On this day in 1768, Clonmel-born author Lawrence Sterne died.
Although not spoken of as much these days, Sterne’s masterpiece -The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman – was considered by many to be one of the finest comic novels in the English language. The novel’s impact was immense and led to Sterne becoming widely recognised as the godfather of modernist literature. Renowned 20th century Italian author, Italo Calvino, said of Sterne’s masterpiece that it was the "undoubted progenitor of all avant-garde novels of our century."
Sterne’s influence is clear to be seen in the works of Samuel Beckett, Virginia Wolff and most famously, James Joyce. Indeed, Sterne was the first author to use the ‘stream of consciousness’ form which was later adopted by Joyce in Ulysses.
Tristram Shandy was published in nine slim volumes (released in five instalments) from 1759 to 1767. In it the narrator, Tristram, sets out to do the impossible—to tell the story of his life. He has so much to tell that he does not get himself born until the third volume! Finally, reality dawns upon Tristram: it takes more time to tell the story of his life than it does to live it.
Lawrence Sterne spent the first ten or so years of his life in Clonmel where his father, Roger, was an infantry officer stationed in the town. His connections to Clonmel and Tipperary are marked today by a plaque on the West Gate.
Sources:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/jun/11/laurencesterne
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Laurence-Sterne
