Saturday, December 05, 2009

Ten of the best deathbed scenes in literature

At the Guardian, John Mullan named ten of the best deathbed scenes in literature.

One book on the list:
Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne

Sterne stages the death of his alter ego, Parson Yorick, early in the novel. The jesting vicar utters his last endearments to his friend Eugenius "with something of a Cervantick tone" and, though laid low by carpers and maligners, with a flash of "lambent fire" in his eye. "Alas, poor YORICK!" exclaims the novel; the next two pages are entirely black.
Read about another book on Mullan's list.

Tristram Shandy also appears among the top ten works of literature according to Peter Carey and Thomas C. Schelling's influential books, and is one of Bamber Gascoigne's six best books.

--Marshal Zeringue