Dye Eng. 12 Essay Questions
Name:______________________ Due Date: _______________
Choose only one of the following questions. Your essay should be three to four typed pages (double-spaced) in
MLA format, with MLA parenthetical citations and works cited page. Include at least four quotations from Othello
and at least one quotation from an outside source to prove your essay answer.
1. Everyone says Othello is a play about jealously, but which character is the most tragically jealous? Be sure your
essay defines the emotion of jealousy, proves that one character fits this definition better than the other
characters, and disproves the alleged jealousy of other characters.
2. The play Othello shows us that races have been intermarrying for over 400 years, but not without prejudgment.
Which character is the most prejudiced or racist? Be sure your essay picks either the term prejudiced or racist,
not both. Then, define the term and prove that one character is motivated by racism/prejudice, and disprove
racism/prejudice in the other characters.
3. Read between the lines of the play, was Shakespeare a racist? Be sure your essay uses facts about the author,
facts about the racial relations of Renaissance England, and quotes from Othello that prove your stance.
4. Although this play is a tragedy, there are characters who show wisdom about healthy love and relationships.
Which character has the best understanding of love? Be sure your essay determines the essential qualities of
healthy relationships. Be sure your essay uses evidence from the play to prove one character has the best
understanding of love and disprove another character’s alleged love.
5. Make up your own essay topic for Othello. Topics must be approved by me.
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* For this paper you are to use MLA parenthetical citations and a works cited page. For example: (Shakespeare, Othello,
2. 2. 54-59).
*Go to Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab for help with writing an MLA works cited page
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
*Use your class notes or go to Shmoop.com for help locating quotations from Othello.
English 12 / Dye Othello Essay - Peer Review: Your grade will be based on how well you adhere to the sections below.
Format
Yes
No
Paper is 3-4 pages long and divided into three to five paragraphs. The paragraphs are indented.
The writer did not plagiarize and uses quotation marks and cites other’s work.
The paper has a title & header, which includes student’s name, teacher’s name, class name, & due date – in
that order.
The paper is written in 12-point font, Times New Roman, double-spaced with one-inch margins.
Grammar
Good
Average
Poor
Complete sentences: No fragments; No run-ons
Commas: No comma splices, commas are used for introductory clauses, etc.
Spelling: No misspellings, typos or confused words.
Quotation marks, parenthesis, colons, & periods are used properly for the essay’s quotations.
No first or second person. No I, me, my, you, your, us, or we.
Avoid past-tense and passive voice. Othello’s characters are fictional, so write as if they are currently
alive and on stage.
Argument
The introduction is attention-grabbing & interesting. It defines the key terms & states the thesis.
The thesis answers the question in one or two sentences & outlines what the essay is going to cover.
The body paragraphs of the paper are well developed & follow the order of the thesis. Each
paragraph covers the topic listed in the directions.
The paper uses primary & secondary source quotations to prove the thesis. There are four or more
primary source quotations & at least one secondary source quotation throughout the paper.
Each quotation has an introduction, a tag line, and an explanation. No quote-plopping.
The essay has the student’s original thoughts. It does not rely solely on “experts” answers.
Transition sentences are used to guide the reader from one paragraph to the next. Sentences are
not choppy or lacking flow. Transition words are used to tie ideas and sentences together.
Sentences are not redundant or too simple. Sentences order varies from subject, verb, object.
Clarity: The paper is easy to read. Important ideas are properly emphasized. The paper does not
stray from the subject.
Comprehension: The information in the essay is correct. The essay shows that the student has a solid
understanding of the plot, themes, & background of Othello.
The conclusion of the paper represents the student’s own opinion & states the idea of the essay in a
new way. It is not a repetition of the thesis.
Great
Average
Poor