely made the narrator the theme of his own books be bse rade ig mind. its scene and. is organising te Thou his triple sole a8 aflan, a8 adult protagoni, SESE weiter, Trsram is ommipresent. The doings of Waker Mix Shandy snd Toby are elated, and implicitly subordinated, os vison when he constandlyeefes co tem as ‘my father’, “fay mother'sand ry uncle” The narratives thusto a extreme degce nternalisedy for the entire fiona word presented in ‘Teuvom Sond) is encompasred within a single consciousness. ‘Though Tatra nay tell of what pased in Walter's or Toby's ‘Rind face snot entering thei mins in the manner of an earcleat marron he fs teporting he perception of what he SEoumer tobe. passing in their minds. Whether Tvntram' ‘Sonomous ‘ever able to grasp an ower eealty in = moot saree aces rather av if thin" goes on floating in its sel Ffeated. amniotic uid nto which it assimilates external [honoren but fom which it cannot emerge. Tristram and his ‘rene remain captive to that enveloping and w do we as Buzrn We cannot, for example, seand evaluate Walter oF ‘Faby disc, our view tsley through the eyes of Tristram, ‘Brough the edition and atthe remove ofr Nor can we Jadge the degre to which tows eyes are distorting, co which he is Pilati or unreliable witnes. We have nothing other thas his ‘words and his evidence; ar be Mimsell acknowledge: “Let ws Teaver posible, mya ~ But ti imposible,~ must go along tri youto the end ofthe wrk." (vol. 6, ch. x, p.311)- "Tide consitent, radical subject of the aacraing mance in ‘Trute Stady has important consequences fr. the ceader's Teac tedincer and reconstruc irony, Our cending of the ext eetatdoued and deccemined by two inescapable factors that we fe entrapped. between overlapping nacators, Steme and ‘Teinrams and that we are confined within Triseam’s mind. The fFeedom of dverinipaton exental (0 the comprehension of an fone countermeating i impaired by tis distinctive narrative Sip and by the very passe pone of view we are made 10 ‘hare The ofthe seleadverising noracr epreseats hers not Sema Titra Shandy 193 jus a technique ora device it is the source of a fararens We fematie,Hteury and. philosophical, for by limiting our problema hart any mmedate accesso lable browse aera ait loms aver the emie narrative, imprints Teatro samp. caning 2 shadow wich in, despite i pasture quite menacing For er aushenfiche Anpeuch veel ces auf die UberlegeneWikichie des egenen $e eran (hector sexeunive cla othe superior of Benassi (une) marks turning point, an pos A wt heart aaration. The axa shit frm communiation Fre tet wit a reader tthe introverted exploration of TNE Staces and procenes. In practice ch means thatthe ceretcin spore in clloguy with hinsel| than wih any implied rare Aad anton at the narrator's principal commieen i reece hn wn comciousnes, te reader ibarinbed an outer corner afte native, where he langiscy alone 8 30 Ped aponoe, Wag becomes an egocentric activity tht aaa ack tan lipemic tothe reader, poweve oud eli Fae ay be, en commpenarory conceaeent of he ack of ee The collusive entente between natatr and render, wee he precncion lor the aszured comprehension of ony, Te ake in proportion to the growing complesty of he Ft er Sond the set-up is further complicated by the yn herent ia Tream's owe position. He too, lke the cei he vim f ionic abigues, of which bes avare Fee ce ese wo dioguise, He faces the dit as of ve tag Rinse” ae a) mulevel persona in. his, tole TqeEtg te nttdeachmentofseltpretenation withthe sl balancing i auessnen, Hes both ecaracter and TAO". mle Othe ory he yelling and the object of his ow wot tuaion So he appears at once as an infant conoid YY seed yervnt sor the cantaling mato of th nce rae ef ra erius revue of thls ord continuity at senate My tot bor af his parents a stange way they a7 Peart Ein tor perhaps i would be sore acurse co 37 tht Sere ony ‘Wewe each omer For Tire fri She hanaty as he experiencing and the eng “Ty at the sane ad the