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About handedness, there have been studies which show that early man was left-handed, during the Greco-Roman time - shifted towards right-handed, and by the Dark Ages, right handedness was the dominant trait. So any fiction set during Xena's time would left and right handers evenly divided.
As for left-handedness, because the modern world is structured toward right-handedness, the lefties die younger from accidents. However, in during the recent U.S. elections, most of the Presidential candidates and Presidents were lefties -- Bush (both), Clinton, Ford, Carter, and Reagan. They were tall too. Maybe being tall and left-handed is a requirement for being U.S. President. ;)
The only historical recorded lefty of Xena's time is Caesar, Julius Caesar.
Yours in left handedness,
Virginia Carper
| "Andjam" <andjamgeo@...>
04/15/01 07:00 AM
|
To: distexters@yahoogroups.com cc: Subject: [DisTexters] Handedness in fiction |
"There is one thing I forgot to tell you - I'm not left handed" - The
Princess Bride.
There are estimates that about 1 in 10 people are left handed. Is
this reflected in fiction? Are left-handers required to act as right-
handers or vice versa? Are left-handed actors discriminated
against?
In many sporting areas (baseball, tennis AFAIK), left-handers have
an edge and are well represented because most people (including
left-handers themselves) are more familiar with playing against a
right-handed player. Would this also be the case with fighting
prowess? If so, wouldn't that make lack of representation of left-
handers in fiction involving successful fighters more anomolous?
(Though a character being successful due to handedness rather
than having extra skills up one's sleeve may be boring).
Most of the characters in XWP are right-handed, aren't they? What
about the actors / actresses for XWP?
Have they misrepresented any historical characters with respect to
handedness? :P
Andjam
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