Writing the Literary Essay
1. After selecting your TOPIC locate relevant PASSAGES that can prove that which you wish to ARGUE
2. Record the Act, Scene and Line numbers so you can find it EASILY (III.iii.260­279) or (3.3.260­279)
http://drmarkwomack.com/pdfs/how­to­quote­shakespeare.pdf
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This fellow's of exceeding honesty
And knows of qualities, with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings.
If I do prove her haggard,
Though her jesses were my dear heart­strings,
I'd whistle her off and let her down the wind
To prey at fortune. Haply for I am black,
And have not these soft parts of conversation
That chamberers have, or for I am declin'd
Into the vale of years­­yet that's not much­­
She's gone, I am abus'd and my relief
Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage,
That we can call these delicate creatures ours
And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad
And live upon the vapour of a dungeon
Than keep a corner in the thing I love
For others' uses. Yet 'tis the plague of great ones,
Prerogativ'd are they less than the base;
Tis destiny unshunnable, like death:
Even then this forked plague is fated to us
When we do quicken. Look where she comes.
ACT 3.3. 260­279.
Othello's major Soliloquy
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1. UNDERSTAND THE PASSAGE
This fellow's of exceeding honesty
And knows of qualities, with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings.
If I do prove her haggard,
Though her jesses were my dear heart­strings,
I'd whistle her off and let her down the wind
To prey at fortune. Haply for I am black,
And have not these soft parts of conversation
That chamberers have, or for I am declin'd
Into the vale of years­­yet that's not much­­
She's gone, I am abus'd and my relief
Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage,
That we can call these delicate creatures ours
And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad
And live upon the vapour of a dungeon
Than keep a corner in the thing I love
For others' uses. Yet 'tis the plague of great ones,
Prerogativ'd are they less than the base;
Tis destiny unshunnable, like death:
Even then this forked plague is fated to us
When we do quicken. Look where she comes.
Iago seems so honest and true, He has insight into the human spirit
If Desdemona proves to be a wild hawk, I will cut the string that ties her to me, her protector free (a jesse is the string tied to the falcon's leg in order to keep it close to the owner during hunting season)
And let her loose on the world/ look after herself, even if it kills me inside
Perhaps I am 1. black and do not have the 2. social, educated charms or charisma that ladies' men have (i.e. Cassio)
For I am 3. older than she­­ but that doesn't matter anymore
She's gone, I am deceived and the only way I can get over this is to hate her (in a passionate anguish) Marriage is a curse because we call these animals ours and we don't take into account their lustful appetites for other men!
I wish I were the most loathsome creature in the most filthy dungeon than be married to Desdemona as she wants another man. This is the curse of great men like me, we have less opportunities than even the base, illegitimate child! They are more privileged than us!
Such an inescapable fate, like death!
This curse (of having our fate include cheating/ cuckold) begins as soon as we are conceived!
Here she comes.
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2. APPLY LITERARY SIGNIFICANCE
This fellow's of exceeding honesty
And knows of qualities, with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings.
If I do prove her haggard,
Though her jesses were my dear heart­strings,
I'd whistle her off and let her down the wind
To prey at fortune. Haply for I am black,
And have not these soft parts of conversation
That chamberers have, or for I am declin'd
Into the vale of years­­yet that's not much­­
She's gone, I am abus'd and my relief
Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage,
That we can call these delicate creatures ours
And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad
And live upon the vapour of a dungeon
Than keep a corner in the thing I love
For others' uses. Yet 'tis the plague of great ones,
Prerogativ'd are they less than the base;
Tis destiny unshunnable, like death:
Even then this forked plague is fated to us
When we do quicken. Look where she comes.
T
C
E
A Character Development?
Plot Development?
Themes?
Style?
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This fellow's of exceeding honesty
And knows of qualities, with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings.
If I do prove her haggard,
Though her jesses were my dear heart­strings,
I'd whistle her off and let her down the wind
To prey at fortune. Haply for I am black,
And have not these soft parts of conversation
That chamberers have, or for I am declin'd
Into the vale of years­­yet that's not much­­
She's gone, I am abus'd and my relief
Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage,
That we can call these delicate creatures ours
And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad
And live upon the vapour of a dungeon
Than keep a corner in the thing I love
For others' uses. Yet 'tis the plague of great ones,
Prerogativ'd are they less than the base;
Tis destiny unshunnable, like death:
Even then this forked plague is fated to us
When we do quicken. Look where she comes.
T
C
E
A
Othello is conflicted because the thought of having lost his love, Desdemona, to another man makes him jealous, depressed and hateful, which will slowly reveals the monster inside.
