Write a 5-page essay (typed, double spaced, MLA format) closely analyzing 1-2 of the plays we have studied, watched, and discussed the second half of the semester: Much Ado about Nothing, Othello, and
You should choose at least four scenes from the film(s) that relate to your paper topic. (If you write about one film, then choose four scenes from it; if you write about two films, then choose two scenes from each film, and make these scenes correspond to each other—for instance, Desdemona standing up to her father in choosing to marry Othello is a parallel scene that corresponds to Hermia standing up to her father in choosing to marry Lysander). In addition to your observations about the film versions of those scenes, you also want to return to Shakespeare’s texts and read those scenes carefully, as they were written by Shakespeare.
The goal is to write a focused, thesis-driven essay that features your close readings of, and citations and quotations from, the play(s) and film(s). In coming up with your evidence for your essay, draw from your notes about the film(s), draw from your notes from class discussions, and now also draw from this additional component of closely reading the scenes from Shakespeare’s play. The body of your essay should be your written, detailed analysis of at least four scenes. Include in-text citations and quotations from the play(s) and timemarkers from the film(s). Where relevant, you may also include a screen captures from the film(s) that illustrates your argument if you wish.
We are not going to make this a research paper because a more important goal is for us to finish the course with a strong understanding of Shakespeare’s complexity. For the equivalent of the “research” component, I am asking you to return to the written text of Shakespeare’s play(s) and to read and analyze closely. You’ll find the texts of all three plays on our Canvas page under “Files.”
Right now, our class discussions have sometimes tended to come away with simplistic or inaccurate historical claims about “life back then.” Please be aware that these are not viable literary arguments. You want to ground your arguments in the evidence presented in the written text(s) and in the performance(s).
The chart on the following page may be helpful as you plan out your of your ideas/notes for EN 355 Short Paper #2.
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What is the focus that emerged from your notes that you will turn into your thesis for Short Paper #2? Write it in sentence form (as a detailed thesis statement) if possible. |
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Production #1 ________________________ (play title, year) |
Production #2 ____________________________ (play title, year) |
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Scene #1 (from production #1) that you will analyze that best relates to your focus (write a brief sentence-length reminder of what is happening in the scene; then list all of your notes that relate to this scene) What passage (act, scene, line numbers) does this correspond to in Shakespeare’s text? What do you observe when closely reading this scene? |
Scene #3 (from the production #2) that you will analyze that best relates to your focus (write a brief sentence-length reminder of what is happening in the scene; then list all of your notes that relate to this scene) What passage (act, scene, line numbers) does this correspond to in Shakespeare’s text? What do you observe when closely reading this scene? |
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Scene #2 (from production #1) that you will analyze that best relates to your focus (write a brief sentence-length reminder of what is happening in the scene; then list all of your notes that relate to this scene) What passage (act, scene, line numbers) does this correspond to in Shakespeare’s text? What do you observe when closely reading this scene? |
Scene #4 (from production #2) that you will analyze that best relates to your focus (write a brief sentence-length reminder of what is happening in the scene; then list all of your notes that relate to this scene) What passage (act, scene, line numbers) does this correspond to in Shakespeare’s text? What do you observe when closely reading this scene? |
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