Free Essays - Yoricks Attitude Towards Women in A Sentimental Journey :: Laurence Sterne A Sentimental Journey

If we are to read Laurence Sternes A Sentimental Journey, we must desolate the fixed idea about ordinary travel, which are filled with detailed descriptions of the landscapes. In Sternes work, however, there are unique descriptions of human feelings, compared to the other ordinary travelogues. Consequently, the entire work makes readers confused at first. However, once we are absorbed in that story, we undersurface easily follow Yoricks unique thoughts. Especially his attitude towards women is interesting. He meets some(prenominal) women and his attitude towards them does not change. That is, we can see there exists some principles when Yorick faces women. Therefore I will discuss Yoricks attitude towards Lady at the Remise the Gris go under in capital of France the fille de chambre Maria and Eliza. Why does Yorick meet so many women in such a short time? As there is not a single passage about his own profile in the story, we cannot assume what he is and what he does in his cou ntry. Nevertheless, Yorick seems to be single, because nobody ever told Yorick not to go abroad in the first episode. And also Yorick is really afraid of being kept in prison. Though it is a sort of general fear that everybody can be scared, Yorick seems to be even more sensible about being limited to a particular place or group of people. He tries to set save the starling (71-3), because he does hate the feeling of confinement. A marriage possibly can be a sort of confinement to Yorick. That is, being a free single man, Yorick does not want to be tied to particular person. And that makes him meet so many women in such a short time and cause lots of relationships with them. Then what is Yoricks attitude towards these women? First of all, he is a little bit passive when he approaches them. Yorick is usually left with a woman in some place, such as the Remise, Desobligeant. It is totally different from others way of making acquaintance with someone. For instance, in case of La Fleu r, he directly goes to some lady friend and have a good time with her (101). As the following example show, Yorick, is not active at all. Mons. Dessein left usYorick and a lady together with her hand in mine (16). When he is in the shop with the Grisset, she willingly asks him to feel her pulse (53).