Iago has just told Othello that he suspects Desdemona cheated on him with Cassio and suggests plausible reasons (she deceived her father, she may want a man who is more attractive and of her age) for doing so
"I am abus'd, and my relief/ Must be to loathe her" (3.3.269­270)
"I had rather be a toad/ And live upon the vapour of a dungeon/ Than keep in the corner the thing I love/ For others' uses." (3.3.274­5)
"Yet 'tis the pague of great ones,/... When we do quicken" (3.3.275­9)
+ more
Character Development?
See next page...
Plot Development?
Themes?
Style?
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Character Development? Othello becomes cruel/ heartless (slowly becomes a monster)
­Othello no longer has those "soft parts of conversation" that he may have had with Desdemona in their love ­Othello refers to Desdemona as a "thing" and a "creature" implying that she's no longer human, at the base of the Great Chain of Being
­contrasts his earlier statements (find proof in an earlier act) that she is divine like the goddess Diana
­he, himself would also be a base creature, a "toad/Liv[ing] on the vapour of a dungeon" than to see her intimate
with another
Othello loses his "vision" (sight motif)
­he trusts Iago without seeing it for himself (he has no proof) and considers his ability to see human nature truthfully
­shows his tragic flaw
­foreshadows that he will fall into Iago's trap, "blindless" Plot Development?
Climax of the plot (dramatically and psychologically)
­this soliloquy is the pivotal moment in which Othello transitions from the gallant noble man to the self­hating, jealous
being/ monster
­he identifies himself as a "great one" as he once was, but also belittles himself with the suggestions that he is not good enough for Desdemona (he's black, old, unattractive), then follows his pride with the curse that is destined for all those who are great, just like death (which he will experience as a tragic hero)
­this sets the tone for the rest of the play as it is the point of no return, he vows to "loathe her" and trust Iago's "exceeding honesty"
Use of irony and dramatic irony
­"This fellow's exceeding honesty/And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit"
­ In Iago's soliloquys and asides earlier, he has revealed his true intentions which include lying and deceiving Othello
­contrasts Desdemona's character, who is actually true and honest (ironic because he trusts Iago over her, proving how faulty his judgment is)
Style?
Use of animal imagery/ metaphor
­Othello calls Desdemona a "delicate creature", connoting the vulnerable, beautiful creatures such as moths, then juxtaposes this image with her having an "appetite" as if she is vicious and hunting prey
­ earlier compares Desdemona to a "haggard" or hawk who adjoins to those in power (using "jesses" to be saved by their masters during hunting season) as if connoting that she is not the hunted but the hunter
Themes?
HONESTY
JEALOUSY/ ENVY
HATRED
APPEARANCE VS. REALITY
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Your literary significance should be very thorough.
If done well you should be able to select the evidence and analysis from your notes that will support your essay's thesis directly.
Some tweaking may be needed, but you're on the right track! 7
Create a carefully worded TOPIC SENTENCE that
1. Links with the last paragraph (transition word like Although, Conversely, In addition to...)
2. Connects with your thesis statement
3. Introduces the topic/idea of this new paragraph
From there, follow the basic guidelines for writing a Literary Significance paragraph.
1. TOPIC SENTENCE
2. CONTEXT
3. SENTENCE WITH CONTEXT TO INTRODUCE THE FULL QUOTATION
4. BEGIN ANALYSIS/ FORMAL INTERPRETATION, USING EVIDENCE (PARTS OF THE QUOTATION. ACTUAL TEXTUAL PROOF FROM THE ORIGINAL QUOTE/ NEW QUOTES)
5. INTEGRATE SECONDARY SOURCES TO SHOW SUPPORT FROM OTHER CRITICS IN THE FIELD (E.g. Harold Bloom)
­­ EXPLAIN WHO THE CRITIC IS/ WHY THEY'RE WORTHY OF OUR ATTENTION!
6. CONCLUDE THE PARAGRAPH WITH A BRIEF SUMMARY OF YOUR FOCUS/ WHAT YOU PROVEN IN RELATION TO YOUR THESIS
REPEAT!
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Reminders:
Your thesis statements and rough outlines are DUE MONDAY for conferencing
You can always read ahead or make changes later, should you want to include passages for your essay
Monday and Tuesday will be opportunities for finding SECONDARY SOURCES to further support
your essays.
Add in these sources and be prepared to write you essay in­class, NO COMPUTERS ALLOWED
A physical Thesaurus/ Dictionary will be permitted, but no cell phones
And then YOU'RE DONE!
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