Harvard Psychological Studies Part 56

Verse Pause in Rhymed Material.

There are as wide, isolated variations as in the case of unrhymed material. As compared with unrhymed verse, the pause is in general decidedly shorter. The verse pauses of the feminine rhymes are generally much like those of the end rhymed material. But there are very few cases of the verse pause being as short as the foot pause--only four cases in sixty (6.6 per cent.). See Table IX.

This wide variation of the verse pause and its occasional equivalence to the foot pause in rhymed verses is in accord with the notion that the rhyme in some way brings the verse to a close by a process more rapid than that in unrhymed material.

The introduction of rhyme seems to be favorable to the division of a stanza into two parts by producing an unusually long verse pause after the second verse. Of 43 unrhymed stanzas there are 19 which show a decidedly long pause at the close of some one of the verses. But of these 19 cases, only 8 (18 per cent.) have the break at the close of the second verse. Of 64 rhymed stanzas, 29 show the division, and of this 29, 22 (34 per cent.) have the break at the close of the second verse.

Influence of the Rhymes on Intensities.

The intensities at the close of the verse, without rhyme, may be slightly greater than within the verse. The dynamic shading of the verse is elastic, and a variety of forms is possible, a decrescendo at the close of the verse is not unusual (cf. Table VIII.). But when the rhyme is introduced the general dynamic form of the verse is fixed, and in the material measured this is true not only of the verses in a stanza which contain the rhyme but of other verses in the same stanza.

Of the 32 verses containing rhymes in Table X., but four verses are exceptions to the rule of an increase of intensity on the rhyme. There are two cases of double, alternating rhymes where it is doubtful if the subject actually felt one of the alternating rhymes. This increase of intensity on the rhyme is not confined to that particular syllable or foot; often, as indicated by the italics, the influence of the accent makes itself felt earlier in the verse.

TABLE X.

INTENSITIES OF IAMBIC TETRAMETER WITH END RHYME (SHOWING INCREASED INTENSITY OF THE RHYMING SYLLABLE). ALSO AVERAGE LENGTH OF THE FIRST THREE SONANTS, TOGETHER WITH THE LENGTH OF THE LAST SONANT.

Intensities. Average length of first 3 Length of last sonants. sonant.

/ - / - / - / - Mc. -- 5 -- 5 -- 4 -- 5 19 27 -- 4 -- 4 -- 4 -- _11_a 34 -- 4 -- 4 -- 4 -- 7 21 -- 4 -- 5 -- 3 -- _8_a 23

-- 6 -- 6 -- 5 -- 6 19 22 -- 8 -- 7 -- 6 -- _10_a 34 -- 4 -- 3 -- 4 -- 5 26 -- 3 -- 5 -- 4 -- _5_a 30

2 3 5 4 4 5 6 _7_a 29 34 2 3 3 4 2 4 2 _7_b 48 1 2 3 2 2 2 1 _4_a 35 2 3 3 3 2 3 4 _5_b 20

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --a 25 40 3 4 4 14 3 4 5 _5_b 39 2 3 1 2 2 3 1 _3_a 25 1 3 2 2 1 3 3 _5_b 43

Ha. 6 15 9 12 3 10 4 16 No increase in length.

3 5 3 7 3 5 5 15a 1 15 1 5 4 6 2 9 4 5 2 5 1 5 2 _14_a

2 6 4 8 1 6 5 _11_a No increase in length.

1 7 5 7 3 6 7 _11_b 2 5 2 6 2 6 4 _12_a 1 5 1 5 2 6 3 _15_b 33 38

4 9 5 9 1 3 6 _9_a 25 33 2 8 5 6 4 5 5 _10_b No increase in length.

2 5 2 5 2 5 5 _11_a 1 5 2 5 5 10 2 _12_b 32 34

The evidence of an increased intensity on the rhyme is not so positive in the case of rhymes in the third foot. Among the rhymes in the second foot there is but one exception. The rhymes in the second and third feet were never given very satisfactorily by several of the subjects. The rhymes within the verse determine a climax in the foot in which they occur, and all the verses follow this well-defined type.

