the elite english essay

This assignment requires students to read the play,Twelfth Night; or What You Will,and choose one of five contexts to research. Students will consult the works of historians and literary scholars in order to develop an original argument about the play.

Deliverables

Research paper (1250 to 1500 words)

Activity Details

Perform the following tasks.

Step 1: Research a specific context and develop an original argument.

Select one of the following five contexts in which to research the play:

Textual history

Author

Genre

Reception

Cultural background

Consult at least five approved sources, including the works of historians and literary scholars, as part of your research. Incorporate these resources into an original argument to help understand the play better.

You must start by analyzing the play’s themes and characters. Develop your own interpretations BEFORE you go and start doing research. If you don’t, it will be easy to accept the numerous interpretations you find. Once you decide on a crucial theme or character, decide which context would best help give that theme and character meaning.

Consider these questions when you work on your paper:

Which characters do you think Shakespeare most identified with? Why?

How does Twelfth Night play with the conventions of theatrical comedy?

How was the play initially received? Where was it first performed? What does that say about its purpose?

How do the play’s representations of gender reflect or comment on Elizabethan ideas of gender?

Compose your essay using Microsoft Word. Your final essay should be between 1250 and 1500 words in length. For more specific details on this assignment, refer to the Twelfth Night Research Paper Specifications handout.