English 4223 critical response topics, spring 2007

Note that critical response essays have a 250 word minimum, and that they must be typed or submitted as attachments via email.  Avoid plot summary or straightforward retelling of "what happens" in the play (or poem)—see nugget 1.

Format your response according to MLA guidelines for margins, spacing, name, date, etc., headers, etc. as outlined on my "simple stuff" handout. See QD4 for the mechanics of documenting quotations of verse (in the plays as well as the poems); also see QD4vd for documentation of Act, Scene, and line numbers.

3.1 Due at the exam, Thursday, May 3rd: Review the list of plays we've read this semester and explain which two you found most valuable to study and which two least valuable.  In essence, make a case for the continued inclusion of two particular plays in future syllabi for this class, explaining why you think it would be important for future students to study these two plays, and also make a case for dropping two particular plays from future syllabi, explaining why you think these two plays might be better left out of the course. Don't forget the 250 word minimum for critical responses: explain your reasoning thoroughly in each case.

On deck:

3.2 Due by midnight, Sunday, May 6th: follow the link and be as helpfully critical as you can: critical feedback.


Previous critical response topics—no longer valid for submission.

1.1 Due Thursday, January 11: Give a close explication of two sonnets treating either the same aspect or closely related aspects of love or love relationships: basically, translate each poem line-by-line into your own wording; then in one or more paragraphs comment on essential similarities and differences between the two poems' treatment of the subject they have in common.

1.2 Due Thursday, January 18: Quoting from the text of The Taming of the Shrew four times or more to substantiate your claims, explain how the Induction is vitally important in setting up the body of the "play proper." How does the Induction establish themes or motifs that are central to the rest of the play? Explain, following instructions for citing poetry and drama in verse in QD4 and QD4vd carefully.

1.3 Due Tuesday, January 23: Choose one—do not address both:
a)
Discuss The Taming of the Shrew's continuing popularity. Particularly if you believe the play is patently sexist in its portrayal of men's and women's roles in society or within relationships, how can we account for its being so widely read and performed in an era where such overt sexism isn't tolerated? Explain.

b) Discuss the continuing relevance of The Taming of the Shrew in any respect, ranging from topics treated briefly in specific passages to the play's overriding themes or larger statements about society or humanity.

1.4 Due Thursday, January 25: Choose one—do not address both:
a) In A Midsummer Night's Dream Lysander says, "Ay me! For aught that I could ever read, / Could ever hear by tale or history, / The course of true love never did run smooth" (1.1.132-34). Then he and Hermia list a number of obstacles that often "cross" true love (1.1.135-49). Paraphrase these obstacles listed in lines 135-49, then explain the problems interfering with the "smooth course of love" between the different sets of lovers, Theseus and Hippolyta, Hermia and Lysander, Helena and Demetrius, and Oberon and Titania.

b) Act 1, Scene 1 presents conflicts which in a different play might be developed into tragedy. Explain how the play's initial situation supports the possibility of tragedy; then, citing at least three passages from both Acts 1 and 2, explain how in different ways Shakespeare makes clear that this play is a romantic comedy—that "all will indeed end well."  Follow instructions for citing poetry and drama in verse in QD4 and QD4vd carefully.

1.5 Due Tuesday, January 30: Choose one—do not address both:
a) What comments does Shakespeare seem to be making on his own work as a playwright and an actor through the bumpkins' production of Pyramus and Thisbe? You may consider any of the scenes involving the amateur "players," but your discussion should focus mostly on Act 5 of Shakespeare's play.

b) Give a close analysis of Theseus's speech in 5.1.2-22 (Act 5, Scene 1, lines 2-22). How does he say a lover, a poet, and a madman are similar? Explain in full.

1.6 Due Thursday, February 1: Rosalind, in As You Like It, is often considered one of Shakespeare's greatest characters.  The eminent Shakespearean scholar Harold Bloom, for instance, simply gushes over Rosalind with such statements as "Rosalind is the most admirable personage in all of Shakespeare," and "she must be the most remarkable and persuasive representation of a woman in all of Western literature" (Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human 207, 221). This praise may be, well, somewhat extravagant, but as you will see, As You Like It is indeed Rosalind's play, and she is a strong, witty, and memorable character.  Quoting from the text at least three times to illustrate your claims, examine Rosalind's character or personality: what makes her such a special character?  In particular, discuss Shakespeare's portrayal of Rosalind as an interesting and remarkable woman with great clarity and psychological depth.

1.7 Due Tuesday, February 6: Choose one—do not address both:
a)
Discuss Rosalind's "instruction" of Orlando in the matter of love: what specifically does she teach him, and is there value in her lessons? Illustrate with three or more quotations carefully following guidelines for citing poetry and drama in verse in QD4 and QD4vd.

b) Open assignment: respond to whatever strikes you as interesting or significant in any one or more scenes between Act 3, Scene 3 and the end of the play.  Be careful to avoid plot summary (see nugget 1), and include at least three quotations in your discussion, carefully following guidelines for citing poetry and drama in verse in QD4 and QD4vd.

