ENG 1102 Grace Christian University The Sound of a Voice Essay

Essay Assignment: Write a short essay (1250 words) that defends a thesis you developed through a close critical reading/analysis of a literary work listed in Chapter 29 Plays for Further Reading in your Backpack Literature text on page 1063, and supported by at least three secondary sources. This essay still relies on textual support from the primary text but includes at least three secondary sources that support/sustain the student’s argument. Do not confuse “critical analysis” with “plot summary”; the goal is to develop, sustain, and advance a thesis based on a critique of the primary text but also supported by at least three secondary sources.

What you’ll be graded upon:

15% Introduction: You establish a context for the significance of your thesis in regards to the literary work as a whole. How does your argument contribute to understanding the author’s major literary/thematic concerns? What can other readers learn from your analysis? How does your analysis/critique fit in with other critical responses of the author/literary work?

15% Thesis: You state your main point (or argument) in 1-2 sentences; the thesis is the culmination of your introduction.

30% Organization: Your essay should follow that of typical literary critiques:

Since your focus must be on analyzing some literary motif, theme, or a combination of literary elements (such as symbolism, character, setting, etc.), your essay must contain well-structured supporting paragraphs that contain a topic sentence, quotes from the primary text, at least one quote from three different sources, an explanation/discussion of the significance of each quote you use in relation to your thesis, and a concluding sentence or two that situates the entire paragraph in relation to the thesis. Your thesis will focus on some kind of critical analysis of the primary text, so your supporting paragraphs should contain quotes from the text that illustrate your thesis/argument; in addition, you should include at least one quote from three different secondary sources to support your argument. Do not simply sprinkle random quotes into your paper and then ignore them; your supporting paragraphs should be organized around each of the quotes you use, explaining the significance of the quotes and why (or how) they illustrate your main point, but you also need to make sure that your paragraphs contain strong transitions and at least six (or more) sentences.

10% Conclusion: Regardless of the argument you make, you want a conclusion that avoids summarizing what you’ve just said, and please avoid writing, “In conclusion.…” Your aim in a conclusion is to place the discussion in a larger context. For example, how might your critical analysis of a literary character relate to the other characters in a work? How might your thesis be applied to other aspects of the text, say for example, setting or symbolism?

15% Grammar and mechanics: Your paper avoids basic grammar mistakes, such as dropped apostrophes in possessives, subject/verb disagreement, arbitrary tense switches, etc. The paper demonstrates a commitment to proofreading by avoiding easy-to-catch typos and word mistakes (effect for affect, for example). The paper adheres to MLA formatting style for in-text and bibliographic citations.

15% Presentation: Your paper meets the minimum length criteria of 1200 words, is typed with a title and your name on it. You follow your individual professor’s instructions for formatting (margins, placement of the name, etc).

Discussion

Construct a one-paragraph argument about one of the following topics:

• The exposition, complication, climax of Othello;
• the comic elements of Othello: satiric comedy, high comedy, low comedy, etc.
• the relationship between two of the characters of Othello;
• the setting of Othello;
• one of the dominant themes of Othello

Once you have selected a topic:

1. Make a claim in response to one of the topics above.
2. Add evidence to support your claim in the form of a quotation to illustrate the point you are making. See Module 6 Writer’s Workshop for information about format for quoting plays.
3. Add analysis by explaining how your quote proves or illustrates your claim.

Respond to Two Classmates

After you have constructed and posted your argument, reply to at least two of your classmates’ arguments by either:

1. Agreeing with that person and adding another quote or example that supports his/her argument, or
2. Disagreeing and adding another quote that undermines his/her argument.

Current post:

1.William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, is set in Venice during what is believed to be the late sixteenth century. Venice is a prosperous Italian city and a symbol of law and civilization (Kennedy, pg. 724). It is mostly white people, which makes Othello, a black Moor, stand out among the Venetians. Venice also happens to be renowned for its prostitutes. Eventually, the action moves to a military encampment in Cyprus, which is an island sacred to Venus, the goddess of love. On the island of love, all hell breaks loose and Iago is able to convince Othello that Desdemona has been cheating on him. At this military camp, Desdemona has lost any kind of support system she may have had in her hometown of Venice. Therefore, she’s vulnerable to the kind of violence associated with the world of men and the military.

2.This week I chose to analyze the dominant theme in Othello by William Shakespeare. The reoccurring theme in Othello is the fight and desire for justice. Brabantio is the first character the reader observes in search of justice. He is disturbed that his daughter has chosen to marry Othello, a man of a different race. Brabantio believes Othello must have bewitched her, “I therefore apprehend and do attach thee…” (1.2.77) Brabantio feels entitled to have revenge or justice because of the social status and racial status he holds. He believes Othello is racially inferior and, therefore not suitable for his daughter. What Brabantio views as justice is just a form of racial prejudice and a dominating need for control over social standards and his daughter. He attempts to justify his hatred and need for authority and dominance using justice.

3.I decided to do my topic on the dominant themes of Othello. For being different of color, Othello is accused of witchcraft for making Desdemona fall in love with him. Accusing of Othello of a robber, “Zounds, sir, you’re robbed. For Shame, put on your gown!” (Kennedy, pg. 782.) Othello did not only have to defend his passion, but he had to protect his position as a servant of the Duke. Both Iago and Rodrigo are to ruin Othello’s relationship and career with the Duke because of jealousy and the power he has towards the Duke. I believe his skin color could have changed the whole play and not made it sound like he had to defend himself.

4.For this assignment I chose to write on the dominant themes in William Shakespeare’s famous play Othello. Othello is a rich story with complex characters. The major themes of Othello have to do with racism and racial prejudice, jealousy, envy, rivalry, and what those dominant emotions drive people to do. Othello, the central character of the play, is a black man married to a white woman named Desdemona. Desdemona comes from the heights of political aristocracy in the play, as she is the daughter of a Senator who is named Brabantino. Desdemona is beautiful and has many admirers. Roderigo, who loves Desdemona, alongside his companion and also Othello’s employee Lago, who harbors resentment towards Othello for his promotion if Casius, another character, over him in power and position. Roderigo, Lago, and Casius desire to take enact revenge. They want to convince Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him, and create a nefarious plot to bring down the couple. The plot works and Othello ends up killing Desdemona and himself. It is one of Shakespeare’s most tragic endings. Surely prejudice and racism fueled the diabolic plot the took down Othello. In Act 1, Scene 1, Othello is characterized as a “old black ram”. Desdemona’s father, the Senator Brabantino, characterizes his daughters marriage to Othello in racial terms. “She, in spite of nature, Of years, of country, credit, everything. To fall in love with what she feared to look on! It is a judgment maimed and most perfect.” Brabantino characterizes his daughter’s marriage in racial terms, and none to approving. The play is rich with sorrow, envy, racism, prejudice, and tragedy. These are the major themes. Whether or not Shakespear intended to provide such an example of racial bias, I do not know. I can say after reading the play that indeed his work was certainly ahead of his time.