The Birth of the novel, how novel?
November is National Write A Novel Month (NaNoWriMo), so to kick it off, here’s my tribute to the novel.
The Eighteenth Century in London was a womb of literary creation, helping giving birth to the early novel. Planted with the fermenting seeds of politics, social relations, religion, science and economics the breeding ground was wide open to welcome texts which self-consciously examined the role between writer, reader and one’s identity within these posited fictional spheres. This self-examination was born from the fact that these fictional spheres, to a certain degree, were purposely and satirically created to bear familiar birth marks which resembled the turbulent real world in which writers were living and writing.
Similar to the weekly gossip magazines that we would be familiar with today, this time in history, with its increase in print culture, bred the appearance of one of the most extensively distributed journals in London entitled The Spectator, in which Mr. Spectator and his readers discussed happenings around town and formed judgments about what was transpiring, causing people to reflect on their behaviour and reputations.
One novel from this era, written by the Irish-bred, English writer Laurence Sterne, which has influenced me (and many other writers) significantly is The Life And Opinions Of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (aka: Tristram Shandy). This book, first published in 1759 via a number of serials, is seen by some as a precursor to stream of consciousness and self-reflexive writing. Shandy, as the narrator is incapable of telling his story without digressing, and the novel although popular was heavily criticized for its bawdiness. Through Tristram Shandy, Sterne also explores themes and ideas that were being generated by some of the 17th and 18th century’s greatest philosophers and writers. The novel, with original illustrations by William Hogarth as well as a bio on Sterne, contextual information and more is available online for those interested. Below is a painting by Hogarth, an influential London artist, who did illustrations for Tristram Shandy.
Seen as the novel that could not be made into a movie, it is interesting that Michael Winterbottom did just that in 2006. Here is a review and below is a trailer of the movie, in which Shandy (played by Steve Coogan) continues his digression after digression, only this time it’s about making the movie of the novel.
Sterne has been credited with inspiring Beckett, Joyce, Wolfe and Rushdie amongst other well-known literary greats. Now get out there and get writing!
Tags: 17th century, 18th century, laurence sterne, literature, Michael Winterbottom, national write a novel month, novel, steve coogan, stream of consciousness writing, Tristram Shandy
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