remerabering gure. One biacre ou ser puble aks tha hei actually dying while ing bro a oes poles es hei, the" Lif’ chat hes roppoe to198 etn of Romantic oy te cvonding. Yet here agin ther is a paradox, fo i ie ‘yxoniy tnd aly copy, devoid abventre and even of ‘Be comeny of wie and ehiren:"The gop ta i sie fa by Toby's maréal career and anew Such Ie and vente a Fara does have ~ the aida ating of is ove and ther parts= te wcally hardly enna Toads to forbes amtfalece fare lg of se tps 3 Seca ofcommunicaton spell inthe oma tha Tretram ‘Boose, that of converntional utersnc. Approprting, he “doube prerogative of narrator and commento, of ebeever tert mated ‘ics, footer aed pulp? Pesan Cloak his embarrassment in boner” Neves a ance if cary a preatous one as be enderour to convey the Unopeltale acs of hase wile viding oteadve spc Hira shar o "the iy and etc eneraicy, always Gyuamtaly lmelved ith hh audience snd Ne macy & Ange every moment of xing the sympathy of he one ad hit contol eect he er" Fis appercady lve, dcious ‘monologue tres ou to be a adécoacow perbrance. And onc the ede giao reat thin, the arate he peer ne tige honoured tone of cer, bene dates aed ‘Sit. "Te ences forthe more ates rig of roy "The elsvencs of the sarrtr in Tom Sen e matched only hy hr magni “Tv, be mune Tih eer ny {iter ny mater, onde bot of them thay wer ay ‘hua bound os, bad minded wha they were not when they beget me." "Ths i one of he oddest Deglonnge ever inverse By erbaing on Ka it ory win a cnsdrtion of the cvcumacneee of hit concepon, Teisssm,imenediately thr hs nraie ou ofthe ori of normal expectation, Hs ‘nds dorentaon far greater tun eT nant here” 1s Don un, wbich drops the ara prose, whecaere itt the moat pre haa Creative proce that aap enone to pute ara. Trams wish he txprenion of the ‘cotcricncooge ofa iad iberatad fal covecional rns Sereno make inconsequential leap ofthe sgiation. The fenile hesaney of ite tobe emphasics the coor of Sen For alte poignant wisest tows the dpted rural order whol out ait, ot simpy tough Fras Soyeuri pring imo ht poem mal boy bot rather through the undeyng inp spon tha ie indeed Sen: Tristar Shandy 195, an impos hi wl onthe wold by the fre of is mind. Teno ‘ius roge of a word when Tristram says that hie pena Soa ne incr stout» i Se dy of eter reaiy, which ere subjected othe abaping Hee ore ermal inagination, By rbverig the laws of ttc rssh ety th lar ong wma Sich be repaces witha iy, idiosyncratic oder. tthe Tpuidoa seaiy, however Gutky, dat erates theres of the oye Tr hy sin ea ve te perv San cecctrcpaycholoy. The wih ofthe opening sentence hus Sesto the potential ree uimited reversiy of all he feral rece bes of oman exec egg ‘fotocidi ithe posts t the reasuringaleeation of an eet soil aes a te Ueginning of Pie and Prot Fhe cnczpece is he only andar of expectation in Tristan BES ie apace gope, hs sbjectvin, ts ambiguies, and ieptieticn ofthe topy-turey as govering principle all fie the Cagly of ie snverae and of arc eer ‘Bveryningin Munom Sandy may be otber than wht sem 2 “Thisbecomes fly evden the narrator reader relationship. At Fin gene the might appear one of the lem contoversil arpets SF TRvon Stony. "The esperson narrator ie dspoved, indeed ‘hour, to engage his eadors benign response He ors him any: cnuranes of fis good faith and credibility with suck phraves ast "you may ake my word, and ‘Believe me, good Fite At lean half of Travan Sandy, acording o an Wat" (etSeain taken op with hee dies adresses by Tria to [Sauicgce- Hs rapport with his reader has been characterised te nc of iendsiprn Certainly e i eager forthe reader's Semon, and, beyond that for his active partiption in the Uinalding ofthe eal. The reco is designed to impress onthe eestonaly ley reader the need fora lvely creativity on is are The technigue of ininuation, the famous aposopes, sone Exumom gad provoke operon by ecg ero st Ste bane page ay serve sh a conerete invitation: *~ cl for en and ink her's paper ready