father (Walter Shandy)

Father (Walter Shandy)

In comprehending the concept of the HOBBY-HORSE, it is crucial that the reader realize that every main character in Tristram Shandy is dominated by a "ruling passion." Conversely, in order to understand the characters, one must accept the notion of such a life-controlling interest. Walter Shandy is certainly a man governed by such a "ruling passion."

Walter, Tristram's father, has a passionate interest in philosophy and intellectual speculation. In addition to citing the Classics, however obscure, Walter is characterized by his long-winded, erudite dissertations. Some would argue that, in his portrayal of Walter, Sterne challenged pedantic theorizing and hypothesizing that John Locke similarly attacked.

Moreover, Walter is not an enlightened individual when it comes to women. He again follows the classical attitude, treating his wife as his subordinate‹refusing to listen to her or, in effect, communicate with her. This is because he refuses to view her as anything but a stereotypical sentimentalist woman. Furthermore, Walter loathes being interrupted in the midst of one of his garrulous discoursi.

Click here for the first passage on Walter Shandy in Volume I.
Click here for the first passage on Walter Shandy in Volume II.

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Last modified May 12, 1996. Maintained by Keith Earley.
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