Voices from Beyond: Physiology, Sentience, and the Uncanny in Eighteenth-Century French Literature

In the early eighteenth century, there was uncertainty about the relationship between the voice and the body, which became a subject of scientific and cultural interest. Voices from Beyond, by Scott Sanders, explores the diverse representations of the human voice in philosophical and literary works from the period, focusing on how it was constructed in French works influenced by French vocal sciences and British literary and philosophical texts. Sanders argues that the conception of sentimental and vitalist voices was anchored to a physiological understanding of vocal organs, leading to the development of a disembodied, uncanny voice that could imitate the sounds of a good moral fiber while masking a monstrous physiology.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 11 April 2022
Publisher: University of Virginia Press

In the early eighteenth century, a profound uncertainty prevailed regarding the relationship between the voice and the body, igniting a significant scientific and cultural fascination. Scott Sanders' Voices from Beyond emerges as an interdisciplinary and transnational exploration of eighteenth-century conceptions of the human voice. Through his comprehensive book, Sanders delves into the rich tapestry of thought surrounding vocal materiality and its multifaceted roles in philosophical and literary works of the period. He uncovers representations of the voice that seamlessly intertwine physiology with physics, music with moral philosophy, and literary description with performance. Voices from Beyond specifically concentrates on the construction of the voice in French works, drawing upon French vocal sciences as well as British literary and philosophical texts. It examines the writings of prominent figures such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Denis Diderot, François Baculard dArnaud, and Jacques Cazotte, delving into their theories, representations, and constructions of three interconnected vocal types: the sentimental, the vitalist, and the uncanny. These authors portrayed the human voice as an intricate organ, with profound implications for one's emotional disposition, physical health, cultural identity, gender, and sexuality.

Sanders argues that while the conception of sentimental and vitalist voices was initially rooted in a physiological understanding of vocal organs, a paradoxical outcome ensued. This paradoxical development led to the emergence of a disembodied and uncanny voice—one capable of mimicking the sounds of a virtuous moral fiber while concealing a monstrous physiology. Through his meticulous analysis, Sanders sheds light on the complex interplay between the voice and the body in the eighteenth century, highlighting the profound cultural, philosophical, and artistic dimensions of this relationship. Voices from Beyond serves as a valuable contribution to the field, offering a comprehensive and insightful exploration of a period that witnessed a remarkable transformation in the understanding and representation of the human voice.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780813947327