fo your hand, ~ Sit down, Sit, Pala hero your ownraind (vol 6, ch. xox p, 990). These198 Fins Reman Tony transparent deve implicate the fictive ceader in the action of Fantini utry have further fneton in fowtering i the actual Meare onclouanes of hel a reader hac partners the (Sars uneemiting awareness of hiuelfaa write. ‘Noscever, beside the reader who is ineral othe Gtion and shctualy becomes a characte inthe novel," there is another SRE Scernal eo the feon, Tas redupiation of contrived and TR Reader corresponds o she doubling of Five and aca unhos jane an Sterne writes of a writer writing, 10 we read of SERIEE ting. Buc though the external reader is superimposed ‘SoGRT ect and actos concur in his reactions to Tristram’ Chat tnd admonitions, the two by no means coincide. Tn Peerbalance to his involvement in the narrative, the external SeUIeE Rae aintsine a detachment rom i. Apart fom following ‘eke slongide the internal reader, be sins position, to, t0 aoe ae reas manipulation of his contrived reader, For the Tita cade is diet rom the tive reader, who in ntl he wesduce of Trsar’s invention, in his capacity © disance ielf fom te action and fom the narrator's manoeuvres He Rai independene of judgement that enables his ose what ‘ing esa ate sanetimeto se hough it, Tn oter words, toneses that dual perspective that isthe undarion or irony eee onay ean the itera andthe exceral reader is “of al imporeance for Tram Shay. Surprisingly it bas been fteguy ovelooked. "The text elf, Prexon for instance aegeige forms the bans for relationship; iis what reader ‘daria share! Certainly ts wha the contrived reader an Tee RR narrator share Becaute ais captive tive reader's ‘sponses are literally dictated by the puppeteer, Tristram, On TPaher nana, the actual eader who faces the cext Bom ouside 1 econ, can evalute and conaeuct i from bis wn angle of Ginnie ¢ maner denied to the contrived render. So the actual Teen alle "shecing’ the tom with the narrator and being SER at by some of bis tries, cam at the sume time take ear ance it costal slippernes and the lack of assurance it SB to dose who -to borrow is ownimagey ~ ure both ears: eit f satay thet car which te reader cures 0 leud me ~ ITER oot sy other wich be Reps mel? (el 7, ‘hows, 9-359) ‘Whcher ‘Teistram’s coneived reader has wo ears is pen wo guction. He” repeatedly misears, misundersands, ‘Sern: Teincam Shandy 19% niicerpres, jmp t the wrong concusions, makes mistaken ‘Modan. But br this we have only Tesram’s word, hi ‘Smnane reprimands and his asduous coreections ofthe alleged seedings Tr tac the fictive reader, though rong = @ riccoce remains shadowy in ine. Hs image it vexatony Pes Sir) mele Madam’) singular (your worship) lal (Cyour reverence’; ‘corous and inguisve (wl 1 chp. [ePimapadene (ol 5, ch. xxx, p27B)“inatentive (rol. Leh Be pt), yet endowed with a good memory (vol. 4 eh xi TRY oten deemed incapable of understanding (oth. xv aan. sche wip 187), yet capable of taginative input Gets b th nip 77 90h 6 ch. xxv p39). "Ar quivocal a his petsona ibis eatonship co the five nattuton On the surface itr oe of cordial warmth, i eoneast © {Be comentous carness in Jace lft, Tristram shows (cee for his ender athe explains his procedures, encourages Sid reamures him ‘don't be tered, madam, this staircase Conversation is nota long athe ast (vol chs x, . 232}; he ‘Surn hi about "a devi ofa chapter (ol 9, ch ih, p, 25), THiS Nim to pevevers (vol 5, ch lp. 283), and even TaeStcr when ts permibl for bm to skip or exp, and when [Re nuse pay stenton {vol 5, ch vip. 293). Bur despite this Mfparendy owe and amiable colaboetion, he does nt give 38 EE guidane aa would seem, He maintains atthe outet hat he fas been ‘so very particular lead forthe sake of thor reader bo Bind tcmscves il at ease, ules ey ae et int che whole reeettom Getto last (vol. Ich, p- 3). Very particular” he ‘Soy indeed be in the sene of offering massive detail on small caer into the winole seen fmm