Chapter 6. The pantomimic origins of the narrative arts

Abstract

The evolutionary study of pantomime provides important insights into the origins of the narrative arts, including visual art, theatre, and narrative forms of dance (e.g., ballet). Drawing, as a motoric activity, shows a strong resemblance to tracing pantomimes. The main difference is that drawing generates an enduring image on a surface, whereas pantomime is “drawing in the air.” The theatrical arts – including dramatic acting, mime acting, and narrative forms of dance – take a more egocentric approach to pantomime than drawing, employing full-body mimicry of the expressive actions of a referent person. Overall, iconic gesturing through pantomime provides an evolutionary foundation for all of the narrative arts. On the flip side, a consideration of the narrative arts themselves provides many new avenues for the exploration of pantomime, including shedding light on gestural models of the origins of language.