English 3H
Mr. Phelan
CASS (Critical Analysis with SECONDARY SOURCES) Paper
Richard 3
A TYPED outline: Due: Friday, 11/4/2016
Final Paper Due: Monday 11/14/2016 TBD
Length: Min. 1000 Words/Max. 1500 Words (Approx 3-5 Pages Double Spaced)
Topics:
1. In some editions, this play was entitled The Tragedy of Richard III; in others, The Life and Death of Richard III. Could this play be considered a tragedy? Does Richard come to a more profound realization about his life and his actions, or is he merely a sadistic villain? (Hint: Make sure your paper addresses what a tragedy is!)
2. As portrayed by Shakespeare, Richard seems to be a malevolent, cruel and unfeeling scoundrel who will stop at nothing (and kill anyone) to ensure his possession of the crown. His physical deformities, Shakespeare implies, are a metaphor for the twisted nature of his mind. Yet Shakespeare’s Richard also seems to be a brilliant and compelling master of language, able to woo a woman over the corpse of a man that he himself has murdered. How does Shakespeare reconcile these facts about Richard? What might be the reason be for creating such a charismatic villain?
3. In Act I, scene iv, Richard’s imprisoned brother George of Clarence awakes from a strange nightmare and describes it at length to his jailer. Here, as in other Shakespeare plays, a dream is used as an omen of things to come. We already know that Richard intends to kill Clarence. Why does Shakespeare describe the dream with such detail and poetry? Why is Shakespeare so interested in dreams as a dramatic device?
4. Richard III features more women in major speaking roles than most of Shakespeare’s plays, and more than any other history play. Why do female voices play such in an important part in this play? How do the major female characters (Queen Margaret, Queen Elizabeth, Lady Anne and the Duchess of York) function in the play?
5. Richard often speaks to the audience in soliloquy. Famous British actor Ian McKellen has said that “Richard may lie to all the other characters but within his solo speeches he always tells the truth.” Do you agree with McKellen’s assessment? If so, why does Shakespeare have Richard treat the audience as his confidantes? Do these soliloquies change your perception of Richard? If so, how?
6. One of the major themes in Richard III is appearance vs. reality. What effect do the episodes or instances dealing with appearance vs. reality have on our understanding of the play? You might examine Richard's language of deception/manipulation, focusing on how Shakespeare communicates the importance of language in our understanding of reality.
7. What is the importance of the supernatural elements in Richard 3? How do they affect the action of the play? Are they meant to be metaphorical or taken literally? How would have Shakespeare's audiences responded to the supernatural?
Make your own topic
Choose one interesting aspect of the play as the focus of your paper. Find at least two sources that examine this central idea and reference them in your analysis. The following ideas represent some research possibilities:
A. Motifs or symbols
B. Theme
C. Historical Elements/Older works Shakespeare based this one on
Using both quotes from the text, two OUTSIDE SOURCES, and your own words, write a well-developed research paper that proves your thesis statement.
All sources must be authoritative; that is, they MUST be scholarly. You may not use sources outside of the library databases or library books unless approved by the teacher.
Avoid using .com, .net, .org type websites outside the school databases. Sources that are a full-length chapter or article in a book or periodical pertaining to your topic will be more helpful.
You may not use anything from Wikipedia or any encyclopedia. You may not use any material from Spark Notes, Cliff’s Notes, Pink Monkey, or any other commercially prepared study guide of that nature. Other unacceptable sources include plot summaries such as Bloom’s “Plot Summary,” Foster Masterplots, and Schmoop.com.
