Shakespeare and the Art of Physiognomy

This book deals with the poetics of the human face, the art of physiognomy, and strategies of nonverbal communication in Shakespeare's plays. It offers new insight into Shakespeare's modes of characterisation, and his art of performance. In Shakespeare's plays, the human face is a focal point. As an area where expression and impression meet (and, ideally, correspond), its reliability and trustworthiness are frequently put to the test, sparking off a controversy which serves as a significant and highly challenging subtext to the overall plot.