Women in 16th and early 17th century
Discuss the various roles of women and/or the ways women are portrayed in the Sixteenth Century and early Seventeenth Century literature we have studied. Cite representative examples of women during the period and explain how their experiences are visible in the literature of the period as reflected in at least two or three of the texts we have read. Make a point about how women were viewed in relation to these roles during this period in your thesis and use the examples you have found to support your thesis.
Choose a question from the choices provided and write an essay answer for it, using as many paragraphs as necessary to be thorough. The minimum is three pages (typed, double-spaced), but you might need a bit more than this to cover your topic in a complete manner. Make sure that it is obvious to your readers which question you are answering so that there is no confusion. You will use the question to help shape your thesis statement. (Hint: your thesis will answer the question.)
Each essay should begin with a very short summary and introduction to the text(s) you are dealing with in your essay. You will also want to give us a short tag to identify the author(s) for your readers. For example: The Faerie Queene is an epic poem that is part allegory and part Romance. It was written by Edmund Spenser, one of the greatest poets of the early 16th century. The Faerie Queene follows the adventures of the Redcrosse Knight and his lady, Una, as he undertakes the quest to kill the dragon that has imprisoned her parents.”
A good way to organize your answer is to respond to the question in general terms and then cite examples from the work. Introduce each example; quote briefly from the work, citing the page (or line, in the case of poetry) in parentheses; and then explain the example briefly. The Golden Rule: Always discuss/comment on the example you have provided to support your thesis. Below are some suggestions to help you with this:
Explain your interpretation of the quote to your readers.
Analyze the significance of the quote.
Extend the author’s point to make another point.
Relate the quote to your thesis in a specific manner.
Give other examples that fit with the quote.
This pattern of mentioning an example, supporting with brief quotation or paraphrase (cited), and then explaining the example’s significance, is the usual pattern for answers of this type. Choose the best examples, not just the first ones you find or the ones we have pointed out in discussions. The most common mistake is not saying enough in the essays; the second is under use of examples or over use of quotations.
The first two essays are not research papers. The purpose of the essays is to give you a chance to demonstrate that you can synthesize the information from readings, discussions, introductory information from the textbook, and supplemental material (found in the Learning Activities) in order to demonstrate your knowledge of the subject.
Essay Three (The Restoration and Eighteenth Century) follow the same guidelines for the first two essays, but the third essay will require that you complete some research to support the claim(s) you are making therein. You need to find at least two sources that deal specifically with the primary sources and/or the author you are writing about in your essay. If you are having a difficult time finding sources, contact me or a reference librarian at Sinclair. You must use the databases in the Sinclair Library LibGuides for these sources.
Do not drift into plot summaries. Do not plagiarize. Plagiarism will result in an F for the essay, or in the case of subsequent plagiarism, an F for the course, at my discretion. Please read the posting defining plagiarism online and consult me if you are in doubt.
Literature is analyzed in present tense. One may write in past tense where applicable. For example: Gulliver’s Travels was published in 1726.
Use MLA citation and documentation for each paper. Use MLA format for each of these essays, as well. Please use Courier New 12 point font. Don’t forget to include the header in the upper right hand corner. In the upper left hand corner add your name, your instructor’s name, the course number-section number, and the date (in this order). The date should look like this example: 19 November 2019. Don’t forget your Work Cited page. If you do not use MLA citation and documentation, the essay cannot receive a passing grade.
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