1.8 Due Thursday, February 8: Address one option only, not all three!
a) Write a character analysis of both Hotspur and Prince Hal as they are established in Act 1, Scene 1 through Act 2, Scene 4 of 1 Henry IV (by "character analysis" I mean describe the most significant aspects of each character's personality).  Include at least two quotations in illustration of your claims about each character—that is, offer two quotes in your discussion of Hotspur and two for the prince as well (following the guidelines for citing poetry and drama in verse in QD4 and QD4vd).

b) Give a close explication, a line-by-line analytical explanation, of the prince's speech in Act 1, Scene 2, lines 189-211. In effect, translate what Prince Hal says here into your own language (don't bother to copy or include the original text), and afterwards comment on what significant insights into his character the passage reveals.

c) Explore the depths of possible meaning in Falstaff's urging of the prince not to banish him when he says, "banish plump Jack, and banish all the world" (2.4.494-95). How in some ways might Falstaff indeed represent "all the world" for Prince Hal? What would the prince be losing by turning his back on his friend, "plump Jack"?

1.9 Due Tuesday, February 13: Address one option only, not both:
a) Explore the father-son theme as it develops throughout Acts 3-5 of 1 Henry IV , with your starting point the first interview between the prince and the king in Act 3, Scene 2. Quote from Acts 3-5 at least three times in your discussion (see QD4 and QD4vd).

b) Open assignment: respond to the conclusion of 1 Henry IV however you like so long as you avoid plot summary. What strikes you as interesting, noteworthy, or significant in the last two acts? Quote from Acts 4-5 at least three times (see QD4 and QD4vd).

1.10 Due Thursday, February 15: Giving at least two quotes from Act 1 of Henry V and two from Act 2 to illustrate your claims, discuss the evident maturation of King Henry V from the irresponsible young man, Prince Hal, we meet in 1 Henry IV. How is the new king, Henry V, a much wiser man than he was in his youth? How is he now a thoughtful, worthy, and effective king?

1.11 Due Tuesday, February 20: Address one option only, not both:
a) Focusing specifically on Act 3, Scene 1 and Act 3, Scene 3, explore Shakespeare's commentary on the nature of war through Henry's speeches to his men (3.1) and the enemy (3.3). Probe these two speeches closely, and quote each scene at least twice in your discussion.

b) Explore Shakespeare's depiction of the burden of leadership in Act 4, Scene 1. Think of the "king vs. man" duality, and quote the scene at least three times in your response.

1.12 Due Thursday, February 22: Two parts: do both.  In separate paragraphs, quoting from the text at least twice in each part, a) Respond to the king's speech urging his men to battle in Act 4, Scene 3, lines 18-67: how does he encourage them? If you were a soldier serving under such a leader, would you find his argument persuasive? Explain. b) Consider the king's wooing of Princess Katharine in Act 5, Scene 2: how does he show the mixture of "ruler" and "man" in this scene? Do you think he is personally sincere, as a man, in his "winning" of the French princess? Explain.


2.1 Due Tuesday, February 27: Evaluate Hamlet's character as it's established in Act 1, Scene 1 through Act 2, Scene 1. What kind of person is he? What are his personal strengths and weaknesses? In addition to what we learn of him through his own speeches and actions, what do we learn about him from other characters? Explain, including at least three quotations to illustrate your observations.

2.2 Due Tuesday, March 6: Address one option, not all three:
a) Quoting from the text six separate times or more, give a close analytical interpretation of Hamlet's famous "To be or not to be" soliloquy (3.1.57-89). Going line-by-line, or nearly so, translate what Hamlet is saying here into modern English.

b) Quoting from Acts 2-3 at least three times to illustrate your claims, explain the significance of irony in Shakespeare's development of any particular theme. Note that "theme" means, loosely, "general statement or message about humanity or about life," and avoid explaining the importance of irony to the play's plot. That is, discuss the analytical significance of irony, not how irony is important to "what happens" in the play.

c) Open assignment: respond analytically to anything that strikes you as significant or interesting in Act 2, Scene 2 through Act 3, Scene.4. Avoid plot summary (nugget 1) and quote the play at least three times in support of your analysis.

2.3 Due Thursday, March 8: Address one option only, not both:
a) Quoting from the text three times or more to illustrate your claims, explain how Hamlet can be seen as a traditional tragic hero, complete with his ultimate fate being determined by hamartia (the "tragic flaw" or failing of character that leads to his undoing) and possibly by hubris as well—hubris meaning the arrogant overstepping of the bounds of one's destiny in defiance of typical moral principles.

b) Open assignment: respond analytically to anything that strikes you as significant or interesting in Act V of the play. Avoid plot summary and quote the play at least three times in support of your analysis.

2.4 Due Tuesday, March 13: Iago, in Othello, is often considered one of the most evil villains in all of literature: discuss Shakespeare's portrayal of Iago, considering in particular his motivation(s) for wanting to bring Othello to misery.  Do you see Iago as being motivated by purely understandable, "normal" human feelings, or does he strike you as more truly evil?  Explain, avoiding plot summary and quoting the play at least three times to illustrate your claims.

