ENG 208 – Literary Analysis Essay #1 – DUE Tuesday, 10/7 via EMAIL

ENG 208 – Literary Analysis Essay #1 – DUE Tuesday, 10/7 MIDNIGHT via EMAIL.

If you prefer to hand it in as a hard copy, it will be due by 5:00 pm on Tuesday, 10/7—slip under my door in ROOM 1150 (RED AREA).

Essay #1 (of 4-5 pages with additional Works Cited page attached) is due on Tuesday, October 7, via EMAIL. Late papers—those submitted with a Wednesday, 10/8 OR LATER time stamp—will receive 2 permanent points off for lateness. Thus, do not wait until the last minute--that's when computer issues, Internet problems, etc., arise--it is your responsibility to have your work in on time. You will be given until Tuesday, October 14 to revise, if necessary. Otherwise, the original grade stands. The revised paper may be emailed to me. There will be NO exceptions to this.

CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

1) In Richard III, Lady Anne (1.2) and Queen Margaret (1.3) and utter curses which come true. In an essay, provide at least two examples of these curses, and discuss the ironies of their fulfillment as they are visited upon both those who issued the curse and upon the cursed. Cite specifically to the source, using standard MLA-style documentation. In addition, find one critical essay (external secondary source) to quote from.

2) In class, we discussed the fascination of audiences with “anti-heroes,” who are neither totally “good” nor totally “evil.” At the beginning of Richard III, Richard tells us (the audience) exactly what he plans to do, and how he plans to go about getting what he wants. He clearly states, “I am determined to prove a villain” (1.1.30). In an essay, provide two or three specific examples from the text to explain whether or not you think Shakespeare’s rendering of Richard makes him an anti-hero or simply a villain. Cite specifically to the source, using standard MLA-style documentation. In addition, find one critical essay (external secondary source) to quote from.  

3) In Richard III, the two murderers (1.4) discuss the role of “conscience” as they are about to kill Richard’s brother, the Duke of Clarence. One says, “It makes a man a coward” (1.4.139). Later in the play, Richard himself is haunted by dreams in which the ghosts of those he has murdered appear to him (5.3). Yet, afterward, he says “Conscience is but a word that cowards use” (5.3.327). Explain the importance of the role of conscience in the play. Cite specifically to the source, using standard MLA-style documentation. In addition, find one critical essay (external secondary source) to quote from.

4) One of the main themes of Richard III is the corruption of power. In an essay, discuss the corrupting influence of power on Richard as well as at least one of those around him (i.e., Buckingham). Cite specifically to the source, using standard MLA-style documentation. In addition, find one critical essay (external secondary source) to quote from.

5) Through the persuasiveness of his speech, Richard is able to woo and win Lady Anne, even though he has killed her husband and her father-in-law. Old Queen Margaret issues forth curses against Richard and others. Richard’s mother, too, offers commentary. Discuss how women—such as Lady Anne, Queen Elizabeth, the Duchess of York (Richard’s mother), and/or Queen Margaret—depicted in the play. Cite specifically to the source, using standard MLA-style documentation. In addition, find one critical essay (external secondary source) to quote from.

6) In his first soliloquy, Richard states that he must become evil because of his physical deformity (1.1). His view of his own masculinity is made manifest in the opening speech. Further, Lady Anne shows contempt for his physical form (1.2), suggesting that he is the embodiment of political and moral corruption. Throughout the play, Richard comments on his own machinations to become crowned King of England. In an essay, discuss whether you think fate or free will explains Richard’s evil. Cite specifically to the source, using standard MLA-style documentation. In addition, find one critical essay (external secondary source) to quote from.

7) In the 1995 film adaptation of Richard III, we see that Sir Ian McKellen (actor and co-writer) and Richard Longcraine (director and co-writer) have updated the play from its original era to the 1930s. The filmmakers stated that they wanted to ensure that the play remained relevant to a contemporary audience. Write an essay in which you discuss whether you think the adaptation was wholly successful, or whether there were characters and/or scenes that should have remained in the film version. Be specific. Cite specifically to the source, using standard MLA-style documentation. In addition, find one critical essay (external secondary source) to quote from.

   

NOTE: If you are answering Question #7, here is the MLA citation:

Richard III. Dir. Richard Longcraine. Perf. Ian McKellen, Annette Bening, Jim Broadbent, Robert Downey, Jr. United Artists, 1995. DVD. 

Criteria for Grading

In your essay, you must include support for your response from whichever primary text you have chosen, as well as from at least one outside critical essay—which you must research. Cite specifically to the source, using standard MLA-style documentation, including a Works Cited Page. The expectation is that you will write grammatically correct and coherent sentences, following standard composition form.

Again, your short essays are evaluated using the following criteria: you have answered the question asked—meaning, you have written a clear thesis statement with supporting points and you have answered the question completely); you have cited adequately from the source reading as well as secondary sources (critical essays) using MLA style; and, you have demonstrated strength in your writing that is appropriate to a 200-level literature course (well-structured sentences and paragraphs, proper spelling, grammar, no run-on sentences or sentence fragments, proper punctuation, use of transitions, logical conclusion). If you receive “NG”—meaning “Not Gradable”—due to numerous composition errors (ex: poor grammar, misspellings, lack of thesis, poor sentence structure, not MLA-compliant, etc.), you are strongly advised to take your paper to The Learning Center (2nd Floor) to work with a tutor for assistance in revising the essay for resubmission.
 

Plagiarism results in an "F" on the paper with NO POSSIBILITY of revision or “extra credit” make-up work. If you plagiarize, you have automatically lost the ability to earn any grade higher than a “B” grade for the course.

YOU MAY NOT USE the following as sources, as they are NOT considered scholarly works: SparkNotes, CliffsNotes, ClassicNotes, Enotes, GradeSaver, or any other student guides. Also, a Wikipedia entry may NOT be used as a source—however, if the “Source” section of a Wikipedia entry contains a scholarly work (a journal article or academic book) that you want to quote from in your paper, you are free to retrieve the work from the library (hard copy or from a database) and incorporate it into your paper. VALE contains a number of excellent databases through which you can find good literature resources (ProQuest, Literature Resource Center, etc.) You may also check Google Scholar—it keeps getting better and better!

You must write well if you are to receive a good grade in my course. I do not “curve” grades—also, I do not pass students whose writing does not show that they have properly met the standards of what I consider acceptable. The Learning Center is open every day and evening and is available to you. It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that your papers are proof-read before you hand them in. Below is how I break down the points:

• Clear thesis statement, well-organized supporting points and conclusion: 10 points
• Cited adequately and correctly from the texts (primary and secondary): 5 points
• Demonstrated writing strength (sentence structure, spelling, grammar): 5 points