Overview
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. While the other two papers in this class are focused on the texts in performance, in this paper you will be focusing solely on a close analysis of the text itself.
– INTERPRET THE TEXT OF MACBETH 5.5 “HEREAFTER….
Writing an Effective Literary Analysis Paper
An effective paper will include an introduction that acclimates the reader to your topic and your argument, a clear and debatable thesis statement, evidence from the text (i.e., quotation) to support your argument, and your analysis and explanation of how the evidence supports your thesis. The persuasive proof for your argument is the text itself, so your evidence will be drawn from observations about the language, form, and poetic devices Shakespeare uses. Therefore, it will be absolutely necessary that you quote from your selected passage and explain your analysis of those quotes.
You should not use secondary sources for this assignment. However, given that everyone will read the passage differently, you should consider possible counterarguments and/or alternative ways to interpret the passage you are analyzing and be able to demonstrate why your view is the best way to understand the text.
Finally, keep your focus on the passage at hand. While you may refer to the passage’s larger context (i.e., the play) and situate the passage within it, remember that this paper is about the short passage itself, not the play. Therefore, you may use evidence from elsewhere in the text to support your points if you wish; however, please keep in mind that all textual evidence should be in service of your analysis of your selected passage, so that the focus is maintained.
Getting Started
1. THE PASSAGE I HAVE PICKED TO ANAYLIZE IS MACBETH
MACBETH 5.5. She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
2. Find the passage, if it’s from a play, in the text and refresh your memory about its context.
3. Consider each of the following:
Context: Who speaks the lines and at what point in the plot? What significance does the speaker/context have for the meaning/significance of the speech?
Literary devices: Look for examples of metaphor, alliteration, formal features (e.g., rhyme, meter), etc. What purpose do these devices serve? How do they affect/emphasize/change the meaning/significance of the passage?
Patterns: Do you see patterns of imagery or words within the passage or patterns that connect the passage to other parts of the play? What effect do these patterns create, and what is the significance of that effect?
4. Review the instructions for Developing Focus and Crafting a Thesis Statement below, as well as the resource on Writing Thesis Statements in the “Research and Writing” section of our Course-level Resources page. Then develop as focused an argument or claim—expressed in your thesis statement—as you can. Once you have drafted a thesis that explains what you will claim about the passage, ask yourself, “How?” “To what effect?” or “Why?” Challenge yourself to focus on small details and make a focused argument. This will make for a better paper.
5. See How to Cite Shakespeare
(Links to an external site.)
for information about how to include parenthetical citations.
6. In the last module, you submitted your proposed thesis statement for instructor feedback and guidance before you begin your paper.
7. In 1,500-2,000 words, write your literary analysis paper and submit it by the end of this module.
Formatting
Use standard one-inch margins and include page numbers.
Type in Times New Roman using 12-point font.
Make sure the paper is polished and proofread!
Please submit a word file (either .doc or .docx)
Developing Focus and Crafting a Thesis Statement
For this paper, you will be establishing focus by analyzing a very particular section of text – a single speech or sonnet. By narrowing your focus down to a single passage of text, you will be able to attend to the complexities of the language in detail. Establishing this narrow focus will allow you to create a specific, nuanced thesis that argues for the significance of the observations you have made when analyzing the passage. The entire paper should then be organized around that central thesis, so that each paragraph serves to support the argument.
A few example thesis statements are provided below. Each of these examples concern a passage selected from a different Shakespeare play (The Merchant of Venice, Antony and Cleopatra, or The Tempest), and they each demonstrate how students moved from broad observations of their selected passage to a focused argument that was manageable in scope. Note that some students opted to use two-sentence thesis statements, which is perfectly acceptable for this assignment.
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SAMPLE THESIS STATEMENT
Although Shylock acts as the primary antagonist in The Merchant of Venice, his monologue in Act III provides legitimate rationale for his grievances, prompting serious controversy regarding his distinction as villain or victim. The tactful use of rhetorical questions and parallel structure emphasize the difficulty of labeling Shylock’s character as simply good or evil.
In her dying speech in Act 5 Scene 2, Shakespeare’s version of Cleopatra reveals the most critical parts of her complicated character: her insecurity, her contempt for male prosperity, and her need to be loved.
Although the basic desires to rule and colonize that Caliban expresses in his speech in Act 2 Scene 1 are almost identical to those expressed by Prospero, Caliban is viewed as evil and crude by the other characters of the play. This difference in acceptance of imperialistic right of these characters is a reflection on the views held by European leaders and the public of Shakespeare’s time.
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