How to's (3): Ghid scurt şi practic de a te comporta la o înmormântare

Jep Gambardella (Toni Servillo) în La grande bellezza (dir. Paolo Sorrentino/2013)

„Many think that a funeral is a fortuitous event, without any rules. That's not true. A funeral is a high-society event par excellence. You must never forget that at a funeral you are appearing on stage. You must patiently wait for the relatives to disperse. Once you are sure that all the guests are seated, only at that point, may you offer your condolences to the family. In this way, everyone will see you. You take the mourner's hands, and rest yours on their arms. You whisper something to them, a comforting phrase, said with authority. For example:

(...) You're allowed to retire to a corner by yourself, as if contemplating your sorrow. However, another matter must be approached with shrewdness. The chosen place needs to be isolated but clearly visible to the public. Besides, a performance is good when it is devoid of any superfluity. So, the fundamental rule: one must never cry at a funeral. You must never steal the show from the family's sorrow. That is forbidden. Because it is immoral.”

Previous installments in this series: 
How to's (2)
How to's (1)