est to las this the TRaSer ever i nelther the ftve nr the acral reader. On the ‘Shitary Trina loves to mya, old on 0 drop bint, oF Sree in short, ofeve the cader i a state of ceri Hoosen cfuento answer question, preferring ta ete into his feta, and he shuns responsibility by sheering behind Teeter and events, Consequently be does nt devslop any {faraate, confiding alliance with his audience, fet alone exist ey"wendy contre, In dele een that reveals the at Teta of bis postion, he confers char only “with as, Tn ‘Smumana forever for understand thee perfec” (vol 7, eh ‘Sat 367). With burman beings histone bon many oczesions tggiagortpoogetie, athe pleads fora tolerant hearing o even198 icin f Romantic roy for ‘help oa. 8, eh stp. #40). Gradually it becomes clear to the actual reader with his two ears that Trsram's ininent Acirestes area form of public rhetoric, and that his handling of the ftve reader is fee of his howsnanship A show of geal selfconfidence is put om as meh for his own benefits fr his Feader's. For he iste hide from hime and frm his iene that he cannot fall his promises, that he gets nowhere with hie tale, tate is quite unable to lead or direct in this journey through the maze a his mind Because he himself eannot find the ‘vay, Having culled the reader's tas, be cannot lve up tothe ‘xpecations he has fostered. It in even doubt wheter be Accomplish his vaunted goal to wrie ‘agra the spleen to rive the al and othe itr jes forthe gall Bade, liver and sweet bread ofhismajesy"s subject (0.4, ch, xxi, p. 218) by Inughuer since the contents of hs tale with our deaths, many ‘misadventures, and hit own decline, is fat fom chicring ‘Trizram’s volublty, his animation, and his will optim screen out these sombre aspects of heal. While ne deliberately Guplicous, he is both evasive and cunning as a narrator, By ‘akicating a seemingly incite relations with his contrived Feadr, he in fat rain him into anion are in which the reader becomes an accomplie to, and 4 dupe deception a2 well as of selfdecepion on Triuram’ part. Ulimnetely the ‘arraor's proffered” friendship. yields only plaslment and lacemfre to a reader who has been inveiged into. patience, Participation, and perseverance and who, or all spain, le Inthe dark. “The actual ceaer fares ede better, for we to are atthe mery of the fictive narrace's confcng’ signals. Though we may perceive the inate sities ofthe naraive station, we have ‘bo means to overcome it Tnstead of enjoying the narrators Confidence, asin Pride and Prjade and Madone Besey, we are Felegted here the position of unacknowledged eavadroppes. (Grane that the problem of evaluation isin to frst-person ‘szraives as Lowry Nelion has put tthe read i ‘on his Ova land lei balancing the evidence ar given and evaluated by his, firs-perion icional colaborater, “who happens unde the cumstances tobe hs only source’ But, a Nelion ges onto ‘gue in regard to Mall lander, there can tea sort of eoneratual lundersandiog beiwezn author and reade tht amends the selFknowledge of Moll" Such» contractual undertanding sa Ste: Titra Shandy 199 beat feting in Tierom Shandy, mje is 0 the seating obliga prvade he entire work. Te rele movement of Te edrnal.‘pesent recording the ity of Thinran's foneGoumess leaves nether tise nor pace fr the readers Eiteraions. in the Taledonopc verbal and station Scmmoton no nance is ever nufiinty Bxed to provide = ‘Paton aig bai for imerprettion Bo the actual reader, ke is Bove cunterpa, involved in an unctaling poe ofreatetment and renjurmen. Tht Sncrns ot ony he happenings within the tle bt so the froma of te ters sny well be dhat lng or Erodcngiy, fly or parle him we mu’? beware we Erte hokey ft we cant and we don't tut hr. We doubt the rebabliy othe information e rans; we wonder flow he cae ton crs things, and, above al we speculate whether he ie proenting whinge as they wer, or Intginaion pestived the. As Helene Moplen har pointed out, ‘Tran wane or cn, rev i er postop