History Main / RecitationHandclasp

* Alice did this when she was reciting poetry in the Disney version of ''WesternAnimation/AliceInWonderland''.

When someone is reciting something from memory (or singing something from memory, as in a ''recital''), they quite often assume a certain posture: Standing erect, they clasp the fingers of each hand together. See photo for example. (Photo comes from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMQ4phPPLHA a comic parody]] of the MajorGeneralSong.) Apparently there is sound reason for this posture; pulling on one's arms thusly expands the chest cavity, allowing for more lung capacity and thus volume. Perhaps a DiscreditedTrope, as it was probably done a lot more in the 19th century than today; modern classical singing technique expands the chest, sides, and back by other techniques which do not require alterations of a neutral standing posture, and a singer trained this way would have no reason to employ the hand-clasp.

[[caption-width-right:273:Recitation posture]] When someone is reciting something from memory (or singing something from memory, as in a ''recital''), they quite often assume a certain posture: Standing erect, they clasp the fingers of each hand together. See photo for example. (Photo comes from [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMQ4phPPLHA a comic parody]] of the MajorGeneralSong.) Apparently there is sound reason for this posture; pulling on one's arms thusly expands the chest cavity, allowing for more lung capacity and thus volume. Perhaps a DiscreditedTrope, as it was probably done a lot more in the 19th century than today; modern classical singing technique expands the chest, sides, and back by other techniques which do not require alterations of a neutral standing posture, and a singer trained this way would have no reason to employ the hand-clasp.

* This is done in ''Film/MissCongeniality'' (by Miss California, during her opera talent portions).

* The women's chorus assume this pose during the MajorGeneralSong in the 1983 film version of ''Film/ThePiratesOfPenzance'' (and in the Delacorte theatrical version from which it sprang).

* ''WesternAnimation/Animaniacs'': Wakko Warner makes a point of doing this in the "Great Wakkorotti" shorts.

* Alice did this when she was reciting poetry in the Disney version of ''Disney/AliceInWonderland''.

* The children assume this posture during their recital at the festival in ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic''.

[[folder: Films -- Animated]]

[[folder: Films -- Live-Action]]

[[folder: Literature]]
* In ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'', the narration always tells us she folded her hands before she recited something, which happened frequently since random characters were always ordering her to recite this or that poem. Most of what came out was a parody of Victorian moral poetry, though the allusions are all but lost to today's readers.

[[folder: Live Action TV]]

* In a segment of Greatest Hits on ''Series/WhoseLineIsItAnyway'', Wayne and Josie sing a song about chiropractors in the style of Creator/GilbertAndSullivan, assuming this position as a parody of those types of songs. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b6ZUwFvDVo#t=3m46s And it's awesome]].

[[folder: Web Original]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]
* A backstage video of Music/XJapan doing post production catches [[Music/HidetoMatsumoto hide]] doing this to mock a particularly bombastic part of "Dahlia." [[Music/ToshimitsuDeyama Toshi]] [[SelfDeprecation joins in.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'', Merida assumes this position when receiving elocution lessons from Elinor.

* Merida does this in ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'' when receiving elocution lessons from her mother.

* The cast of ''Studio60OnTheSunsetStrip'' did it when singing their version of ''Major General''.
* In a segment of Greatest Hits on ''WhoseLineIsItAnyway'', Wayne and Josie sing a song about chiropractors in the style of Creator/GilbertAndSullivan, assuming this position as a parody of those types of songs. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b6ZUwFvDVo#t=3m46s And it's awesome]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/Brave'', Merida assumes this position when receiving elocution lessons from Elinor.

[[folder: Film]]
* This is done in ''Film/MissCongeniality'' (by Miss California, during her opera talent portions).
* The children assume this posture during their recital at the festival in ''Film/TheSoundOfMusic''.
* Done without irony as a beginning and ending pose for the poetic recitations in the movie of ''Literature/AnneOfGreenGables''.
* One of several positions Creator/DannyKaye takes while singing in ''Film/TheCourtJester''.

* The knights of Camelot assume this posture (when they're not dancing on the tables) during the "Knights of the Round Table" song in ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail''.
* The womens' chorus assume this pose during the MajorGeneralSong in the 1983 film version of ''Film/ThePiratesOfPenzance'' (and in the Delacorte theatrical version from which it sprang).
* Kay Lemp, possibly out of nervousness, does this when making her national radio debut as a singer in ''Film/FourDaughters''.

* Yoshiki does it in all seriousness at his classical shows or during piano performances. Some people, not knowing what it is, assume it to be some kind of prayer.

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

* The womens' chorus assume this pose during the MajorGeneralSong in the 1983 film version of ''ThePiratesOfPenzance'' (and in the Delacorte theatrical version from which it sprang).

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:Literature]]
* In ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'', the narration always tells us she folded her hands before she recited something, which happened frequently since random characters were always ordering her to recite this or that poem. Most of what came out was a parody of Victorian moral poetry, though the allusions are all but lost to today's readers.

[[AC:WebOriginal]]

* Done by the lead voice in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seGpYa8UO0E "Every Major's Terrible" by the SFU Choir]], based on the ''{{xkcd}}'' strip.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

[[AC:RealLife]]

* The children assume this posture during their recital at the festival in ''TheSoundOfMusic''.

* The kinnigihts of Camelot assume this posture (when they're not dancing on the tables) during the "Knights of the Round Table" song in ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail''.

* In the ''FamilyGuy'' episode, "Model Misbehavior", Peter (all four of him) takes this position when reminiscing about the time he was a member of the singing group, "the Four Peters" (basically humming "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" by Mozart).

* This is done in ''Film/MissCongeniality''.