Kiss On Hand
Trinh Au
ENGL 1301
Professor R. Kaffenberger
Summary/Response Essay
Thursday, February 11th, 2015
Baisemain- a Kiss of the Hand
Have you ever got a kiss on the hand and think of the seduction instead of another politely way for greeting? If not, this would be the best article for us to know more about the hand kissing called “Operation Seduction”. One lady named Elaine Scioline came to Paris, France due to her work as the Paris bureau chief for the New York Times, and she is the author of this article “Operation Seduction” tells us about the president of France kissing her hand, which was also her first experience of hand kissing, and she also tells the different meaning of seductions in French and English. Moreover, Scioline also tells us the history of the baisemain-a kiss of the hand. In the third paragraph, she used some examples such as: “old-fashioned for whoever is under the age of 60, vassal proves homage to their lord by kissing the hand during the middle Ages, or convey a man’s gallantry and politeness to a lady during the 19th century”(3). But, they have their own rules for hand kissing, and it’s really interesting like they are not going to kiss ladies with glove on, single women, or young girls; and they are only do it indoors. For me, it seems really interesting how Scioline gives out those important information of hand kissing in the past.
Then, she describes how the president of France- Jacques Chirac kissed her hand. She said Chirac hold her hand gently just like he hold one of his treasure pearls. When her hand reached the level of his chest, he bent down to meet her hand and started to kiss her hand. She felt his lips touch her skin. In the other hand, the kiss is not an act of passion, and she already known but she still found it charming and flattering. This is just a way to greet a lady, while some ladies take it seriously. Because they believe in the seduction, but this is just an act of the politeness. As a lady, I think I would take
ENGL 1301
Professor R. Kaffenberger
Summary/Response Essay
Thursday, February 11th, 2015
Baisemain- a Kiss of the Hand
Have you ever got a kiss on the hand and think of the seduction instead of another politely way for greeting? If not, this would be the best article for us to know more about the hand kissing called “Operation Seduction”. One lady named Elaine Scioline came to Paris, France due to her work as the Paris bureau chief for the New York Times, and she is the author of this article “Operation Seduction” tells us about the president of France kissing her hand, which was also her first experience of hand kissing, and she also tells the different meaning of seductions in French and English. Moreover, Scioline also tells us the history of the baisemain-a kiss of the hand. In the third paragraph, she used some examples such as: “old-fashioned for whoever is under the age of 60, vassal proves homage to their lord by kissing the hand during the middle Ages, or convey a man’s gallantry and politeness to a lady during the 19th century”(3). But, they have their own rules for hand kissing, and it’s really interesting like they are not going to kiss ladies with glove on, single women, or young girls; and they are only do it indoors. For me, it seems really interesting how Scioline gives out those important information of hand kissing in the past.
Then, she describes how the president of France- Jacques Chirac kissed her hand. She said Chirac hold her hand gently just like he hold one of his treasure pearls. When her hand reached the level of his chest, he bent down to meet her hand and started to kiss her hand. She felt his lips touch her skin. In the other hand, the kiss is not an act of passion, and she already known but she still found it charming and flattering. This is just a way to greet a lady, while some ladies take it seriously. Because they believe in the seduction, but this is just an act of the politeness. As a lady, I think I would take