2.5 Due Thursday, March 15: Choose one—do not address both:
a)
Explore the question of how much Othello is responsible for his own undoing vs. how much Iago is to blame, quoting from 3.4-5.2 at least four times in total, twice on each side of the issue.

b) Discuss Shakespeare's portrayal of "types" of women through Desdemona and Emilia, quoting from 3.4-5.2 at least four times in total, twice in discussing Desdemona and twice in your consideration of Emilia.

2.6 Due Tuesday, March 27: Choose one—do not address both:
a)
Compare and/or contrast any significant elements of Much Ado about Nothing with similar or corresponding elements in any one or more of the three comedies we read early in the semester.  Include at least three quotations from Much Ado.

b) Explore psychological realism in Shakespeare's portrayal of Beatrice and Benedick, including at least two quotations by each character.

2.7 Due Thursday, March 29: open assignment: avoiding plot summary, discuss analytically whatever strikes you as interesting or significant in 3.3-5.4 of Much Ado about Nothing. Include at least three quotations in your response.

2.8a Due Tuesday, April 6: Attend one of the RSU productions of Much Ado about Nothing (7:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, March 29-31, at the Will Rogers Auditorium), and comment upon how the performance changes, enhances, or improves your understanding of the play. Also consider how faithfully you think the production follows Shakespeare's original 's themes given the altered setting (in "Stratford, Oklahoma"). Finally, comment upon the strengths and weaknesses of the production, considering such elements as staging, casting, and the individual performances of specific actors.

2.8b Due Tuesday, April 6: Compare and contrast villains in this play, Edmund vs. Regan and Goneril.  Which do you think is/are more thoroughly "villainous"?  Explain, and support your claims with at least four quotations, two on each side of the issue.

2.9 Due Thursday, April 5: Choose one—do not address both:
a) Point out and discuss passages containing images of illness, disease, torture, mutilation, or other brutality and explain how these passages support the play's larger themes (or the specific statements Shakespeare seems to be making about the human condition beyond the world of the play).

b) Discuss points of connection—mirroring, repetition, or contrast—between the primary plot, centering on Lear, and the secondary plot centering on Gloucester. How do these points of connection between plots help to convey Shakespeare's essential themes or commentary on familial relationships more effectively than if both were plots were not included?  Include at least three quotations to illustrate your claims.

2.10 Due Tuesday, April 10: Quoting the play at least three times to illustrate your claims, discuss Shakespeare's portrayal of Macbeth's positive qualities: how does Shakespeare present him as a protagonist that we can identify with and not condemn from the start as a villain? Why do other characters, such as King Duncan, admire him? How does he seem a particularly human character despite being a savage murderer?

2.11 Due Thursday, April 12: Choose one—do not address both:
a) Discuss the continuing relevance of this play. How does Shakespeare encourage us to recognize ourselves in either or both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth?  Include at least two quotations from Acts 3-5 to illustrate your claims.

b) Open assignment: respond analytically (avoiding plot summary) to whatever strikes you as interesting or significant in the play's final three acts, including at least three quotations to support your observations.

2.12 Due Tuesday, April 17: Choose one—do not address both:
a) Discuss the mixture of both comedic and tragic elements in Cymbeline.  Include at least three quotations to illustrate your claims.

b) Open assignment: respond analytically (avoiding plot summary) to whatever strikes you as interesting or significant in the play's first three acts, including at least three quotations to support your observations.

2.13 Due Thursday, April 19: Choose one—do not address both:
a) Evaluate the effectiveness of the play's conclusion: consider different ways Act 5 may be considered both satisfying and unsatisfying in wrapping up the play's various plots and subplots.  Include at least three quotations in your analysis.

b) Discuss the play's thematic commentary on the nature of redemption, providence, and/or mercy and forgiveness.  Illustrate your claims with at least three quotations from Acts 4-5. 

2.14 Due Tuesday, April 24: Choose one—do not address both:
a) Discuss Shakespeare's commentary on the nature of power in The Tempest: consider those who hold it, those who want it but don't have it, and those who feel oppressed by the power others hold over them. This is a wide-ranging topic indeed: consider all of the characters in the play, and include at least three quotations to illustrate your observations.

b) Considering both the pro and the con views, examine the proposition that this play presents criticism of imperialist colonization of primitive peoples or cultures by European nations. More precisely, consider whether Caliban should be seen with sympathy or with some other feeling.  Include at least three quotations to illustrate your claims. 

2.15 Due Thursday, April 26: Choose one—do not address both:
a) Discuss elements of The Tempest that mark it as being not purely comedic.  That is, consider how despite the generally happy ending, there are elements of a darker nature, perhaps tragic, that seem not wholly resolved by the play's end.  Include at least two quotations in your discussion to illustrate your claims.

b) Explore the notion of Prospero as representing Shakespeare himself: in what ways might Prospero's art be seen as resembling or representing Shakespeare's?  Explain, including at least three quotations from Acts 3-5 to support your claims. You might in particular consider the view that The Tempest was consciously intended as a "farewell play," as Shakespeare's grand finale. You could focus especially on 4.1.146-63, 5.1.33-57, and the epilogue, but also consider how this play includes themes and subjects from earlier plays and treats them with appropriate "finality."