Los Gatos High School
Comp/Lit 10: Ms. White awhite@lgsuhsd.org
; ext. 354
Twelfth Night, Or, What You Will Analytical Essay Assignment (100 points possible)
For this essay, you’ll be focusing on your analytical engagement with the text. We have worked a lot this unit (and this year) on close readings and dialectic journals, which have allowed us to thinking critically, question thoughtfully, and analyze deeply. The more you push yourself to question your thinking and question others’ analysis, the stronger your ability will become to thinking critically and analyze deeply. Choose one of the following prompts below and write a clear, formal, and sophisticated analytical essay (an essay that’s driven by the writer’s analysis and leads to a deeper understanding of the text and its significant elements).
All of these prompts do require some synthesis of ideas/texts/etc. (some more than others), and all of these prompts meet California’s Common Core Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy:
Writing 9-10.2 – Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
1.
Establish definitions for “true love,” “infatuation,” and “self ‐ love.”
 Use evidence from the text to support which characters demonstrate each kind of love, and which characters move through
“superficial” love to true love and why. What about this play suggests that Shakespeare either believed in true love or did not?
2.
Some form of egotism—vanity, self-absorption—is a basic fault of many of the central characters in
Twelfth Night. Select three characters and, for each, describe his or her particular form of egotism, and how it affects his or her actions, motivations, and relations with other characters in the play.
3.
Describe the core values and responsibilities of friendship. Discuss where we see friendship misused or abused in this play, using clear evidence from the play. Then, discuss a positive model of friendship in this play. How do both friendships develop over the course of the play? What is the audience supposed to learn about true friendship from these positive and negative models of friendship?
4.
Twelfth Night moves from a potentially tragic situation (shipwreck and loss) into the joyous realm of romantic comedy (unions and reunions). The movement from conflict, sterility and death (two women who mourn supposedly dead brothers) to fertility, harmony and life (three couples happily celebrate marriages that may lead to future births) is typical of Shakespeare's comedies and romances.
What makes the three final couples “well-matched?” How do they differ from the three potential couples that are not ultimately united in marriages? What do these pairings teach about what
Shakespeare and his audience viewed as an “appropriate” match?
5.
Notice the various uses of the theme of deception within the play (e.g. deceptive appearances, deceptive words/language, and the related theme of self -deception). Which characters are most clearsighted about their own qualities and motives? Which are manipulating appearances in order to deceive others? What are their motivations for doing so?
6.
Feste destabilizes or “corrupts” the words of his noble superiors to expose the slipperiness of ostensibly stable categories, ranks, and values. Examine the irony of Feste as the Fool. How is he in fact a very powerful and intelligent character? Use evidence from the play to support your argument.
How would the play be different without the Fool?

Los Gatos High School – Comp/Lit 10: Ms. White
Twelfth Night, Or, What You Will Analytical Essay Assignment (100 points possible)
Select one of the prompts from the backside of this rubric to complete an analytical essay on William
Shakespeare’s
Twelfth Night, Or, What You Will . Your essay should: follow the scoring points of this rubric; be well organized and clearly thought-out; demonstrate thorough comprehension, deep critical thinking, and superior analysis of the text(s). Be sure to submit the final draft to turnitin.com.
_____ Failing Approaching Meeting Exceeding
Student develops an exceptionally clear, supportable thesis that fully addresses/responds to one prompt,
4 6 7 8 demonstrating a clear purpose for the introduction and overall essay. Student provides clear focus and organization for the essay with a clear summary of main points (minimum 3 proofs highly recommended).
Each body paragraph begins with a clear topic sentence that directly helps support the essay’s thesis.
4 6
Each body paragraph effectively uses relevant evidence
(direct AND paraphrased quotes) to support analysis and argument. Evidence is analyzed thoroughly and cogently, 10 15 16 17
7
18
8
20 establishing clear persuasive points throughout the essay.
Student logically explains the connection between the evidence and the main idea/thesis. Student effectively establishes connections and complex analysis.
Passages from text(s) and paraphrases include thorough citation. Quotations and paraphrases are fluidly and properly integrated into the writer’s prose.
4 6 7 8
Student summarizes the main points and restates the thesis. Student effectively circulates the opening statement. Writer closes the essay with a good clincher 4 statement. A highly effective conclusion, without being mundane and boring.
Essay is void of spelling/grammar/punctuation/ proofreading errors. Essay is submitted in MLA/FDS format. Title of essay is original and creative. Attached 4 is student’s outline and rough draft, clearly edited by minimum 4 peers, and complete peer-editing sheet. This rubric is attached to the back of the typed essay.
6
6
7
7
8
8
In addition to submitting the hard copy, student has NO submitted the exact same essay to turnitin.com on time. (not accepted; zero)
YES
(accepted)
Name: __________________________Date: ________Total Points: ______/60 Percentage:_______%
Comments:___________________________________________________________________________
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