Choose ONE topic below, and write 3 pages (typed, double space) in essay form that answers the question fully. may use sources, and the paper must be in MLA format with a works cited page.
1) Discuss the differences between the power of Women and the power of Men in MEDEA. What is virtuous or sleazy about Jason? What specifically has he done wrong? What motivates Jason? Note that he only refers to their children as his. Is Medea justified in her revenge?
2) MEDEA is still one of the most controversial plays ever written, with its powerful evocations of women’s rights and Medea’s choice of infanticide. Consider carefully what you think of its awesome heroine. Pay close attention to how and when she comes to decide to kill her children. Consider her reasoning and note when she wavers.
4) Throughout Shakespeare’s HAMLET, , Hamlet claims to be feigning madness, but his portrayal of a madman is so intense and so convincing that many readers believe that Hamlet actually slips into insanity at certain moments in the play. Do you think this is true, or is Hamlet merely play-acting insanity? What evidence can you cite for either claim?
5) Think about Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia. Does he love her? Does he stop loving her? Did he ever love her? What evidence can you find in the play to support your opinion?
6) Suicide is an important theme in Hamlet. Discuss how the play treats the idea of suicide morally, religiously, and aesthetically, with particular attention to Hamlet’s two important statements about suicide: the “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt” soliloquy (I.ii.129–158) and the “To be, or not to be” soliloquy (III.i.56–88). Why does Hamlet believe that, although capable of suicide, most human beings choose to live, despite the cruelty, pain, and injustice of the world?
7) Critical reception to A Raisin in the Sun was not all positive when the play first came out. One of the major points of contention was that the play was pro-integration. Some segments of the African-American community felt that integration actually was not the end-all answer to America’s race problem. Discuss the ways in which the idea of integration is presented throughout the play. Is Hansberry’s presentation one-sided, or does she raise issues relevant to both viewpoints?
Specifics:
1) cite it in MLA format
2) use quotation marks around quoted passages, and document all sources properly.
3) mention the title of the play you are discussing in the INTRO, not just the title.
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