The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
The narrator and protagonist, reflecting on his own conception and the chaotic events that shaped his life.
Book I
Narrator and subject of the biography, whose conception and birth are discussed with humorous digressions.
Chapter I
Narrator and protagonist, reflecting on the circumstances of his own conception.
Chapter II
The narrator, who discusses the Homunculus and its journey.
Chapter III
Narrator and subject of his father's complaints about his unaccountable obliquity in setting up his top.
Chapter IV
Narrator who defends his digressive method and recounts the story of his own conception.
V
Narrator and protagonist, born on November 5, 1718, reflecting on his lifelong misfortunes.
Chapter VI
Narrator and author of his own life and opinions, addressing the reader directly.
Chapter VIII
Narrator and author of the dedication, who admits to being both fiddler and painter and rides his own hobbyhorses.
Chapter IX
Narrator and author, offering his dedication for sale and addressing the reader directly.
Chapter XIII
The narrator who addresses the reader directly and discusses the midwife.
Chapter XIV
The narrator and historian, who describes his struggles with digressions and his plan to write and publish two volumes per year.
Chapter XV
Narrator and subject of the marriage settlement's consequences, reflecting on his own misfortunes.
Chapter XVIII
Narrator and author, writing on March 9, 1759, and addressing the reader directly about his dear Jenny.
Chapter XIX
Narrates his father's opinions and reflects on the irony of being named Tristram despite his father's hatred of the name.
Chapter XX
Narrator and authorial voice; addresses the reader directly and presents a satirical query to the Sorbonne doctors.
Chapter XXI
Narrator; reflects on his own eccentricity and the Shandy family character.
Chapter XXIII
Narrator who muses on the difficulty of character depiction and vows to portray Uncle Toby via his hobbyhorse.
Book II
Narrator and protagonist, reflecting on his family's quirks and his own narrative method.
Chapter I
Narrator who begins a new book to explain Uncle Toby's perplexities.
Chapter IV
The narrator, who comments on his own narrative technique and foreshadows Toby's hidden motive.
Chapter V
Narrator, reflecting on Uncle Toby's ruling passion and the events of the chapter.
Chapter XI
Narrator who addresses the reader directly and orchestrates the imaginative scene.
Chapter XII
Narrator, recalls witnessing Uncle Toby's kindness to a fly at age ten, which shaped his philanthropy.
Chapter III
Narrator, describes his own lean physique and the difficulty of the pocket-reaching maneuver.
Chapter IV
Narrator and author, reflecting on the connection between body and mind and defending his work against critics.
Chapter VIII
Reflects on the 'sport of small accidents' that led to his nose injury and misfortunes.
Chapter XII
Narrator who defends the originality of oaths and criticizes connoisseurs and critics.
The Author's Preface
Narrator and author of the preface, reflecting on wit and judgment.
Chapter XXIII
Narrates the confusion and digresses on the challenges of storytelling.
Chapter XXVIII
Narrator, writing with melancholy and noting his changed demeanor.
Chapter XXXI
Narrator and authorial voice, reflecting on definitions and the word 'nose.'
Chapter XXXII
Narrator recounting his great-grandparents' exchange.
Chapter XXXIII
Narrator reflecting on family history and his father's character.
Chapter XXXIV
Narrator who interrupts the story to praise his uncle Toby and describe his father's intellectual stubbornness.
Chapter XXXVI
Narrator who addresses the reader directly, warning against imaginative mischief and urging extensive reading.
Chapter XXXVIII
Narrator, overwhelmed by authorial tasks and reflecting on his own nose-related misfortunes.
Chapter XXXIX
Narrator, reflecting on the family's dramatic dynamics and his father's attempts to educate Uncle Toby.
Chapter XL
Narrator who digresses on the nature of ratiocination and observes his father's lectures.
Chapter XLII
The narrator, who distinguishes his own opinion from his father's, finding Slawkenbergius's tales amusing rather than purely speculative.
Book IV
Narrator and subject of the Shandy family's misfortunes.
Chapter upon Chapters
Narrator and author of the chapter upon chapters, defending his digressive style.
