Charles Dickens Handwriting

Mar 25 2010 Published by admin under Handwriting of the Famous & Infamous

Charles Dickens

Dickens unhappy boyhood profoundly influenced his literary career. At the age of nine, out of economic hardship, he and his family moved to a shabby house on one of London’s mean and dismal streets. Many of the places, as well as life experiences, would be the basis for much of what he would later write about.
Charles Dickens was sufficiently gifted, optimistic, energetic, and ambitious to overcome and use these early experiences. He turned to writing at age twenty-two and his first work brought little financial return. With the publication of “The Pickwick Papers,” he became famous. From then on, his life was free of extreme need, though his marriage to the daughter of his editor was generally unhappy. Dickens was often targeted by literary purists and romanticists who objected to his exposing the suffering of the poor and their heartless exploitation. His books raised storms of protest, and movements started for ameliorating the conditions that he wrote about.
Notice the great variability is size of letters – as seen in example of magnified letters. Each red box is the exact same height.

Charles Dicken

The “es” on the bottom is much larger than the “ind” above. The impressionability and sensitivity which made Dickens’ youthful experiences so deeply felt that they influenced his entire career, are very apparent in the variability of the size of his writing.
His acute perception, understanding observation of what he saw, and discerning ability is seen in his small letters that are pointed at the top. In remembering the meaning from the “symbolism of space”, these pointed formations are pointing toward the upper realm of intellect.
Note the fluency, quickness, and ease with which the stroke moves across the paper. This shows Dicken’s lightening quick mind, his candor, and his gift for expression.
Noteworthy is his somewhat unusual signature. Larger than the body of writing indicates the tendency to appear more confident than he really is. The pretentious zigzag underscoring would ordinarily reflect conceit but, put into the context of his life, the meaning could be his sense of gratification at having been able to conquer the adversity of his early life.

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Wolfgang von Goethe’s Handwriting

Jan 18 2010 Published by admin under Handwriting of the Famous & Infamous, Uncategorized

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
(1749-1832)

Wolfgang von Goeths

Wolfgang von Goethe

Goethe was a German writer and prodigy whose works include poetry, drama, literature, theology, philosophy, humanism, and science. He is considered one of the greatest figures in Western literature. His most famous work is the poetic drama in two parts, FAUST. Like the famous character of this poem, Goethe was interested in alchemy. He also made important discoveries in connection with plant and animal life, and evolved a non-Newtonian and unorthodox theory of the character of light and color.
His writing would be considered medium-sized, evidencing his excellent ability to face reality, to be practical both about the things he could do, as well as to recognize the things he did not excel in, such as painting.
The slant of his writing reflects amiability and generosity while his straight baseline of writing indicates a straightforward, deliberate, discipline and orderly person.
There is uniformity in his style, with gracefully rounded letters and occasional use of pointed forms at the top of letters m and n. These are significant signs of calm reason, good judgment, a gentle disposition, dignity, and a keen critical mind.
A broad mind, receptive to new ideas, is shown by the very wide spacing between words. The wide letter formations show personal generosity, but the narrowing left-hand margin is indicative that the generosity was not entirely impulsive. It was curbed by an instinct of good management and by reason.
High thin capitals, or capitals adorned with inflated loops are signs of vivid, creative imagination as well as of pride in reputation and recognition. The Greek form of the capital E (first letter of the fifth line) shows discriminating taste with a leaning towards elaborateness.
Overall, his handwriting and the story of his life supplement each other very fully. Both tell emphatically of his high mental and cultural endowments. Both show his practical ability. And if we were to delve more deeply into his life, we would find instances of that mild vanity and eccentricity, and dislike for strife which appear in the writing. The evidences of versatility, gentleness, amiability, a protective attitude and carefully husbanded generosity are also to be found in both the career and the handwriting of this most famous of German poets.

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F. Scott Fitzgerald Handwriting

Dec 29 2009 Published by admin under Handwriting of the Famous & Infamous, Jungian Graphology, MBTI Personality Typology, Typology

F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896 – 1940)

F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald Signature

F. Scott Fitzgerald Signature


Fitzgerald was an American novelist, famed for his depictions of the 1920′s Jazz Age. His best known work, The Great Gatsby, was written in 1925. He has been described as self-absorbed, drunk, and eccentric.  A heart attack, most likely alcohol induced in 1940, claimed his life at the young age of 44.

What stands out in this sample is the use of garland connections (seen at the baseline of writing), the unusual upper zone forms and movement (seen in his “F” and t-bar crossings), and the highly developed pictorial quality to the writing.

The unusual connections, as well as his capital “F” are in the upper zone of ideas, philosophies, and intellect. Creative forms in this area then, indicate the ability to think very creatively, uniquely. Notice in the enlarged signature sample, the unusual formation of his capital “F”. Not only is this creative, it is on the eccentric side, representing that eccentric quality to his personality.

The more picture-like form to the writing would be called a “persona” writing. rather than being free-flowing, the writing has an artistic look, almost as if it were drawn. This is not then a spontaneous writing, meaning that the writer spends time and energy making things look “just right”. People that execute their writing in a careful manner are more difficult to read, to understand, than those that are spontaneous.

Notice, toward the bottom of the sample, how “New York” is connected between the “w” and “Y”. When we see words connected like this, the meaning is that the writer is quite intelligent whose thoughts flow freely.

The cup-like, garland formations at the bottom of letters indicates amiability and a need to avoid conflict. Good organizational spacing indicate organized thinking with the ability to plan ahead. The vertical quality to his writing indicates self-involvement.

The pressure pattern of his writing, not clearly evident through this particular sample, but seen in others, indicates an appreciation of things that stimulate his senses, such as fine food, good wine, etc.

In terms of typologies, this writing would be considered primarily “sensing” (earth)

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