Digressive novels in Literature

Jonathan Swift's "Tale of a Tub" (1702), a brilliant, erudite analysis of the schisms of the Christian Church, has been rated a greater satire by scholars than even his celebrated "Gulliver's Travels." But it is in the digressions, which alternate with the chapters recounting the religious allegory, that Swift is most brilliant, as noted by Prof. Kathleen Williams.

Henry Fielding's "Tom Jones"(1749) deals with the story of a foundling, who turns out to be the heir of a squire, in whose bed he was found. As Alan Pryce-Jones writes, Fielding, having created the story, adds to the action a running commentary with the most skilful modulations of voice.

Laurence Sterne's "Tristram Shandy". (1759 - 67) is one of the most unusual novels of all time. It anticipated the "stream of consciousness" of the later James Joyce & Virginia Woolf. The title character is only born after the halfway stage of the book, the author digressing on all possible  subjects. With empty pages & marbled pages, the full range of the printers' art was also harnessed.

Hermann Melville's "Moby Dick" (1851) is the definitive novel about whaling, starting with the biblical exhortation, "Call me Ishmael." Written in mock-epic style, bristling with classical references, this rich work takes the reader into the realms of metaphysics & visionary imagination. As a ballast to this, alternate chapters are devoted to the minutiae of whaling lore.