The 1644 Chirologia consists of descriptions (and accompanying "chirograms" or drawings) of hand gestures expressing various emotional states. The book is based on John Bulwer's personal observations of contemporaries, as well as classical and sixteenth-century Italian texts. Students will discover that most of these gestures are still in use today.
Chirologia: or The naturall language of the hand· by J. B. fl. 1648-1654. London : printed by Tho. Harper, and are to be sold by R[ichard] Whitaker, at his shop in Pauls Church-yard, 1644. Wing / B5462A
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P. 115: A Corollary of the Speaking Motions
Teacher Ideas
Diana Sheva / Johnson Opportunity High School, Los Angeles, CA / English
After a whole-class discussion and demonstration of Bulwer's chirograms and their descriptions, I divide students into groups, giving each group a different short, emotional speech from The Winter's Tale. Students decide as a group which gestures to use in the speech. Then students in each group read their assigned speech from an overhead projector, in unison and with the appropriate hand gestures.
Marc Onion / St Benedict's Prep School, Newark, NJ / English
I ask students to identify modern examples of focused body language being acted out in film, television, and theatre, such as "the High-Five" and "the wave." Then I ask students to read a short speech from the play with modern hand gestures that Shakespeare's audience would not have known.
Marjorie Margolis / Conant High School, Jaffrey, NH / English
I ask students to perform a short, truncated version of the play or a scene from the play using only hand gestures and body language, and no words.