Format for Paper
Paragraph 1: Include thesis, author/playwright, title
Paragraphs 2 - ?: Uses unity and coherence to prove thesis
Closing Paragraph: Restatement of thesis/connect to new thought/wrap-up paper with a clincher
Helpful/Mandatory Hints
· Never use the following words: I, me, mine, you, your, yours
· Mention the author or playwright and the piece of work within the first paragraph
· The definition of a thesis: what you are going to talk about and how you are going to prove it=thesis
· Use transitional words and phrases
· Check for unity and coherence
· Proofread your paper
· Book titles should be italicized
· Place short works in quotes
Criteria Required
1. A TYPED outline (Due: Friday 11/4)
2. Works Cited Page = A minimum of three properly cited entries (Including Richard 3)
3. MANDATORY Submission to turnitin.com (NO HARD COPIES ACCEPTED WILL BE GRADED ON TURNITIN)
4. MLA FORMAT...Final copy which is typed using the following format:
o size 12 font
o times new roman
o double spaced
Citing an author:
Follow the following examples:
(A)
“After breakfast, Adele and [Jane] withdrew to the library” to study (Bronte 151).
Note that there are times when it may be necessary to insert words into an author’s quote. This is done for clarity. However, those words and/or group of words must have hard brackets around it/them in order that they may be set apart from the author’s words.
(B)
After leaving Thornfield, Jane’s journey was “very tedious: fifty miles one day, a night spent at an inn . . . [with] an evening arrival at the great town” (Bronte 361-2).
Note that ellipses are used when there are words removed from an author. This will tell your audience that, while you are directly quoting an author, the quote is incomplete.
Note that none of the above quotes are written EXACTLY as they are in the text. Oftentimes it is unnecessary and even awkward to use an entire line from the text. Therefore, use only those words that will support your thesis and correspond with your writing style.
Note: 10% will be deducted for each day your assignment is late. You may only hand in an assignment for three days after the due date. It then becomes a zero.
Example:
Tuesday – Full credit
Wednesday – 10% point deduction
Thursday – 20% deduction
Friday – 30 % deduction
Saturday – no credit received
OUTLINE INCLUDING PRELIMINARY THESIS DUE 11/4
Follow the example below.
Sample Analytical Sentence Outline- Literary Analysis Paper
The first steps are to create essential questions, then gather evidence to help support your answers to the questions. Try to focus on 4-5 questions and then decide one to focus on as your main topic. Each question may become a body paragraph. Once you’ve settled on a topic, you can list categorical subtopics (body paragraphs) that will support your thesis. Your thesis is also a working thesis, where you will need to revise or update as your write.
Thesis: To truly show the corruption of the Medieval society of England, Chaucer gives voice to various characters from different social classes using a satirical and sometimes critical tone.
Paragraph 1: Wife of Bath
Topic Sentence: The Wife of Bath’s Tale shows the corruption of knights and the underlying problems of the chivalric code.
Evidence: (Include quotes from primary AND secondary sources)
-Knight raped a girl
-Woman has power and sends out knight on a quest- reversal
-The knight gets what he wants in the end with a loyal and beautiful wife- hyperbole
Paragraph 2: Knight’s Tale
Topic Sentence: The Knight’s Tale displays the skewed focus of the society, who care more about money and victory in battle than true love or individuals’ desires.
Evidence: (Include quotes from primary AND secondary sources)
-Theseus builds giant arena for the battle
-Arcite prays to Mars for victory (ironically wins but does not get the girl)
-Emily doesn’t get her wish for chastity and is told to marry
Paragraph 3: Merchant’s Tale
Topic Sentence: The Merchant’s Tale displays the lack of respect in marriage due to the societal practice of arranged marriages built on status instead of love.
Evidence: (Include quotes from primary AND secondary sources)
-May cheats on January in a Pear Tree
-January is “blind” to see May’s true nature because he picks her for her looks
-Damien does not respect his elders due to the forced marriage of May and January
Paragraph 4: The Summoner’s Tale
Topic Sentence: In the Summoner’s Tale, the church is a target due to the corruption of the friar, supposedly working for the church, but really working for money for himself.
Evidence: (Include quotes from primary AND secondary sources)
-Friar preaches about greed and anger to a man who shows neither characteristic
-Friar is not intelligent, trying to share a fart amongst multiple other friars
-Friar commands wife to feed him and take care of him in a selfish manner
You get the idea? Nah'msayin? Note: You will most likely need to add transitional words to your topic sentences once the order of the body paragraphs is set.