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. Professor Baumbach studied at Heidelberg Cambridge and Munich and has taught at the universities of Warwick Giessen and Stanford. She is now at the University of Innsbruck. Her publications include 'Let me behold thy face'-- Physiognomik und Gesichtslektueren in Shakespeares Tragoedien (2007) An Introduction to the Study of Plays and Drama (as co-author 2009) and Literature and Fascination (2015.