# Chapter XVII explained — The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman > Chapter companion for The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne. ## What happens Walter Shandy returns home in a bad mood but keeps his resolution to enforce the marriage-settlement clause requiring his wife to have their next child in the country. He reveals this plan to Mrs. Shandy on the night Tristram is conceived, thirteen months later. She accepts his decision with quiet resignation, recognizing his obstinacy. ## Themes in this chapter ### Love and Marriage The marriage settlement and Walter's enforcement of its terms highlight the contractual and often unromantic nature of marriage in the Shandy household. ### Obsession and Hobbyhorses Walter's 'perseverance' or 'obstinacy' regarding the settlement clause reflects his hobbyhorse of controlling family matters through legal and philosophical systems. ## Character check-ins ### Walter Shandy Returns home in a bad mood, resolved to enforce the marriage-settlement clause; reveals his plan to Mrs. Shandy on the night of Tristram's conception. ### Mrs. Shandy Learns of Walter's design on the night of Tristram's conception; resigns herself quietly to the bargain. ### Uncle Toby Referenced indirectly through the marriage-settlement clause that empowers Walter. ## Key lines > Though my father travelled homewards, as I told you, in none of the best of moods,⁠—pshawing and pishing all the way down,⁠—yet he had the complaisance to keep the worst part of the story still to himself;⁠—which was the resolution he had taken of doing himself the justice, which my uncle Toby’s clause in the marriage-settlement empowered him; nor was it till the very night in which I was begot, which was thirteen months after, that she had the least intimation of his design Walter returned home in a foul mood but kept secret his plan to enforce the marriage-settlement clause, not telling his wife until the night Tristram was conceived, thirteen months later. _Reveals Walter's strategic silence and the delayed revelation of his intention._ > My father was a gentleman of many virtues,⁠—but he had a strong spice of that in his temper, which might, or might not, add to the number.⁠—’Tis known by the name of perseverance in a good cause,⁠—and of obstinacy in a bad one Walter had a trait that could be seen as perseverance in a good cause or obstinacy in a bad one, depending on perspective. _Highlights the ambiguous nature of Walter's character and his stubbornness._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se/chapters/xvii - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tristram_shandy_se/chapters