tnd invocation, paces hs honeny ina queionable ERS conaan ned correc hl nd ven ore, is !onitnces evoke an image of confi tha Tater reds Confidence in bg tratworeinc, Our options, however, ae ‘cant sine any dalgus between atu narrator and reader can ‘cca only trough the mediation of the fete ares’ sale "Gecanonally thet sa palpable dieeepacy that opens up 2 chink foram aternntve view. The mont mportan cemer onthe tate of power Trans vere boast hath he wl hae contol the protagonist and the rade’ “ts enough ive thec nny power heel ia gee reader’ va, ci, PMO}, mre potanaly he sere his Juredition over is other by abrupt desaring in this ade Tam determined {let her and for ve minutes (ol. 5 eh vs 220), and is ‘rnniputence ver bi wha aunt by giing fee een to is thomentary whim: "A faden impulse comes acros me ~ drop the cunain, Shay “I dep it See line here acote he paper Patton “i ake and ey fora new chapter (ol. ERPS; p20). Here there ie frm ground for dicriminating Sony! Beyond the ony that takes place between the five "aracr and his resto 3 he pls ith is protagonists, his Contrived readers and his plo here an ado eel of ony200 isin of Romano at Teiseam's expense as we realise that the truth ste conteary to what he ays, His will doe st contol and shape hi narrative; {Cen mgr have a will of own, to be as susceptible 10 (ottngency as Tvstam hima His physical impotence is he Symbol of his lack of power. Through the erratic, inconelusive Shure of Tristram's narradve, the acto] narrator, Sterne, {nents to us the irony of Trstam’s cai, Behind Testram's trch, toto speak, ttre clusiveinimation pases fom the ldcn uthor tothe reader, atin Pride and Pri and Madone Bowe "Ti isthe exception ether than the ale in Trisham Sten Generally we ar hostages to the fest person narrator, Having ocars ne are conscious ofthe ironie gare that is going on, but ‘eid not have slfcen cue to reconsruct any meaning with, ‘ant. ‘This isthe major reason forthe vague malaise which ‘esetsfeaders of Tuva Shandy, the uneasy sense, asin Kath tr Becket, of ineffable implieatons that ae felt Bu cannot be Species. This method amousts to ‘warfare with the ceader' Tt [Pfmlom veweeen a guerla campaign and a sparing match in shi the ten sees feasingly defy uso ead i. Inthe end is The reader who is mace to fel uareiable For when the auhor- aurora mischievous adversary rather chan asound pares, operation between reader and narra is ptfoce replaced by {ie teader'ssolary largely unaided efor rony becomes not 8 imaver of reconstructing @ covert intended meaning but of Confronting» bewildering muliplicty of posible meanings. ‘ar began 28 © prety ingocuour intlectual game turns ino 8 Giorentag experince. of verge. The impact of Trem ‘Sony has Been vividly captured by Viegiia Wool ‘our sense of Mamie is increased #o much that we searely know where we re Wo lose our sease of direion. We go backwards istead of Bewards® In elle we are circling in search of categorie ‘Benning where de tex is driving us to acknowledge the exience Stra plraly of meaninge, we are looking for standards of Jdgemene in a work that takes ody a its aor we long for ote ane stare int the open spaces. We have no authoritative suite wo dieec us with dere promptings. For the highly ‘Rositis and visible ncrating persona has, despite his voeierous presence, a tenueur and problemetieal reatonship with his taience. Hein showman, intent frst and foremost on his own fevformapes and onthe impression bei making; that to sy, Stone Trincam Shandy By more concerned with himaelf as atraor than wit his marae, Here we have one ofthe great paradoxes ~ and stumbling blocks stine ar of aration: where the narrator appears cows he Fade, he may be mo distant, A surface fiendliness may be the onic tack or a lateaching slenation. Thus, extensive though ‘Tacam's acoune i of his Life and Opinion, we cemsin urnces, bemused spetacory, ina manner perfect strangers fo Sach ther (oly ch vip 8)- Our participation isan illusory ind our reaing ab awed ne that ofthe five reader. What i ‘ior, Tristram kes Glight i lstering ths tate cera: "Sir iam ofso nice and angular humour, chat Tehough you ‘ras able to form the leat Fgement or probable conjecture © Jounal of what watt come, ta the next page, = would ea it ur of any book (oly ch. 3%, p37). But on what grounds Should ‘ie or we ~ acept a face value even so explicit & Sncment om the pen of maser-iconist? 