A Sentimental Journey

by

Laurence Sterne

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Handkerchiefs Symbol Analysis

Handkerchiefs Symbol Icon

In Laurence Sterne’s A Sentimental Journey, handkerchiefs symbolize how Yorick’s genuine emotions often turn into silly, self-indulgent displays of sentimentality. Early in the story, when English traveler Yorick is leaving Montriul, France, a crowd of beggars surrounds him. Although he receives blessings from several beggars, he feels most satisfied when a shamefaced beggar dries tears of gratitude with a “little handkerchief” after receiving Yorick’s money. While at first glance this episode may seem to illustrate Yorick’s genuine generosity, his reaction actually suggests that he likes to indulge his own sentimental feelings rather than act with true altruism. After all, he clearly feels self-satisfied in this moment because of the beggar’s tears, and his cutesy description of the handkerchief as “little” suggests that he’s romanticizing the entire episode. Later, when Yorick fantasizes about learning the sad history of his partner in flirtation, Madame de L—, he imagines the “exquisite sensation” of drying her tears with his handkerchief—a description that mixes his real pity with his sexual interest in her and his self-indulgent desire to act as her comforter. Toward the end of the novel, meanwhile, Yorick meets the beautiful young madwoman, Maria, weeps with pity, and—in a clearly comical episode—takes turns drying Maria’s face and then his own until his handkerchief is too wet to function. Throughout A Sentimental Journey, then, handkerchiefs mark moments when the author satirizes Yorick’s emotions as excessively sentimental or self-indulgent.

Handkerchiefs Quotes in A Sentimental Journey

The A Sentimental Journey quotes below all refer to the symbol of Handkerchiefs. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Sentimentality Theme Icon
).
Volume 1 Quotes

The pauvre honteux could say nothing—he pull’d out a little handkerchief, and wiped his face as he turned away—and I thought he thank’d me more than them all.

Related Characters: Yorick (The Narrator) (speaker)
Related Symbols: Handkerchiefs
Page Number: 36-37
Explanation and Analysis:
Volume 2 Quotes

I sat down close by her; and Maria let me wipe them away as they fell with my handkerchief.—I then steep’d it with my own—and then in hers—and then in mine—and then I wip’d hers again—and as I did it, I felt such indescribable emotions within me, as I am sure could not be accounted for from any combinations of matter and motion.

I am positive I have a soul; nor can all the books with which materialists have pester’d the world ever convince me of the contrary.

Related Characters: Yorick (The Narrator) (speaker), Maria
Related Symbols: Handkerchiefs
Page Number: 108
Explanation and Analysis:
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Handkerchiefs Symbol Timeline in A Sentimental Journey

The timeline below shows where the symbol Handkerchiefs appears in A Sentimental Journey. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Volume 1
Sentimentality Theme Icon
...Yorick, but he feels that the shamefaced beggar who must dry his face with his handkerchief shows him the most gratitude. (full context)
Volume 2
Sentimentality Theme Icon
...Brittany to witness the Marquis return to Rennes. The Marquis touches his face with a handkerchief, takes his sword, examines it, and—seeing a spot of rust on it—weeps. Then he sheathes... (full context)
Sentimentality Theme Icon
Sexuality and Kindness Theme Icon
Religion Theme Icon
...is crying over her father’s death. He sits beside her, wipes her tears with his handkerchief, and wipes his own. His strong emotions make him feel sure he has a soul. (full context)
Sentimentality Theme Icon
...she does, because the man was sympathetic to her and because her goat stole his handkerchief. Maria washed the handkerchief and kept it to return to the man in case he... (full context)
Sentimentality Theme Icon
Sexuality and Kindness Theme Icon
...her shelter, food, and drink, and would take care of her. He takes out his handkerchief. Noticing the handkerchief is soaked already, Maria offers to wash it. Yorick asks where she’ll... (full context)