Curves and Angles in Handwriting: A Morettian Perspective on Personality through Form

How do curved and angular shapes in handwriting reflect different psychological tendencies?In this article, we explore two foundational concepts in Morettian graphology—curve and angle—and what they can reveal about personality traits, adaptation styles and internal balance.

🔹 What are curves and angles in handwriting?

In the context of graphology, and particularly in the Italian-Morettian school, curves and angles refer to the form of individual strokes or letter shapes. These are not aesthetic details, but significant indicators of how a person responds to stimuli, processes emotion, and expresses themselves.

• Curved writing is characterized by rounded, flowing, elastic forms.

• Angular writing shows sharp, broken, pointed movements, often with sudden changes of direction.

🔹 What do they reveal?

According to Girolamo Moretti, founder of the Italian school of graphology, these two elements express complementary aspects of human nature:

🔸 Curved strokes → Adaptability, softness, emotional receptivity

Individuals with predominantly curved writing tend to be sociable, accommodating, and more emotionally expressive. They show aesthetic sensitivity, a desire for harmony, and a tendency to avoid conflict.

This trait is not to be confused with weakness—it reflects emotional intelligence and relational openness, especially when accompanied by firmness in pressure and spatial organization.

🔸 Angular strokes → Determination, critical sense, inner control

Angular handwriting reflects a strong character, logical thinking, and mental rigor. These individuals are often resilient, resistant to persuasion, and show firmness of opinion.

If excessive, this form may point to rigidity, impatience, or difficulty in empathic communication. But in balance, it reveals moral integrity and intellectual clarity.

🔍 Examples of where curves and angles appear:

Letter	Curved form	Angular form
m	rounded arches	pointed peaks
n	soft descending movement	sharp break at the top
r	rounded loop	pointed vertical turn
t	softly bent crossbar	high, rigid, straight crossbar

(If you’d like visual examples, see our post: “Curved vs. Angular: Visual Guide to Morettian Signs”)

🧠 Psychological interpretation (Morettian synthesis)

Moretti didn’t interpret signs in isolation. He taught that the value of a stroke depends on its relationship to the whole writing. Still, curves and angles remain central indicators of:

• Affective style (warmth vs. control)

• Cognitive orientation (intuition vs. logic)

• Moral stance (flexibility vs. intransigence)

• Social interaction (welcoming vs. guarded)

🧩 Practical applications

In graphological consulting, the balance between curves and angles is useful in:

• Vocational guidance → To match personality traits with professional paths (e.g., relational vs. analytical roles)

• Team analysis → To support communication dynamics in groups

• Individual coaching → To develop awareness of personal style and relational preferences

• Selection and assessment → To complement objective profiles with non-verbal personality insights

📚 Final thoughts

Curves and angles are more than shapes—they are expressions of psychological rhythm.Through the Morettian lens, observing the way a letter bends or breaks offers a window into how the person navigates life: with softness or with strength, with openness or with structure.

“La scrittura è il gesto della personalità.” — Girolamo Moretti(Handwriting is the gesture of personality.)

✍️ At The Graphology Hub, we interpret handwriting not as decoration, but as human movement made visible. Want to discover what your writing says about you? Contact us.