3 ‘Such exteme sepicim is sopported by the rhetoric of Triste ‘Shandy whos jagged yi! surface points tthe pitas andthe britlene of fanguage 488 means of communication. f offers [frefoable evidence for Testam's contention that i i “he nstendy uses of words’ that isthe ue ease of the confusion Sind ere source of obscurity? (ol 2y hip 62), Soche ‘eo, faienating and yeutive sr much focus of ieiation Srof fasinaton, becomes the lasration and the incarnation of {he equiocation thats ental to Tiron Shandy, The laoguage the smtae, and even the punctuation bring the reader in & Cdreee encounter with the urbulence ic both prevents and fepessents, And ic ineseapable Beease cis peullarly Gf w= ‘stan in anion singularly appropriate o Tria Sheds, {he only clement af consistency. The sole constancy of Teste. ‘Shen ies int wey ineontancy. “Tae one narrating voce i beard bythe fetive and the actual cae slike, bot wis we perceive may fer subuanvely fom {he imerpectation imputed to "madam’, This discrepancy of Fesponseisoneof th primary spaces fr tony in Tri Std Darscdely tow instances whore the five reader is chided fo Rimeading or fer jumping 10 wrong conclusions efbsd a702 Fsionsof Romantic Ip nporunity to ler the actual reader to the correct Understanding, chough che irony may bea compound one in that the fictive reader's possibly bawdy ~ constraton may afte ll be the right one, however strenuously Tvs cert hea it ‘of, Trough sch complicated manoeuvres the toric becomes tn important vehice for iron in Tran Shad. ‘All the traditional site devies ofthe ironic made are used fecely hyperbole followed by anci-chma, comic ovruatcment, Uta nwsequite, incongruous ort naion and telfevident tmissatementa. But these trope, though common in Tran Stand are almost focidentl, and cernly sobiiary. The ‘Bajo sratagems se once rore gros and mer origi he Frourite revues being dusle nda, puns, lanserdoen suspensions, aterishs, aposipess, snd sundy ‘ypographical Capers. Al hese a he same Rancton: o deprive language of its denocaive simplicity and wo open it up 1 other possible tmeanings. Words themadves are made Gupiious, dubious, Unsteady’ by 3 subversive proc of extension, ‘The movi famous instanceof this technique Is withthe toa innocent word ‘note’ which is leaded with setual overtones bya devious Sr of suggestion that tanager to insinuate exacly” what i Purponsieceny. 1 define a nose, a8 lows, ~ inteating ony beforehand, and beseching my readers, both male and female, of what age, complesion, and condition sever for the love of God and their own souls, 12 guard again the tempuaions tnd suggestions ofthe devil. and auf him by no ator wile put ny other ideas ino thelr minds, than what T pot into 9 Gehnition. = For by the word Mie, throughout All hit long Chapter ofaoses, and in every other pat of ty work, where the ‘word Nase ocurs,~ 1 declare, by that word lmean Nowe, nothing more, or less. (3h. mans p 133) By this sovalled “definition” Yo avoid all confusion’ cantusion land ambiguity are skilfully nurtured, and thie le done again trilnnly with "whishees (el. 5, eh ,p- 240), (Cover-doway’ and “Buckie! (vol, ch vip. 22), and even with uch ner Terms as “means, ‘matters, thing’, “ky "aire facies whose very vaguenes allows them to be laden with insidious Implications. “The same” procedure governs aposiopei, Stone: Trica Shandy 205 suspensions, aneriss, dashes, blanks: theae are spaces which de ‘ear ir ovited to fil by the ceason of bis own meaning. The {echnique iat ihy aie clever miafied