Best American Poetry Blog

On Dickens and Listening [Heather Christle]

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Don't you love it when science echoes in confirmation of literature's observations?  This week I've been reading A Tale of Two Cities, a copy my grandmother gave me when I was ten, and which I've been thrilled to finally experience.  I grew especially happy the the other day, when I came across this description of Lucie Manette's testimony at the Old Bailey:

Any strongly marked expression of face on the part of a chief actor in a scene of great interest to whom many eyes are directed, will be unconsciously imitated by the spectators.  Her forehead was painfully anxious and intent as she gave this evidence, and, in the pauses when she stopped for the Judge to write it down, watched its effect upon the counsel for and against.  Among the lookers-on there was the same expression in all quarters of the court, insomuch, that a great majority of the foreheads there, might have been mirrors reflecting the witness, when the Judge looked up from his notes to glare at that tremendous heresy about George Washington.

I was reminded of this piece from Science Daily, which states, "The movement of facial skin and muscles around the mouth plays an
important role not only in the way the sounds of speech are made, but
also in the way they are heard according to a study by scientists at
Haskins Laboratories."  Okay, so it's the mouth and not the forehead, but still!  All those foreheads creasing along with Lucie's seem to shape the jury's interpretation of what they hear, and Charles Darnay gets his reprieve. 

Plus, how amazing is that study?  Imagine if you could hook someone up to that machine and then have them listen to poetry!