Wednesday, Dec. 17

--Today we performed the final Othello scenes, despite the crazy week and lots of people being absent! If you missed class today, see me asap to figure out how you can makeup the assignment.
--Because we missed class on Monday, I decided to assign the Othello essay as homework instead of as an in-class exam. See below for the assignment. This will be due on January 7th, the class we get back from break. E-mail me over break if you have any questions about the essay, or ask me on Friday (if we have school, that is!)

Global Lit. and the Arts—Lawless
Expository Essay Topics for Othello

Below are six statements about the play—opinions, not facts—that have been voiced by various critics of the play. Some of them you will agree with, and some of them you won’t. These kinds of statements can make excellent beginnings for a strong thesis that takes a stand, focuses on one main idea, and reflects higher level thinking (meaning that it is a statement that answers a “so what?” question and/or a “how/why?” question). A thesis is not a fact and is not just a statement of personal preference—it’s a supportable argument made about the text.

Develop one of the topics below into a 500 to 750 word essay. Your essay will be worth 30 points and will be based on a score of 1 to 6 in each of the six writing traits: word choice, syntax, sentence fluency, conventions, ideas/content, and voice. You can get extra credit by scoring a 6 in any category.

Before turning in your essay, be sure to go through the following checklist:

o Did you type and double-space your entire essay, including the heading?
o Did you include an MLA heading on the left with your name, date, class and word count?
o Did you include a strong thesis as the last sentence of your first paragraph that makes a clear, supportable argument about the text?
o Did you carefully organize your paper into 4-6 distinct paragraphs supporting your thesis, including a developed, engaging introduction and a conclusion that reviews your main ideas?
o Did you include topic sentences for each paragraph that introduces what the paragraph will be about?
o Did you use at least 2 specific examples from the text in each paragraph, including at least 3 quotes (properly formatted and cited according to MLA style)?
o Did you use clear, specific nouns instead of “I” and “you”?
o Did you spell-check and proofread, being sure not to use any fragment sentences, run-ons, or comma splices?

Topic Choices:
Do not use any of these statements as your exact thesis. These statements are subjects your thesis will explore rather than thesis statements themselves. You may choose to write a paper that confirms, denies, or complicates any of these statements, but you need to turn the statement into your own unique argument.

1. Othello’s real problem is his own jealousy, more so than Iago’s scheming.

2. It is very important to the play that Othello is a Moor (of African descent).

3. Although the women in Othello at first may seem spineless, in fact the play ends up making a statement that women should not be underestimated.

4. Desdemona is not angelically pure. The possibility of her straying from Othello must be in her character in order for the drama to work.

5. Iago is not a “motiveless malignity” as he has been called—a devil who does evil for its own sake. He simply has a thirst for power. Desdemona’s death is a side effect he did not really intend.

6. Othello is, in the end, a racist play—not because of the derogatory terms used against Othello, but because of how he ends up conforming to the stereotypes some people held about Moors at the time.

Othello Essay Outline Form—due with your essay
Topic Choice #: _________

Thesis Statement:_______________________________________________________________________
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Supporting Paragraph #1 Topic Sentence: ___________________________________________________
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2 specific examples from the text:
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________

Supporting Paragraph #2 Topic Sentence: ___________________________________________________
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2 specific examples from the text:
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________

Supporting Paragraph #3 Topic Sentence: ___________________________________________________
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2 specific examples from the text:
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________

Conclusion/Restatement of thesis in different words: ___________________________________________
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