Tristram Shandy: Book 9: Chapters 22-25 Summary & Analysis

Chapter 21. There any many reasons a woman chooses to marry, Tristram argues. Tristram quotes Slawkenbergius, who compares a woman’s search for a husband to rifling through the baskets on different “asse[s]” (mules) until she tears at the baskets themselves.  Slawkenbergius refuses to elaborate on just what she is looking for.

Chapter 22. The world is mysterious, Tristram says, but nature makes mistakes only for the sake of amusement—except in the case of a married man. Tristram wonders if it is the kind of clay, or a mistake while baking, or something else. Toby, however, is a perfect candidate for marriage. Along with his kind nature and tender disposition, he has one other important quality, unhindered by his wound. This last characteristic is “somewhat apocryphal,” however, and causes widow Wadman such great anxiety that she forgets about his other virtues.

Chapter 23. Tristram reminds the reader that Bridget had promised to get to the bottom of this mystery for her mistress by courting Trim. She is serving her own purposes too. Widow Wadman, however, is not reassured. She is determined to find out from Toby herself, encouraged by his trusting, open nature.

Chapter 24. Tristram acknowledges that his story is approaching its “choicest morsel,” but he confesses that he does not feel up to the task and offers the reader his pen. It comforts Tristram to know that while he lost a good deal of blood while working on this chapter, but the worst of his illness has passed. He decides to add an invocation. Tristram invokes the spirit of “sweetest humour” which inspired the writing of Don Quixote, calling it to him and pointing to his hideous condition; he is still wearing the breeches that were ripped in Lyons. Tristram bemoans the state of his shirts, too, parts of which were ripped off by a laundrywoman in Italy.

Tristram describes how he was also robbed of his tinderbox and frequently scammed on that trip, but he concedes that life should have its ups and downs. As Tristram traveled back to England through Italy and France, Toby’s amours with widow Wadman had the same mental effect on Tristram as they would were they his own. Suddenly he stops the carriage, hearing beautiful pipe music.

Tristram approaches the postilion, who explains that the musician is Maria, a disgraced local beauty who now sits on the riverbank with a goat plays the pipe constantly. Tristram is bewitched, and he soon finds himself sitting with Maria and her goat listening to her play the pipe. Maria looks back from Tristram to the goat, and he wonders what she sees them having in common. Tristram bids Maria goodbye, hoping one day to hear her speak. Suddenly she does, telling him such a sad tale that he gets up and leaves immediately.

Chapter 25. Tristram explains that at the end of this chapter, he and the reader must go back to the blank chapters. He declares, however, that there are much worse things than a chapter with nothing in it, which can never be satirized. Tristram accepts any insults that will come his way, asking how his detractors could understand why he had to write the twenty-fifth chapter before the eighteenth, and reminds the readers to let people tell stories the way they please.

The Eighteenth Chapter. Bridget opens the door almost before Trim knocks, barely giving widow Wadman time to leave the window and meet Toby in the parlor. Toby salutes widow Wadman and walks with her to the sofa. As he is sitting down, he declares forcefully that he is in love. Widow Wadman looks away shyly, expecting him to continue, but Toby stops and lets the situation take care of itself. Walter approves of this mannerism of Toby’s, arguing that if his brother had more confidence, he could win the hearts of many woman. Toby does not feel this way, but Tristram suggests that his father is taking about making declarations of love, not actually starting relationships.

Widow Wadman, expecting Toby to continue, inches toward him. As Toby is still silent, she resolves to speak herself. She points out the downsides of marriage, asking what would make Toby give up his independence. Toby points to the Bible. Widow Wadman then turns to the subject of children, referencing all the difficulties of parenting, especially for mothers. Toby agrees and can only suggest pleasing God as a reason to endure this troubles, prompting widow Wadman to reply “fiddlestick!”

The Nineteenth Chapter. As “fiddlestick” can mean an infinity of different things depending on how it is said, Tristram argues, widow Wadman’s exclamation requires an explanation. The way she says it instantly embarrasses Toby, who feels out of his depth, and he resolves to instantly and ceremoniously propose to her. He then looks away and, seeing her Bible on the table, opens it to a passage on the siege of Jericho and reads, wanting to give widow Wadman time to think over his proposal. She, however, is too busy thinking of something else.