the reader eannot 28 “Trbcumgable ane lacuna, Trinam says. great deal about hs "Tie and Opinions, but the end, what eset! ft are aly sown aboue him? aad what the upshot of Toby fie with ‘ildow Wadharn? o f Mex Shendy's Tong listening te chin? Benouh the resonance of the rhetoric thee isa specs of sent fecdhe iony ofthe language is tha it reveals, inthe very fie at eral cxenange, that there is no exchange brcaure ct bial is celosed within the private eonfiass of his ove UiSdertanding of words. This fagrenttin i he ents to {Be common language shared by the protagonist of Fre xd206 ison of Romantic lrny Prd, whose unproblematic gras of words and concept is the bss fr their conidence in the eth of Knowledge and is acainabiliry. When words are basically ‘unsteady, hey are less usable asthe medium for irony becaute they art in themselves, already embodiments ofan rome principle, Language in Tren ‘Shen, forall ts brillant profssion, ie fllte to the point of Tallueiousmes. 4 ‘Towards the end of the fit volume, Tristram begins 10 tell Madam of the wound tht Toby sarined at Name and then ddenly breaks off, thvarting her citi by dedgiog het Iimpated queries: “The sory of tht, Madam long. and interesting, ~ but ic would be rang thy tsory al upon heap 1 give itt you here. ~ Ts for an episode hercaer, tnd every ireumsance relating ti in proper pace, shall be fh) laid before you (valet, ch, xx, p48) The quero raed here xed weil Beyond the particle episode af Toby's wounds there infact a proper plac’ for hing in Than Shan? and by what ot whose extern the "proper place’ to be deermined? Such questions have a dvect bearing on snyconideration of the ‘organisuion of Trt Shady. For recogaivon of i norms ‘must precede exploration of is ion ccparre form, oF ‘Fevers or subversion ofthat implicit nar, However, difcaies immedialy are: by what norm is ‘Trshom Soro be meatred? The gone concert that sould serve a yardstick iso Blrred that lt cannot be voked ts an Suthoriatve andar. Ate The Life sod Opnon af Tso Sty Got be rad ography, compiled by Lawrence rns, ora an autobiography being writen by Tram? Toe peculiar “dal "vetre Notes an inclutee "and oooh {Ambiguous answer, Should the work be regarded ata Duresquer ran improvieaion? and what tthe place ofthe gress in the total disposition? “Through: the adinion of Tvatarat “Opiniones the work's scope i to vay expanded aso warrant the incision of everthing tat passthrough his mind ren Bi ‘eval ‘digress. For ‘madam, the feive reader, these ‘ater are eed by Tristram, who the final abit wih he fiction; for the sew reader the answers re by no ter 36 Set: Tera Shandy 207 single, nde, here once gi, eds hime an ring Ba ec ering agaioesriasers Er preicement have ben po fora, Baby by Richard een Mee aay tbe Fume ae of Yanan oh iy ear kag oa sea a ig der cal seo 8 oer ne eee et ue atid be Sloman ee ee er ahaa araciay tg open oe ve a ere eo he equ ba pra Be cae Siete SE a care dain of Tee PR ont epee nei orks Ste ey tn ig se seem Serie tice dans ona inthe let af Be ear ae aca tn var Pade weet ha cheeoeinc ot ae I Raat ppl neo Nose Sa etal weno at Sen ers ae ore Rly a ter tiaras moiogopiy? Toe Sir Wat i ne nt wh he ee a ncure mater sss beyng et Se A nat Ten Sad ht oy eh Sitepantae poly es ‘Tristar summarises ic more simply but oles posting words my work digteanive and is 5 Tfenume ne’ (ol ch way p82) The paredovcaliy ofthis {cble,seleconraicony moc i juried by the nature of he Story which tgs him ‘cotiualy tobe going backwards and Tara igh together ey (el 6 any. 383, Te work expand in hs seeing waa ‘manner because tan’ progrens forwards ony by digresing Tedhwands into risen’ memory es suctre governed by finer ony that determines rcheconi, Dieters {Pinan nepal and neseary prt of this pela novels oom ine ae pre rs Coe wo ted fe orange for lecture given 2 February 1618 that "the Gigreesve spirit is not wantenness, but the eey form of his ns” Wha is imaginative insight Colevige places Sterne