Chapter XIII
The narrator, reflecting on his writing progress and the passage of time.
Chapter XV
The narrator who wishes to write a chapter on sleep and reflects on the subject.
Chapter XVII
Narrator, reflecting on his father's behavior and his own wig-throwing incident.
My Father's Lamentation
The subject of Walter's lament, described as a child of wrath, decrepitude, and misfortune, suffering from birth injuries.
Chapter XX
The narrator, who compares his writing to a wild ride and defends his actions.
Chapter XXII
The narrator who addresses the reader and defends his book.
Chapter XXV
Narrator who explains tearing out a chapter and describes the family dispute.
Chapter XXXII
Narrator and heir-apparent to the Shandy family; reflects on his authorship and the structure of his work.
Chapter I
Narrator who makes a vow during a rapid carriage ride and reflects on the nature of learning and imitation.
Chapter VI
Narrator, reflecting on the family dynamics and the parallel discourses in parlour and kitchen.
Chapter VII
The narrator who comments on the power of gesture and the imperfection of words.
Chapter VIII
Narrator addressing the reader about a book-debt and substituting a chapter.
Chapter XI
Narrator and subject of the chapter; speaks of his own birth and physical state.
Chapter XV
Narrator and protagonist, reflecting on his own life and opinions as a farce, and engaging in a musical digression.
XVI
The subject of the Tristra-paedia, but is neglected and abandoned to his mother during the long composition of the work.
Chapter XVII
Narrates the accident and his reflections on Dr. Slop's exaggeration.
Chapter XVIII
Referenced as the victim of the murder described by Susannah.
Chapter XXV
Narrator who defends his narrative method and announces his intention to go backwards.
Chapter XXVI
Narrator and subject of the accident involving the sash window and chamberpot.
Chapter XXXV
Narrator who presents Lord Verulam's theory and defers his father's response.
Book VI
Narrator and protagonist, reflecting on his life and the art of storytelling.
Chapter I
The narrator addresses the reader directly, reflecting on the journey through the volumes.
Chapter II
Walter declares that Tristram shall be made to conjugate every word in the dictionary.
Chapter XI
The narrator, who is impatient to return to his own story and comments on Yorick's sermon habits.
Chapter XIV
Narrator reflecting on the spread of rumors about his own accident.
Chapter XV
The subject of Walter's decision to put him into breeches.
Chapter XVI
The narrator and subject of the breeches decision.
Chapter XVII
Narrator who describes his writing method as a variation on his father's plan.
Chapter XVIII
The subject of the debate about being put into breeches.
Chapter XX
The narrator acknowledges he cannot be left behind and must go along with the reader to the end of the work.
Chapter XXV
The narrator who delivers a passionate eulogy for Corporal Trim and foreshadows Toby's death.
Chapter XXXI
Narrator; recounts the scene and has read Uncle Toby's oration a hundred times.
Chapter XXXIII
Narrator who speaks directly to the reader about his digressive method and his father's influence on his mind.
Chapter XL
Narrator and author, describing his own narrative line and progress.
Book VII
The narrator and protagonist, traveling through France to escape death and reflect on life.
I
Narrator and author, determined to write forty volumes and flee Death.
II
Narrator who becomes violently seasick and laments his lack of knowledge of England before traveling abroad.
III
The narrator, who is in a haste and considering the routes from Calais to Paris.
Chapter IV
Narrator and travel-writer, mocking the convention of describing towns like Calais.
Chapter VI
The narrator directly addresses the reader, asserting his power over them while showing mercy.
Chapter VII
The narrator, pursued and making light of the crowd's accusations.
Chapter VIII
Narrator and traveler, philosophizing on the perils of haste and the inevitability of mechanical failures in French post-chaises.
Chapter IX
The narrator, observing and commenting on Janatone and the town of Montreuil.
X
Narrator and traveler, musing on mortality and setting off for Abbeville.
Chapter XII
Narrator and protagonist, contemplating his own death and stipulating conditions for it.
Chapter XIII
Narrator and protagonist, reflecting on motion, rest, and philosophy.
Chapter XIV
Narrator who reveals his vow not to shave until Paris and indulges in a philosophical digression.
