Tristram Shandy: Book 9: Chapters 1-5 Summary & Analysis

Dedication. Though Tristram previously dedicated his book to Mr. Pitt, he now wishes after the fact to dedicate it to Lord Pitt. Tristram apologizes for any jealousy this may cause, and as a token of good faith offers up an amusing poem about a peaceful and lonely pastoral life.

Chapter 1. Tristram blames fate for his inability to get to the story of Toby’s love affair until now, when Mrs. Shandy is looking through the keyhole. He repeats Walter’s sarcastic comment about referring to her desire by name. Walter, however, immediately feels guilty, and as Mrs. Shandy gently entwines her arm with his he only feels guiltier. Turning and looking into her eyes, Walter realizes that his wife is too pure to be consumed by lewd desires. Tristram interrupts his narrative to comment on how uniquely the product of his parents he is. His father, he then adds, was wrong to criticize his mother’s motives rather than the act of snooping itself. Keyholes are a sight of wickedness, Tristram claims.

Chapter 2. Tristram continues the story of Toby’s love affair. Trim retrieves Toby’s best wig, but after years in storage it lacks the glamor it once had. Toby, however, has such a gentlemanly nature that he is able to wear it with dignity; the same is true of his other clothes. The perfect final touch would be Toby’s blue and gold shirt, but unfortunately, after so many years, he is no longer able to fit into it. As the tailor accidentally destroyed his scarlet breeches, Toby settles for his red plush ones instead. Trim, meanwhile, is wearing Le Fever’s regimental coat and his Montero cap. Walter comments that they at least look good.

Chapter 3. Toby turns around to make sure Trim is still with him. Trim twirls his stick to reassure Toby. Toby is nervous, as he is well aware that he does not know the difference between the right and wrong end of a woman and is uneasy around women unless he has a chance to be gallant or courteous. Indeed, widow Wadman is the first women Toby has ever looked in the eye so intensely.

Chapter 4. Toby tells Trim, mostly to reassure himself, that widow Wadman cannot possibly misunderstand his intentions. Trim reassures him that she cannot, much like the Jew’s widow in Lisbon did not misunderstand his brother Tom’s desire for her. He bemoans Tom’s fate, telling Toby that if Tom had not married her or had made pork sausages, perhaps he would not be a prisoner of the Inquisition today. Nothing is as important as freedom, Trim argues, twirling his stick to demonstrate. (The book Tristram Shandy includes a squiggly line representing Trim’s twirl here.) Tristram comments that none of Walter’s arguments could ever be so convincing. Toby looks back at the bowling green apprehensively, and Trim realizes that he must exorcize the desire for freedom he just revived in Toby by finishing his story about Tom.

Chapter 5. Trim continues his story about Tom. Tom, happily settled in comfortable Lisbon, hopes to make something of himself. Learning that the Jewish owner of a local sausage shop has died of strangury, he decides to inquire with the Jew’s widow about taking over the business. Tom visits her under the pretense of buying sausages but hoping to get a wife in the deal too. The servants all wished the well-dressed Tom success—Trim breaks down, in despair that Tom will live the rest of his life in a dungeon despite being such a good soul. Toby tells Trim that he is a good soul too, and Trim cries as they pause in silence.