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English IV – SGO Fall Essay Revision
Sample Writing Prompt:
Both the anonymous poem Beowulf and Shakespeare’s play Macbeth
illustrate how individuals deal with ambition. Write an essay in which you
contrast the issues regarding ambition in Beowulf to the issues regarding
ambition in Macbeth. You must choose at least two differences between
the readings in your essay. Use at least two quotes from each of the
readings to prove your point.
INTRODUCTION/THESIS - Should include 3-5 sentences
1) 1-3 general sentences about the topic(s) you will be discussing in your
paper.
 The first sentence should mention something very general about the
topic you will write about.
 The second sentence should mention the title and author of the 1st
work you will write about and perhaps offer a brief summary of the
work.
 The third sentence should mention the title and author of the 2nd work
you will write about and perhaps offer a brief summery of the work.
Example:
(1) Few would argue that ambition is a necessary quality if a person,
real or fictional, desires to achieve one’s career goals in life. (2) The
epic poem Beowulf tells the story of a man who moves through the
stages of the hero’s transformation to reach his own goals. (3)
Similarly, Shakespeare’s play Macbeth shows a man with career
ambitions.
2) 1-2 sentence thesis telling what your entire paper is going to be about or
what you are going to prove. This sentence must:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Include the title and author of each work being discussed
Identify the idea you are going to prove/argue
Mention the reasons you will use to support your argument/position
Be the last sentence of the paragraph
***If necessary, this may be 2 sentences long
Example Thesis Statement –
First Brainstorm 2 Differences:
Early in life:
 Beowulf’s ambition is initially a call for him to help
others independently in another land.
 Macbeth’s ambition is initially a selfish desire for
self-advancement at any cost.
Later in life:
 Beowulf’s ambition later in life is a desire to help the
people he leads in his homeland.
 Macbeth’s ambition later in life is a selfish desire to
maintain his position over the people he leads at
any cost.
Both the epic poem Beowulf and Shakespeare’s play Macbeth
illustrate the theme of ambition; however, in Beowulf readers see the
main character (1) begin his career as a boasting self-promoting hero
and (2) mature to become less self-seeking as he ages, while in
Macbeth Shakespeare shows the main character progress from (1)
someone who needs a little coaxing to do evil in the beginning, to (2)
one who chooses evil on his own later in life to achieve his goals.
So – Here’s the whole 1st paragraph together:
Few would argue that ambition is a necessary quality if a person, real
or fictional, desires to achieve one’s career goals in life. The epic poem
Beowulf tells the story of a man who moves through the stages of the
hero’s transformation to reach his own goals. Similarly, Shakespeare’s play
Macbeth shows a man with career ambitions. Both the epic poem Beowulf
and Shakespeare’s play Macbeth illustrate the theme of ambition; however,
in Beowulf readers see the main character begin his career as a boasting
self-promoting hero and mature to become less self-seeking as he ages,
while in Macbeth Shakespeare shows the main character progress from
someone who needs a little coaxing to do evil in the beginning, to one who
chooses evil on his own later in life to achieve his goals.
Body Paragraphs – these provide the evidence or proof (quotes)
of the claim you made in your thesis statement.
1st sentence - must be a topic sentence – this is one sentence that
explains what your entire paragraph is going to be about.
2nd sentence – this is at least one (a better paragraph will have more
sentences here!!!) that explains what is happening in the story at the
time of the quote you will use to prove your thesis.
3rd sentence – this must include the speaker of your quote (or narrator),
the quote, and the citation for the quote (author + page numbers / or
author + line numbers) followed by a period (.) **** if we do not know he
author, then we will have to just use the title of the work ****
4th sentence – this is at least one sentence (a better paper will have more)
explaining how that particular quote proves your point. This sentence
must identify the connection between the quote and your thesis.
5th sentence – this is at least one (a better paragraph will have more
sentences here!!!) that explains what is happening in the story at the
time of the 2nd quote you will use to prove your thesis.
6th sentence – this must include the speaker of your quote (or narrator),
the quote, and the citation for the quote (author + page numbers / or
author + line numbers) followed by a period (.) **** if we do not know he
author, then we will have to just use the title of the work ****
7th sentence – this is at least one sentence (a better paper will have more)
explaining how that 2nd particular quote proves your point. This
sentence must identify the connection between the quote and your thesis.
8th sentence – this is at least one sentence that acts to conclude the
paragraph and essentially summarizes what the whole paragraph was
about.
Example Body Paragraph:
The poem Beowulf illustrates the theme of ambition through the
character Beowulf. Early in the story Denmark is under a nightly attack
from the monster Grendel. When Beowulf hears of this struggle, he feels
called to take care of this problem. The narrator notes that he, “Quickly
commanded a boat fitted out, proclaiming that he’d go that famous
king…now when help was needed” (Beowulf 197-201). Beowulf’s ambition
to help others leads him to leave the comfort of his homeland to engage in
this honorable errand. His plans are to battle the monster on his own for
his own glory. Later in the poem readers see Beowulf’s ambition change.
After Beowulf has returned to Geatland and ruled for 50 winters, he wants
to help his people and is open to using weapons and having help fight the
dragon that is tormenting his people. Beowulf states, “I’d use not sword, no
weapon, if this beast could be killed without it….I feel o shame, with shield
and sword and armor, against this monster” (Beowulf 2518-2524). At this
stage of his life, he is still ambitious to do what is right and to protect
people; however, now he is less arrogant about his abilities. The epic
poem shows Beowulf as an ambitious hero whose desire is always to do
what is right.
Conclusion Paragraph – should sum up what you have proven
in your paper, using DIFFERENT words from your original thesis,
and relate the topic to something larger / worldly / or universal….
ideally 3-4 sentences
1. Begin with a signal word to let the reader know you are about the
wrap up the essay.
2. Re-state your thesis – this should use different wording from your
original thesis statement.
3. Remind readers of the proof you used to support your thesis.
4. Add at least one sentence to expand on your main point. Express
this as a universal comment / suggestion / or idea.
Example Conclusion:
Ultimately, both Beowulf and Shakespeare’s play Macbeth present
the theme of ambition. Beowulf’s ambition matures from being self-serving
to less egotistical. Macbeth’s ambition, alternatively, begins with a single
evil idea and evolves into unstoppable violence. Ambition is an admirable
quality when a person strives to use it to help others or to improve
him/herself. Ambition that is over-arching or all-consuming and includes
hurting other people is unacceptable.