Chapter XV
Narrator and traveler through France.
XVI
Narrator and traveler, describing his frustrations with post-horse payments and his decision to stop at Chantilly.
Chapter XVII
Narrator arriving in Paris, delivering a stream of ironic observations about the city.
XIX
The narrator and traveler, reflecting on his travel principles and experiences.
Chapter XX
The narrator and traveler, expressing frustration with French travel and debating whether to reveal obscene words.
Chapter XXVI
Narrator and protagonist, directly addressing the reader and reflecting on his narrative journey.
Chapter XXVII
The narrator, who recounts the visit and the family's grand tour, noting his father's peculiar observations.
Chapter XXVIII
Narrator and traveler, currently rhapsodizing from a pavilion.
Chapter XXIX
Narrator and protagonist, who turns the wreck of his chaise into a profitable venture and reflects on personal misfortune.
Vexation upon Vexation at Lyons
The narrator, detained in Lyons and planning his sightseeing.
Chapter XXXI
Narrator who recalls the story of Amandus and Amanda and his desire to visit their tomb.
Chapter XXXII
Narrator who converses with the ass and reflects on his own motives.
XXXIII
Narrator attempting to leave the inn, stopped by a commissary.
Chapter XXXIV
Narrator and protagonist, engaged in a dispute with a French commissary over travel fees.
XXXV
Narrator and protagonist, who engages in a witty dispute with the commissary and claims to have laid the cornerstone of the peace.
Chapter XXXVI
The narrator who laments the theft of his remarks and frantically searches for them.
Chapter XXXVII
The narrator who discovers he sold his remarks with the chaise and reacts with frustration.
XXXVIII
The narrator who sits philosophizing on his condition and discovers his remarks used as hair curlers.
Chapter XXXIX
Narrator and protagonist, eager to see Lippius's clock and Chinese history but quickly loses interest.
Chapter XL
Narrator who visits the Tomb of the Lovers.
Chapter XLI
Narrator and traveler, describing his journey and observations in Avignon.
XLII
The narrator and traveler, fleeing Death and traversing the south of France on his mule.
XLIII
The narrator and traveler, who describes his digressive journey and his dance with Nannette.
Chapter II
Narrator and author, expounding on his method of beginning a book.
VI
Narrator who interjects with personal troubles, including debt, unsold volumes, asthma, and a lung injury from laughing.
VII
The narrator, who addresses the reader directly about the story's complexity.
Chapter XI
The narrator, who compares his own romantic temperament to Widow Wadman's.
Chapter XII
Narrator who exclaims about his heated imagination and the metaphor.
Chapter XV
Narrates the chapter, using the candle metaphor to discuss his own preferred manner of dying.
Chapter XXIV
Narrates the scene with knowing humor, warning his uncle of the danger.
Chapter XXXI
Narrator who distinguishes his own hobbyhorse from his father's 'ass,' describing the hobbyhorse as a sporting, useful beast that carries one away from cares.
Chapter I
Narrator, reflecting on his parents' interaction and his own nature.
Chapter IX
Narrator who dismisses the world's opinion of his ejaculation.
Chapter XII
Narrator reflecting on his own writing process and the balance between wisdom and folly.
Chapter XIII
Narrator describing his personal ritual for overcoming creative stagnation.
XV
Narrator who laments the slipping away of pleasures and decides to return to Uncle Toby's story.
Chapter XVII
The narrator speaks in first person about his debts and frugal lifestyle.
Chapter XVIII
The narrator and author, reflecting on his digressive style.
Chapter XIX
The narrator and protagonist, reflecting on his own narrative method and the difficulties of recounting his life.
Chapter XXIV
The narrator, who is struggling with the difficulty of describing the upcoming story and has been weakened by a fever and blood loss.
The Invocation
Narrator who invokes Cervantes and describes his journey and meeting with Maria.
XXV
Narrator who defends his blank chapters and throws his slipper in frustration.
Endnotes
Mentioned as being led into error regarding Lithopædus.
List of Illustrations
Referenced in the caption 'Inv. T. S. / Scul. T. S.' as the likely creator of the illustrations.
