Harvard Psychological Studies Part 55

Me., Ha., G., Hu., Am., accent on 2d foot, 8 stanzas: M.V. 1st foot 2.4688 1.3125 2.2813 12.7 12.7 11.5 " 2d " 2.3750 1.1250 3.8438 12.2 8.7 19.3 " 3d " 2.9688 1.3750 2.2500 15.5 10.7 11.3 Av. foot 19.44 12.88 19.88

Me., Ha., G., Hu., 19 stanzas, normal: M.V. 1st foot 1.9474 1.2500 2.2763 10.8 8.6 11.4 " 2d " 1.3816 1.2369 1.7766 7.7 8.5 9.3 " 3d " 1.3158 1.2105 1.6382 7.3 8.4 8.6 Av. foot 18.00 14.24 19.05

Me., Ha., G., 6 stanzas, normal: M.V. 1st foot 2.0000 1.2083 1.8750 10.5 10.4 10.7 " 2d " 2.6250 1.0416 2.1666 13.8 9.1 12.3 " 3d " 2.1250 1.3333 1.3333 11.3 11.4 7.6 Av. foot 18.92 11.58 17.50 The last foot (catalectic) is not comparable in these dactylic stanzas.

The mean variations of the table (Table VI.) were calculated as follows: The average for all the elements of the stanza was obtained and an average foot constructed (excluding the last sonant and the pause of the verse). From this average foot the variations of all the first feet were computed, then the variations of all the second feet, etc. Then the variations of the first feet of the stanza were averaged and percentages taken, etc.; it is this last value which goes to the making up of the tables. In inspecting the averages the corresponding elements of the feet should be compared. Any increased length due to a prescribed accent within the verse, etc., appears in the averages as a corresponding increase in the mean variation at that point, and only the first and last feet can be compared as to the variations in the verse as a whole. In making up the tables the material was grouped, not by combining the records of each subject, but by combining all the stanzas of a single type, in order to eliminate individual peculiarities.

TABLE VII.

Verse pauses in unrhymed stanzas, together with the foot pause within the verse. Length of last foot, together with the average foot within the verse:

Average first Last foot Average of first Verse Pause.

3 feet of verse. of verse. 3 foot pauses of verse.

Iambs: 36 56.5 24 45.5 57 122 35 100 68.5 125 45 102 63.5 111.5 42 93 63.5 117.5 39 93.5 66 135 42 110 53.5 59 40 45 60 76 45 61 56.5 68 41 54 55.5 56 39 41 53 53.5 37 41.5 56 73 34 45 85 98 56 54 39 50 26.5 36 37 43 17 30 42.5 45 28 30 38.5 49 26 36 40 79 26 55 31 72.5 21 55 33 66 23 54 33 76 22 64 Dactyls, catalectic: 56 63 (The pauses cannot be 60 62 compared because of the 55 66 omission of elements in 51.5 76 the final foot.) 37 40 55 58.5 53 59.5 40 73 38 65 37.5 56 37 73

Throughout the series of measurements made the accented element was nearly always longer, and in no case did the accent fail to increase the length of the sonant. Ebhardt's suggestion that there are two significant parts in each foot-element, viz., sonant and pause, does not seem good. Although the sonant is much longer when accented, the ratio between the sonant and the following interval is not definite.

An examination of thirty-two stanzas of unrhymed iambic and dactylic (catalectic) tetrameters (cf. Table VII.) shows that the verse pause is always at least one fourth larger than the foot pause. In the unrhymed stanzas the verse pause varies widely, and may be as large as three times the foot pause. A pause longer than the foot pause is absolutely essential to the unity of the verse. All sorts of ratios are presented; evidently the verse pause is not a function of the foot pause.

The next table (Table VIII.) shows a variety of different dynamic shadings in the verse. It is noteworthy that in these nonsense verses the type is uniform throughout the stanza. Representing the intensities by curves similar to those used by the subjects in listening to rhythms, we have the forms shown in Fig. 6 (_a_).

The general curve is like that in Fig. 6(_b_).

