  The Hitchin component Hit_n(S) of a closed surface S is a preferred component
of the character variety X_PSL_n(R)(S) consisting of homomorphisms from the
fundamental group pi_1(S) to the Lie group PSL_n(R)(S), whose elements enjoy
remarkable geometric and dynamical properties. We consider a certain type of
deformations of the elements of Hit_n(S), called shearing deformations, and
compute their pairing for the Atiyah-Bott-Goldman symplectic form of the
character variety.