It is interesting to note, in studying the phonographic record, that in verses in which the accentuation of the rhythm is not very definite, the accentuation is perceived when the record is repeated at the normal speed. If the record is repeated more slowly, and especially at such a distance that the rhyming consonants cannot be distinguished, then the accentuation seems to disappear. It is probable that after a verse or stanza type has been established the voice may deviate from the type, and the accentuation will be supplied by the hearer.

TABLE XI.

INTENSITIES OF IAMBIC TETRAMETERS WITH RHYMES IN THE THIRD FOOT (SHOWING INCREASE IN INTENSITY OF THE RHYME SYLLABLE).

/ -- / -- / -- / -- Ha. 13 18 10 16 _7_ _9_a 6 12 9 10 4 11 7 _14_a 4 7 -- 12 5 10 7 9b 6 9 2 12 5 12 3 _14_b 4 6

2 12 4 13 7 8a 4 9 6 8 4 14 4 _15_a 2 9 2 13 -- 12 8 8b -- -- 5 9 6 10 -- 3b 4 6

Am. 10 10 4 12 6 _14_a 5 5 4 12 6 9 7 8a 4 4 5 12 8 9 7 _10_b 3 4 3 7 5 8 5 7b 2 4

10 13 5 10 4 _10_a 4 6 1 9 4 9 3 5a 3 5 2 8 3 5 -- _8_b 1 5 1 7 2 7 5 _8_b 2 3

G. 6 13 6 13 7 _12_a 1 10 6 10 6 6 _7_ _7_a 1 8 4 9 7 7 _6_ 9b 1 7 7 12 4 10 2 7b 1 7

10 12 4 11 6 _10_a -- 8 5 12 5 11 6 _10_a -- 8 3 9 6 9 _7_ _9_b 3 8 2 8 5 9 5 5b 1 6

D. 10 12 10 10 7 9a 7 11 5 8 6 9 7 7? 6 6 5 12 7 9 6 _10_b -- 8 6 9 7 10 7 7b 5 5

10 15 5 11 6 9a -- 9 5 9 4 8 6 6a? 6 7 7 11 7 11 _11_ _13_b 8 10 8 11 8 10 7 9b 6 8

INTENSITIES OF IAMBIC TETRAMETERS WITH RHYMES IN THE SECOND FOOT.

_ - _ - _ - _ - Hu. 5 6 6 6a 5 7 5 6 5 6 5 4a 5 4 5 6?

5 6 6 7b 5 6 4 7 5 6 4 4b 5 7 4 7 5 7 7 7a 6 7 6 6 5 7 5 5a 5 6 5 6?

5 7 _6_ 8b 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 5b 6 7 6 7 Mc. 5 7 6 _10a_ 5 4 3 5 1 6 6 _8a_ - 6 1 4 1 6 6 _10b_ 1 4 - 4 - 7 6 5b 3 3 - 3 Ha. 16 14 _8_ _10a_ 6 10 5 9 5 10 7 8a 5 9 5 7 2 8 4 _11b_ 4 7 2 8 2 8 4 6b 1 9 4 8 7 12 7 _10a_ - 10 6 10 3 10 5 8a 5 8 6 10 2 8 3 _11b_ 3 7 3 10 - 7 5 9b 4 8 6 12 Am. 4 9 _9_ _10a_ 4 7 4 5 4 8 _9_ _7a_ 5 7 4 6 1 8 5 _10b_ 4 6 3 6 - 10 _10_ 7b_ 3 5 2 7 15 15 _10_ 13a_ 9 11 - 11 5 12 7 9a 4 10 4 9 5 8 _8_ _9b_ 4 7 - 6 7 8 5 _9b_ 2 4 - 3 G. 2 6 _6_ _8a_ 1 7 2 3 - 10 _7_ _12a_ 1 9 4 8 4 9 _6_ _9b_ 8 8 2 7 - - - -b - - - - 4 9 _5_ _11_a - 7 4 6 - 8 6 7a 2 7 4 5 - 9 _7_ _6_b - 7 3 6 - 7 3 5 - 5 - 3 D. - - - - - - - - 7 11 _11_ _9_a 7 11 6 10 11 15 11 11a 8 11 9 14 6 10 _10_ 8b 7 8 7 11 12 13 10 10a 7 1? 8 11 6 10 9 8a 5 8 5 9 9 12 12 13b 8 10 7 9 7 11 _10_ 7b 4 8 4 8

The values surrounded by '_'s (Transcriber's Note: Original italics) show the increase in intensity. Rhymes are indicated by 'a' and 'b.'