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 6.]

When a special emphasis is prescribed on some particular accent in the verse, the type becomes invariable, not only in each stanza, but for all stanzas of all subjects.

The records show that the accent is produced in a variety of ways.

One, for example, gets the accent by a slight increase in intensity, but especially by a pause following the sonant.

TABLE VIII.

THE INTENSITY RELATIONS WITHIN THE TOTAL, UNRHYMED VERSE.

UNRHYMED IAMBIC TETRAMETERS.

Average Intensities. length Length ' ' ' ' of first of last _ - _ - _ - _ - 3 sonants. sonant.

Ha. 2 5 4 5 2 4 3 6 31 31s 4 4 2 4 2 5 3 7 33 36s 2 5 3 4 1 5 3 9 32 29s 2 4 2 5 2 5 3 7 31 22s 3 5 1 5 3 4 3 5 37 35s 2 5 2 4 2 4 3 6 35 27s 2 4 2 4 2 4 2 6 38 22s 1 4 3 4 1 5 3 6 34 23s Hu. 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 25 33 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 26 32 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 19 33 5 5 5 6 8 9 8 9 28 50 9 9 8 9 9 9 9 8 43 51 9 7 8 7 7 8 9 10 48 45s 6 7 7 7 6 7 6 7 43 43s 6 6 5 6 4 7 7 8 36 50 G. 9 14 7 14 4 12 6 10 20 25 7 12 7 14 7 10 6 10 16 26 7 12 6 11 4 12 5 10 17 26 6 13 6 11 1 9 7 12 16 26 10 8 7 30 6 15 7 16 18 25 7 14 8 12 6 15 10 13 15 28 7 16 9 15 4 14 7 12 16 25 7 15 7 13 5 13 6 12 17 25

In verses marked 's' the last sonant is shorter than the average of the preceding sonants.

UNRHYMED IAMBIC TETRAMETERS: PRESCRIBED ACCENT ON THE THIRD FOOT.

/ -- / -- / -- / -- Mc. Couplets. 4 6 6 7 4 6 4 4 5 8 5 6 2 12 8 5 4 6 5 10 4 11 5 3 4 6 5 10 4 10 4 4 7 11 5 9 9 15 5 5 5 19 20 22 21 24 6 6 12 22 16 22 20 22 8 7 12 22 14 31 10 26 6 7 Ha. Couplets. 4 7 4 8 8 9 5 7 5 7 4 6 6 8 2 7 2 6 2 6 5 6 3 6 2 7 3 6 2 10 3 4 3 7 3 7 4 6 4 6 4 5 3 6 4 7 2 6 5 7 1 6 4 8 2 5 2 7 3 5 3 7 2 6

UNRHYMED IAMBIC TETRAMETERS: PRESCRIBED ACCENT ON THE SECOND FOOT.

/ -- / -- / -- / -- Mc. Couplets. 13 22 22 30 22 18 15 18 11 20 22 26 15 19 15 10 10 25 20 26 20 24 12 23 10 19 17 26 19 11 9 10 12 23 18 26 22 17 10 15 8 23 20 27 16 22 15 16 12 23 26 30 22 21 10 17 14 28 26 34 11 28 11 21

Ha. Couplets. 6 9 4 12 4 5 3 4 5 4 12 1 5 2 5 3 5 3 12 2 5 2 6 1 6 4 15 1 6 2 7 - 15 3 12 - 8 - 5 - 6 4 12 - 7 - 5 - 7 - 7 4 13 - 4 - 6 3 13 - 5 - 4

G. Couplets. 9 19 11 20 4 12 3 10 5 13 6 16 5 10 6 11 8 16 10 18 5 10 6 11 6 12 6 16 6 10 6 10 8 16 13 19 5 13 8 12 9 17 11 19 3 10 6 12 9 16 9 18 6 10 7 9 7 15 7 15 5 10 5 10

Frequently the special accent seems to be made by a contrast between the accented foot and the feet which follow. In most cases the influence of the special accent is to be seen, not merely within the accented foot itself, but both before and after the accented foot.

