English 2111 critical response topics
Turn in critical responses either in hard copy or D2L, and be sure to exceed the 200 word minimum (in the body of the response, excluding name, date, header, etc.): responses shorter than 200 words will not pass. Avoid plot summary or straightforward retelling of "what happens" in the work—see nugget 1.
Format your response (typed) according to MLA guidelines for margins, spacing, name, date, headers, etc. as outlined on my "simple stuff" page. Works cited pages are unnecessary for critical responses. Even without works cited pages, though, do still follow the MLA conventions for documenting quotations as explained in Q1-4 on my quotations page.
Recall that you need submit only five of these assignments over the entire semester: you don't need to do all 30 response topics! You can also get into extra credit by doing extra critical responses, beyond the five required. Pro Tip: It's good to do a couple of these critical responses early in the term to see what they are like and how I grade them.
2.1 Due Tuesday, October 7th: Discuss the code of chivalric (knightly) honor presented in our first installment of The Song of Roland (pp. 750-85 in Volume B), being careful to avoid plot summary and including three or more quotations to support your observations (following the MLA guidelines for quotations of verse outlined in Q4).
On deck:
2.2 Due Thursday, October 9th: Address one—not both:
a) Discuss Roland's refusal to blow the horn for help when the French rearguard are first attacked and then his decision to blow the horn after all at the end of the battle: explore different possible motivations in both cases, including at least two quotations from each episode to illustrate your claims (see Q4).b) Discuss the French values and cultural ideals revealed in the latter half of The Song of Roland, including at least three quotations to support your observations (see Q4).
2.3 Due Tuesday, October 14th: Consider how any of the punishments of specific sins are especially appropriate in our first reading from Dante's Inferno, including at least three quotations to illustrate your observations (follow Q4 and Q4mp).
2.4 Due Thursday, October 16th: Address one, not both:
a) Continue discussing how specific punishments are appropriate for particular sins in Cantos XII-XXIII, including at least four quotations to illustrate your claims (follow Q4 and Q4mp).b) Evaluate Dante's ranking of particular sins as we descend further into hell in Cantos XII-XXIII: more specifically, explain why you agree with his ranking of sins in increasing order of seriousness in some cases but disagree in others. Include at least three quotations in your discussion (follow Q4 and Q4mp).
2.5 Due Tuesday, October 21st: Address either one, or both:
a) Quoting from Cantos 24-34 at least three times to illustrate your claims, argue both for and against Dante's ranking of treachery as the gravest of all sins. That is, in separate paragraphs, explain how Dante's ranking of treachery as the worst of all sins may be seen as accurate and also how some might see any other particular sin(s) as worse than treachery. Indicate which side of the argument you believe yourself, and explain why. (See Q4 and Q4mp.)b) Open assignment: respond analytically to anything that strikes you as significant or noteworthy in Cantos 24-34 of the Inferno. Avoid plot summary (nugget 1) and quote the text at least twice in support of your analysis (see Q4 and Q4mp).
Previous critical response topics—no longer valid for submission:
1.1 Due Tuesday, August 19th (before class begins): Epics typically convey a variety of core ideals from the nation, culture, or people depicted in the work. Quoting Gilgamesh at least twice to illustrate your claims, explain what traits, qualities, or ideals the first five or six tablets of this epic suggest were important to the ancient Babylonian society depicted in the poem. For the mechanics of citing verse (i.e., poetry), see Q4mp.
1.2 Due Thursday, August 21st: If you had to pin down one theme as the central overriding "message" of Gilgamesh, what would this message be? Review the definition of "theme" on the elements of fiction page, and identify the most important events or elements of the narrative that help the author deliver this message. Support your assertions with at least two quotations from the poem itself. For the mechanics of citing poetry, see Q4mp.
1.3 Due Tuesday, August 26th: Address one, not both:
a) Compare the relationship between gods and humans, or the involvement of the gods in the lives of mortals, in Gilgamesh and our readings from Books 1-6 of the Odyssey. Include at least three quotations from two or more different "books" of the Odyssey to illustrate your claims (three total, not all from just one book). For the mechanics of citing verse in a multi-part (or -"book") poem, see Q4, and especially Q4mp.b) Discuss the cultural or personal qualities or ideals The Odyssey suggests were important to the Greeks in the time of Homer, including at least three quotations from different "books" to illustrate your claims. For the mechanics of citing verse in a multi-part (or "book") poem, see Q4, especially Q4mp.
