Baudelaire often describes girls as having deep-dug eyes ("yeux creux"). Is this an accurate description of young women in 19th century France, or was he just desperate for a rhyme? Beyond deux, obviously. I mean, duh-huh.
Scholars of French literature and physiognomy, please advise.
8 comments:
I'm an expert in physiognomy. I even have one of my own. In fact, I'm so au fait with the whole field, I refer to it very casually and familiarly as fizzog.
This being the case, I have no idea. But as it was the 19th century we might blame consumption for all the deep-dug eyes about the place.
And may I say how nice it is to see you blogging!
PCB, great, this enhances the multidisciplinarity of the whole research project. The funding agencies are very keen on that, so I'm going to get my colleague Ian on board (he writes outstanding grant proposals, or "gives good grant" as we say in the trade) and go ahead. Our client will be really pleased.
I should explain, that here at Precision Handling we do a certain amount of classified work for the US government. Frankly, it's the income from that that permits our rates to be so reasonable otherwise.
"gives good grant"
But in the matter of grants, is it not better to receive than give?
Sam: "To him that hath, shall be given". As you will recall from your Lewis days.
PCB beat me to it with the consumption theory. Cow.
Is this so-called Baudelaire related to the Lemony Snicket character?
Don't mention that you're "in the trade"in front of Gorilla Bananas. It means somerthing amusing to him.
Those girls in the poems weren't lying around feebly, they were lying around energetically. With each other. Does TB enhance the libido?
Sam, yes, I've seen your phizz on Flickr. Would it be gentlemanly of me to point out that you're gorgeous, as well as being a talented writer? Go. Bananas would know, so I won't say it until after I've asked him.
Dr. M., did Lemony Snicket's Baudelaire have rhyming issues? That picture on your blog is a bit small, so it's hard to congratulate you on your appearance with equal sincerity. Nice yacht, though.
Actually "hollow" is a better translation than "deep dug", and "hollow eyed" suggests something less attractive altogether - redolent of stupidity, in a way, or something drug-induced, do you think? Or just bored.
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