Tristram Shandy

Tristram Shandy

by Laurence Sterne
Phutatorius is a priest and a guest at the dinner Yorick brings Walter and Toby to in order to discuss the possibility of re-christening Tristram. Phutatorius loudly interrupts the discussion after one of the hot chestnuts that Gastripheres roasted falls down his pants and burns his genitals. Phutatorius blames Yorick, whom he already considers an enemy, and this both undermines Yorick’s case for re-christening Tristram and leads to Yorick’s eventual downfall in the church.

Phutatorius Quotes in Tristram Shandy

The Tristram Shandy quotes below are all either spoken by Phutatorius or refer to Phutatorius . 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:
Truth, Fiction, and Storytelling  Theme Icon
).

Book 4: Chapters 26-32 Quotes

As Yorick pronounced the word point blank, my uncle Toby rose up to say something upon projectiles—when a single word, and no more, uttered form the opposite side of the table, drew every one’s ears towards it—a word of all others in the dictionary the last in that place to be expected—a word I am ashamed to write—yet must be written—must be read;—illegal—uncanonical—guess ten thousand guesses, multiplied into themselves—rack—torture your invention for ever, you’re where you was—In short, I’ll tell it in the next chapter.

Related Characters: Tristram Shandy (speaker), Yorick (The Parson) , Phutatorius , Uncle Toby
Page Number and Citation: 285-286
Explanation and Analysis:
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Phutatorius Character Timeline in Tristram Shandy

The timeline below shows where the character Phutatorius appears in Tristram Shandy. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book 4: Chapters 26-32
Truth, Fiction, and Storytelling  Theme Icon
Language and Comprehension Theme Icon
Travel, Space, and Time Theme Icon
Sexuality and Propriety Theme Icon
Chapter 26. “ZOUNDS!” cries Phutatorius, with a tone of amazement and pain. Because of Phutatorius’s mean-spirited disposition, the others expect... (full context)
Truth, Fiction, and Storytelling  Theme Icon
Language and Comprehension Theme Icon
Sexuality and Propriety Theme Icon
After his exclamation, Phutatorius removes the chestnut and throws it on the floor. Yorick then picks it up. Phutatorius... (full context)
Sexuality and Propriety Theme Icon
Chapter 28. Phutatorius, Gastripheres, Eugneius, and Yorick discuss the best ways to soothe the hot pain in Phutatorius’s... (full context)