1.4 Due Thursday, August 28th: Explore the continuing development of Odysseus's character in Books VII-XII, including at least one quotation from two separate "books" to support your observations. Basically, discuss leading traits or qualities in Odysseus demonstrates through his adventures in Books 7-12. For the mechanics of citing verse in a multi-part (or multi-"book") poem, see Q4, especially Q4mp
1.5 Due Tuesday, September 2nd: Address either a or b, not both:
a) Being careful to avoid plot summary (nugget 1), discuss the use of deception in Books XIII-XVIII (by Odysseus and others). Identify different types of deception and analyze the motives behind each instance of deception you discuss. Include quotations from at least three different "books" to illustrate your claims. For the mechanics of citing verse in a multi-part (or multi-"book") poem, see Q4, especially Q4mp.
b) Open assignment: respond analytically to anything that strikes you as interesting or significant in any two or more different "books" in Books XIII-XVIII, including at least three quotations, at least two coming from different books. Be careful to avoid plot summary (see nugget 1). For the mechanics of citing verse in a multi-part (or multi-"book") poem, see Q4, especially Q4mp.1.6 Due Thursday, September 4th: Address one, not both:
a) What are we to make of the ancient Greeks' attitudes about women, at least as far as they are conveyed in the Odyssey? You may discuss events from anywhere in the entire epic, but do quote from Books 19-24 at least twice in your response (see Q4, especially Q4mp).b) The traditional epic, by definition, focuses on a central character of great significance to his people or nation—a king, or a mighty warrior, or a champion of his people in different important respects. And most of the central characters in epics tend to be of high social standing (royalty, nobility, "upper class" in whatever social system the epic portrays). Discuss the thematic importance of common characters in the conclusion of the Odyssey ("common" meaning essentially "working class"). Note that you must speak on matters of theme here: it would be a matter of plot to say that certain common characters "help Odysseus," e.g. Concentrate on how the common characters help convey one or more of the work's overriding "messages." Quote from Books 19-24 at least three times to illustrate your claims (see Q4, especially Q4mp).
1.7 Due Tuesday, September 9th: Discuss Sappho's portrayal of powerful emotions in any three or four of the lyric poems we're reading (pp. 575-84): what makes her portrayal of particular emotions so powerful? Explain, quoting each poem you discuss at least once. See Q4 for MLA guidance on citing poetry.
1.8 Due Thursday, September 11th: Address either one:
a) Defend Creon, in Antigone: citing the text at least three times to support your points, explain how or why he is in the right in his edict against burying Polyneices and in his harsh punishment of Antigone.b) Explain how Sophocles seems critical of both Antigone and Creon, and then explain which side Sophocles seems to endorse in the philosophical debate their opposition conveys. Quote from the play at least three times in your analysis.
1.9 Due Tuesday, September 16th: Identify and explore two or three different ways the ancient Medea still holds great relevance for readers today. Address different avenues of relevance in separate paragraphs, and include at least two quotations in support of each main point (four total, minimum).
1.10 Due Thursday, September 18th: Discuss Catullus's portrayal of powerful emotions in any three or four of the lyric poems we're reading: what makes his portrayal of particular emotions so powerful? Explain, quoting each poem you discuss at least once.
1.11 Due Tuesday, September 23rd: do one, not both:
a) Compare Aeneas with Odysseus as an epic hero: what qualities in our reading from Books II and IV does Aeneas share with Odysseus, and even more, how is Virgil's Aeneas a radically different character from Odysseus? Include at least three quotations, following the mechanics of citing verse in a multi-part (or multi-"book") poem: see QD4 and QD4mp.b) Discuss Virgil's portrayal of the relationship between Aeneas and Dido in Book IV, citing the text at least three times to illustrate your claims; here, too, see Q4, especially Q4mp.
1.12 Due Thursday, September 25th: Open assignment: avoiding plot summary (see nugget 1), discuss anything that strikes you as interesting, curious, and significant in any two of the brief stories assigned for this day. Include two or more quotations from each story.
1.13 Due Tuesday, September 30th: Open assignment: avoiding plot summary (see nugget 1), discuss anything that strikes you as interesting, puzzling, or significant in our selections from the Bhagavad-Gita. Be sure to read the headnote first, and illustrate your observations with at least three quotations from the work