Concept in Definition ABC

A bow is a token of I respect towards someone. This action is normally performed with a slight tilt of the head as a symbol that conveys special consideration. In everyday life this type of manifestation is infrequent and they are more typical of formal acts officials, in which some people express a consideration for a representative or a person of great relief.

Reverence is a form of universal greeting, since in all societies there are individuals who have a singular social consideration (a authority religious, military or politics). According to its etymology, it is a term that comes from Latin (reverentia) and means respectful fear. If we take its etymological meaning as a reference, it is striking that respect is accompanied by fear, which implies that the action of reverence obeyed in its origin the fear that was had to the authority.

Types of bow

There is no single way to bow, because in each context it is done with certain guidelines. One could speak of several modalities: a slight bow of the head, with a genuflection of the knee or a combination of both positions. These forms of respect are part of the

tradition of the European monarchy and its use is maintained in some very specific acts.

Reverence as a form of submission

The institution The monarchy has evolved in most countries, but for centuries it has been a symbol of absolute power, so the act of reverence expressed submission (the people were not citizens but had the status of subjects and had to show their devotion to the monarch). Thus, bowing as a respectful greeting in the world of the court had a hierarchical sense and a justification divine, since it was considered that the king had the power because God had wanted it that way.

A manifestation of respect

The fundamental idea of ​​reverence is the message of respect that it carries. In this sense, this custom also occurs in the entertainment world (theater, circus or concerts), when the artists bow to the audience at the end of the performance, thus indicating that they appreciate the applause of the spectators.

In the context of a tribute to a famous person or with some special merit, it is very common for the act to end with a bow from the honoree as a gesture of gratitude.

The three situations mentioned (the monarchical tradition, the artists on stage or a tribute), have something in common: reverence is presented as a expression from communication non-verbal, with a symbolic charge and an important dose of solemnity.

Themes in Reverence