Often the appearance under the microscope is very striking; the sonants of the feet, both accented and unaccented, increase to the special accent and then decrease in a regular crescendo--diminuendo form. Much of this is not shown by the mere measurements.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 7]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 8 Iambic Tetrameter Verse (with the accent on the second foot)]

In general the special accent may he said to be the climax of the verse movement. It is the crest of the wave, and, as noted above, the dynamic shading is not always made by an increase up to the accent, nor by a stress on a special accent, but by a sharp diminuendo immediately following the accent. A study of the phonograph record brings out these forms of shading, especially when the record is repeated slowly, exaggerating the dynamic variations and giving an opportunity for more careful observation.

Within the verse the general form of the syllable as it appears in the ma.s.s of closely written vibrations, often varies, but nearly always shows a square end. Several very common shapes are noticed and appear in the record as (1) 'truncated cones,' (2) 'boxes,' and (3) 'truncated spindles.' (See Fig. 7.)

With the particular syllable used, 'ta,' the beginning of curve form was usually square and abrupt (4), and not gradual (5), although a few of the latter type are found ('spindle').

One syllable form has an especial interest, because of its bearing on the problem of 'finality' feeling at the close of the verse. At the close of each verse, whether with or without rhyme, the syllable form is always a 'cone' (6) (cf. Fig. 8). Of about 600 verses measured not more than 15 are exceptions to this rule. Of these 15 exceptions 10 are under special conditions and confirm the hypothesis that this form is related to the finality process. The form very rarely occurs within the verse, and when it does it is usually before some caesura, or under unusual conditions.

This 'cone' form of the closing syllable of the verse indicates a falling of the intensity of the voice. It is often, though not always, a.s.sociated with a fall in the pitch, showing relaxation of the vocal cords. It seems to be an indication of the dying out of the intensity factor, a sinking of the tension, at the close of the verse. In the case of unrhymed verses, with long verse pause, the cone is often very much elongated, and it is quite impossible to say where the sound ceases.

Special accentuation of the long syllable of the foot increases the length of the sonant, of the accented element, and of the entire foot.

There is probably a slight increase of the total length of an accented verse as compared with the similar unaccented, but no calculations were made to show that point. This is quite in accord with other results (Meumann, Ebhardt). This special accentuation is connected with an increased mean variation of the time values, as noted above. It is in that sense a 'disturbing factor.'

TABLE IX.

VERSE PAUSES (INCLUDING FINAL SONANT) TOGETHER WITH THE AVERAGE OF THE CORRESPONDING ELEMENT WITHIN THE VERSE.

Average long Verse pause Verse pause Verse pause element of of 1st verse of 2d verse of 3d verse first 3 feet. of stanza. of stanza. of stanza.

End Rhymes.

Mc. 26 34 104a 35 45 _45_a 80b 80a 31 33 64a 36 41 52a 51b 75a Ha. 41 _44_a _44_ 45a 43 47a _43_b 46a 39 _41_a 49b 46a 43 46a _45_b _45_a 36 44 41a 53 35 44a 58a 38b 33 40 73a 30 Hu. 28 25a 50 28a

Feminine Rhymes.

Hu. 18 21a 37a 19b 19 _20_a 22a 16b 19 _21_a _21_a 16b Mc. 36 72a 64 51a 36 32 41a 40 22 _22_a 18 29a Ha. 27 31a 44b _28_a 36 79 30 40 30 36 79a _30_b 31 38 50a 36 32 39a 42 40a Am. 34 70 95a 85 35 73a 94 89a 30 45 47a 86 28 54 53a 70 G. 19 64a 64 79a 19 73a 83b 76a 21 81 67a -- 19 61 83a 79

The rhymes are marked 'a' and 'b'; _e.g._, couplets a, a, b, b, etc. Verse pauses in italics are equal to the foot pause; those marked 'x' are _less_ than the foot pause.

3. _Modification of the Normal Form of Verse due to Rhyme._