IV. SUGGESTIONS FOR A MOTOR THEORY OF RHYTHM.

If the basis of rhythm is to be found in muscular sensations, rather than in the supposed activity of some special 'mental' function, the nature of the movement cycle involved is of the greatest interest.

In every case where a rhythm comes to peripheral expression, there are two opposing sets of muscles involved. If a rhythmic movement be attempted with but a single set of muscles at work, it is very unsatisfactory and soon ends in the tonic contraction of the muscle set. One may a.s.sume that in all cases of rhythm perception there is a cycle of movement sensations involved, and that the simplest possible case of a peripheral rhythmic movement is the type of any rhythm. In tapping a rhythm with the finger, the flexors which bring the finger down become the positive muscle set, and the opposing extensor muscles which raise the finger for the next blow become the negative muscle set.

In Fig. 9 the upper curve represents the actual movement of the finger tip, and the heavy lines _a_, _a'_, _a''_ represent the pressure-tension-sound sensation which we call the 'beat,' and which is the limiting sensation of the rhythm, and the regulating factor in the movement cycle of the rhythm. The movement is divided into two phases; _B_, the phase of relaxation, during which the finger is raised, and _A_, the phase of contraction, during which the finger delivers the blow which produces the beat.

The curves below represent the changes in the two opposing sets of muscles whose interaction brings about the movement cycle. The contraction of the flexors, the positive muscle set, is represented by the curve above the base line. It is obvious that during the contraction phase, the contraction in the positive muscle set is at its height; it continues at a maximum during the limiting sensation and then dies away during the relaxation phase. The sensations from this positive muscle set have the princ.i.p.al place in consciousness during the rhythm experience. The curve below the base line represents the contraction of the extensors, the negative muscle set. The contraction of the negative muscles reaches its climax very soon after the maximum contraction of the positive muscles, in the contraction phase. The sharp tension between the two opposing sets of muscles at the limiting sensation may be made very apparent if the finger beats the rhythm entirely in the air; in that case the limiting sensation consists entirely of the feeling of a sudden increase of tension between the positive and negative muscle sets. During the relaxation phase the contraction of the negative muscles continues, but the tension between the two sets grows less and less, for the positive muscles are rapidly relaxing. At the highest point in the movement either muscle set is exerting but very little strain; the condition is represented in the figure by the approach of either curve to the base-line; the amount of tension between the two sets is figured by the distance of the two curves from each other.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 9.]

a.s.suming such a movement cycle, in which the tension between the two opposing sets never comes to zero until the close of the series, it is not difficult to arrange many of the facts of rhythmic perception under the motor theory.

1. The feeling of rhythm is more definite as we proceed in a verse, or a series of simple sound sensations. At first the cycle is not perfectly adjusted and complete automatism established.

2. If an observer is listening to a series, and an unusually long pause is introduced between two beats, there is always a feeling of suspense or tension during the 'lag.' As long as the tensions are maintained there is a rhythmic continuity; the feeling of tension is the strain of opposition between the opposing muscle sets.

3. The continuity of the rhythmic series, whereby all the beats of a period seem to belong to a single whole, is due to the continuity of the muscle sensations involved and the continuous feeling of slight tension between the positive and negative muscle sets; nowhere within the period does the feeling of strain die out.

4. But at the close of the period we have a pause which is demonstrably not a function of any of the intervals of the period.

During this pause the tension between the two sets 'dies out,' and we have a feeling of finality. This gradual dying out of the tension is clearly seen in the constant appearance of the cone-shaped final syllable at the end of each nonsense verse.