5 Paragraph Expository Essay
Assignment Requirements

 Essay will be graded using a six-trait rubric
 Essay must be a minimum of 5 paragraphs
 Essay must be completed by no later than this Thursday
to earn above a 70%
 All work must be completed in class. Work will be taken
up at the end of the period and returned to you the
following day for additional work
 All essays must use embedded quotes taken from the play
to support your arguments.
 You must have a completed quote packet, a pre-write and
a rough draft or your paper will not be graded!
Pre-writing

 Your prewriting must have a minimum of a strong
thesis statement, three topic sentences and two CD’s
(Concrete Details) per body paragraph.
 The prewriting can take many forms such as a
bubble diagram, three column chart or outline – just
to name a few options.
Rough Draft

 Your rough draft must be a reasonable first draft of
your essay. It should be high-quality and the same
length (5 paragraph) as your final product will be.
 To earn credit, and make your final draft eligible for
grading, you must:
 Have editorial effort evident on your draft such as
grammatical corrections, word choice alterations,
sentence structure changes and
reorganization/rethinking of ideas
 The final draft cannot simply be a copy of the rough
draft.
The Prompts

 You MUST choose one of the following prompts as
the subject of your essay.
 You will keep the prompt sheet and attach it to your
essay. CIRCLE the prompt that you have chosen to
address in your essay.
 Your introductory paragraph should give a clear
indication of which topic you have chosen as well.
The Prompts

 You must use a minimum of six quotations from the
play to support your argument.
 The prompts must focus on three of the four main
characters (Brutus, Cassius, Mark Antony and
Julius Caesar).
 All responses MUST include a discussion of the
character of Brutus.
The Prompts

 1. In life we meet various people, some of whom
we greatly admire. For example, we may admire
them for their courage, honesty, loyalty, or
commitment. Think of three characters from Julius
Caesar who might be considered admirable. Based
on your evidence, state in your conclusion who the
most admirable person is of the three presented.
The Prompts

 2. E.M. Forster said, “If I had to choose between
betraying my country and betraying my friend, I
hope I should have the guts to betray my country.” E.M. Forester, Two Cheers for Democracy, 1951.
Explain how three of the main characters from Julius
Caesar do or not use betrayal of those close to them
for political reasons. In your conclusion, state who, if
anyone, had justifiable reasons for violating the trust
of others.
The Prompts

 3. The concept of honor permeates this play. Define
honor, citing references from the play. Discuss what
three characters do or do not demonstrate the quality
of honor, using specific quotations to support your
argument. In your conclusion, indicate which
character best demonstrates the characteristic of
honor and how this proven within the play.
The Prompts

 4. In your essay, discuss the qualities of being a
good or bad leader, using Caesar, Brutus, Cassius
and Antony as starting points and identifying key
qualities such as intelligence, vision, loyalty,
judgment, self-knowledge, military skill and others.
In your conclusion, indicate who is the most ethical
or effective leader and why that person is best suited
to lead in this play.
The Prompts

 5. The Greek tragic concept of hubris is
demonstrated by several characters in this play.
Define the term and then discuss how it affects the
outcomes of at least three key characters. In your
conclusion, indicate whether any character, because
of their hubris, is the best example of a tragic hero as
defined within Greek tragedy.
The Prompts

 6. “Brutus is not a dishonorable man; he is a
mistaken one.” – Alice McPherson Julius Caesar
(Living Literature Series), PermaBound Books,
Visalia, Illinois, 1978. 2. How is Brutus a “mistaken”
character and how do at least two other key
characters contribute to his misunderstanding? IN
your conclusion, indicate whether you believe
Brutus’ mistakes are the result of the deception of
others or his own character flaws.
The Prompts

 7. Think of a character in the play who has
experienced self-discovery – that is, he has learned
something important about himself. In your essay,
briefly identify the three characters who undergo
this self-discovery and its impact upon the character
and others. In your conclusion, consider if the selfdiscovery would have altered the outcome if they
had made this discovery earlier in the play.
The Prompts

 8. The Greek term hamartia means an “error,
frailty, mistaken judgment, or misstep through
which the fortunes of the hero of a tragedy are
reversed.” The hero is not perfect and may make this
error as a result of ambition, ignorance, or
overwhelming pride. Discuss the concept of
hamartia as it pertains to three of the main characters
in the play. In your conclusion, explain which
character demonstrated the greatest error in
judgment or character which led to their downfall.
The Prompts

 9. One writer describes the “Roman notion of
honor as name, fame or reputation” and discusses
“public men who define themselves in terms of
social role and reputation.” Discuss how three key
characters allow their concern for name, fame or
reputation (public opinion or perception) to cause
their eventual downfall. In your conclusion, discuss
which character was most concerned about social
obligations or perceptions and thus had the greatest
fall in the end.
The Prompts

 10. “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power
corrupts absolutely.” – John Emerich Edward
Dalberg Acton, Lord Acton, Letter to Bishop Mandell
Creighton, April 5, 1887. Describe how three key
characters in the play are corrupted as they pursue
their political goals in the course of the play. In your
conclusion, explain which character allowed
themself to become the most corrupted and what
that ultimately cost them in the long run.