On Shaking Hands

📘 "On Shaking Hands" – Study Notes

• Author: A.G. Gardiner

• Genre: Humorous Essay / Social Commentary

• Tone: Light-hearted, reflective, witty

• Theme: Social customs, habits, and cultural differences

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🧠 Summary

In “On Shaking Hands,” A.G. Gardiner explores the social custom of shaking hands — something people do often without thinking. 

He examines its origin, significance, and variations across cultures and times.

Gardiner argues that a handshake is more than just a greeting — it's a symbol of trust, equality, and goodwill. 

It shows that the hand is empty and therefore not a threat, unlike in ancient times when people feared attack.

He also talks about how different cultures use different gestures — like bowing, saluting, or folding hands — and says that every custom reveals something about a society’s attitude toward relationships and respect.

With wit and humour, he even mocks some overly formal or exaggerated handshakes, calling them awkward or silly.

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🎯 Central Theme

🤝 Social Customs Reflect Human Nature

• Customs like shaking hands show the desire for peace, respect, and friendliness.

• They also differ between cultures, showing how human behavior adapts.

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✍️ Important Lines & Explanation

📜 “The hand is an instrument both of peace and of war.”

Explanation:

• The hand can either attack or greet.

• A handshake proves it holds no weapon — it’s a gesture of peace.

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📜 “To shake hands is to show that we are equals.”

Explanation:

• Unlike bowing or saluting, shaking hands is a democratic gesture.

• It shows respect without hierarchy.

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📜 “I like the way the Japanese bow with grace and dignity.”

Explanation:

• The writer praises other cultures' customs, showing cultural respect and open-mindedness.

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✒️ Literary Devices

1. Humour

• Gardiner uses funny examples to show how people overdo or misunderstand handshakes.

2. Irony

• He points out how something simple like a handshake can be done in an awkward or pompous way.

3. Anecdotes

• He refers to different customs across the world, using them as short stories.

4. Contrast

• Compares Western handshakes to Eastern bows or Indian folded hands.

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