The role and function of language and of non-verbal elements in Tristram Shandy

Essay from the year 2005 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, University College Dublin (Faculty of Arts; School of English and Drama), course: Eighteenth- century Literature, language: English, abstract: The 18th century novel Tristram Shandy written by Laurence Sterne could be described as an anti- novel since it moves away from the conventional realist novel which used to be the only predominant style in novel writing at that time. Sterne rejects the traditional narrative technique of presenting a chronological plot with beginning, middle and end and instead offers the reader a non-chronological story rather built around digressions than following a straight forward narration. In order to reveal the way in which Sterne achieves this contemporary uncommon style one has to take a closer look at the role and function of language and non-verbal elements in Tristram Shandy.