Julius Caesar Essay Topics
English 10: Mrs. Kamali
Directions: using MLA formatting, write a five paragraph essay on one of the prompts below.
Option #1 Compare and contrast the eulogies of Mark Antony and Brutus. Address the use of different rhetorical strategies we have studied, specifically Aristotle’s ethos, pathos and logos. Be sure to discuss the effectiveness and purpose of each.
Some ideas:
1. Which speech is better?
2. What traits make a speaker credible?
3. Why do they need to be credible?
4. What are they trying to accomplish with an emotional or logical appeals?
Option #2: Select one leader from the play (Julius Caesar, Cassius, Mark Antony, or Brutus) and address their leadership abilities as they pertain to the current political climate. You will need to be able to analyze this characters strengths and personality traits and then explain why they would be successful or unsuccessful today. Your concrete details must be quotes from the play, not current events.
Option #3 Make up a new title for the play. Examine the characters and themes. Use your body paragraphs to demonstrate how this title is more illuminating than just Julius Caesar.
Option #4 How are bad omens a factor in the play? What do they symbolize? How do they affect the sequence of events. Be sure to consider which characters see truth in the omens and which characters decide to ignore them as warnings.
Guidelines:
1. Use a variety of names for a character, rather than writing Brutus 25 times.
For example, instead of Mickey Mouse, we could use the lovable companion, the silly protagonist or cartoon legend.
2. Set up all quotes with the occasion, speaker and dialogue tag. Cite with Act: Scene: Line number
-While explaining the essay assignment, Mrs. Kamali instructed, “Follow all of the directions” (2:3:23-24).
3. Avoid summarizing at all costs. Your essay must show your ability to think not summarize.
4. In total this essay is only 35-40 sentences. Every sentence must be purposeful and well-written!
5. Use the RIP list carefully. There is a two point deduction for every RIP word in your essay. Period.
6. MLA format
7. Follow the outline
8. Avoid the same mistakes as your last essay. See your yellow packet and essay corrections.
9. Outline:
First draft:
Final draft:
10. Turnitin.com
Julius Caesar- Edit
Format:
□ Heading (name, due date, class period)
□ Title: (unique, centered, capitalized, no bold/underline/italics)
□ Times New Roman, size 12, double-spaced
□ Paragraphs are indented, and there are no extra spaces between
Introduction:
How many sentences?
□ Hook is an image that clearly conveys; sight, smell, taste, hearing or touch
□ Bridge includes Shakespeare and Julius Caesar
□ Thesis Statement addresses the prompt clearly, and it is not a summarizing statement
Body paragraphs:
□ No fewer than 8 sentences/ minimum of two quotes in each paragraph
□ Internal citations used (Act: scene: lines).
□ All periods are after the citation ( last name).
□ There is a lead-in before each quote. Every quote is dialogue. Occasion, speaker and a word instead of said,
Conclusion
□ After careful consideration of ______, one can conclude that ______.
□ Connect back to hook (new words)
Editing
□ RIP words eliminated (unless inside a quote) * two points each!
□ Contractions are written out (will not)
□ Numbers are spelled out (1-10 and one syllable)
□ There are no to be verbs in your thesis or topic sentences (am, are, is was, were, be, become, became)
Style
□ No sentence in a single paragraph starts with the same word
□ Compound, complex and compound-complex sentences are used.
□ Self assessment on the rubric.
Essay Rubric Name:
An “A” Paper- Brilliant/Excellent
1. Concrete details are well-chosen, set up correctly and cited appropriately
2. Includes insightful commentary
3. Organization is clear and logical
4. Insightful thesis
5. Well-defined topic sentences that do not have “to be” verbs
6. Very few, if any, mechanical errors
7. Powerful vocabulary
8. Excellent sentence variety
9. Progression of ideas are easy to follow, transitions used well
10. MLA format is perfect
A “B” Paper- Good
1. Concrete details are good- set-up and citations are done correctly
2. Includes solid commentary but not as impressive as an A paper
3. Organization is clear and logical, but may feel slightly choppy
4. Good thesis
5. Closely related topic sentence that do not have “to be” verbs
6. Some mechanical errors
7. Good vocabulary-little repetition
8. Above average sentence variety
9.Transitions used
10. One mistake on MLA format
A “C” Paper- Adequate
1. Concrete details are present- an attempt at lead-ins and citations are made
2. Commentary is simplistic and/or obvious
3. Organization is present-essay may stray slightly from thesis or topic sentences
4. Workable thesis
5. Workable topic sentences- “to be” verbs used
6.Frequent mechanical errors
7. Limited vocabulary
8. Limited sentence variety
9. Limited use of transitions
10. Two mistakes on MLA format
A “D” or “F” paper- demonstrates problems
1. Weak concrete details- lead-ins or citation missing
2. Weak commentary- mostly summary
3. Organization is unclear/scattered
4. Vague thesis- does not address the prompt
5. Topics sentence do not relate to thesis
6. Too many mechanical errors- interfere with understanding
7. Vocabulary is repetitive and/or inappropriate diction
8. Little to no sentence variety
9. No transitions
10. Three or more MLA errors