DO NOW:
 1. From the front table:
 Take 2 colored pencils
 Take one research thesis sheet
 Take one example Shakespeare context essay  DON’T WRITE ON THIS
 2. Take out your thesis statement. Underline the SUBJECT in one color & the CLAIM in
a different color
 Make a KEY for your 2 colors
 3. Read the example context essay
 4. On a separate sheet of paper - write down at least 3 positive comments and at least 1
constructive criticism for this essay.
5 PARAGRAPH ESSAY STRUCTURE
FIRST PARAGRAPH - INTRODUCTION
 Introduction should go from broad to specific as the paragraph progresses
 Introduce the topic/subject of your paper
 Give some relevant background information
 Start narrowing your focus towards the claim your paper will be making
 Thesis statement is at the end of your introduction
INTRODUCTION
Queen Elizabeth I ruled England from 1558 to 1603. She was a strong and
thoughtful leader who inspired a celebrated era in English history. Significant events in
Elizabeth I’s life inspired Shakespeare and this influence can be seen in many of
the characters and themes of his plays.
BODY PARAGRAPHS – 2-3
 Should be structured:
 Assertion (Topic Sentence) red
 Evidence - blue
 Commentary - green
 Evidence - blue
 Commentary – green
 Concluding sentence – red (link back to the topic sentence)
ASSERTION / THESIS
 Make sure each assertion (topic sentence) relates directly to the thesis you have
presented in the first paragraph.
DO NOT simply repeat your research question/topic in your assertion.
For example, if the question your thesis addresses is “How did Shakespeare’s
education influence his plays?
your assertion should NOT be:
“Shakespeare’s education influenced the way he wrote his plays.”
 Instead, a strong assertion might be:
Shakespeare’s education contributed to his ability to not only use words in a
complex manner, but also create brand new vocabulary.
ASSERTION, CONTINUED
• Make sure your assertion actually says something – not just an empty
statement
What NOT to write:
SIMPLISTIC: Shakespeare’s education influenced many different things in his
plays.
FLOWERY: Through Shakespeare’s influences and experiences in various
educational institutions, significant aspects impacted and enveloped
multitudinous facets of his writing.
EVIDENCE
 Evidence should help to support your claim and relate directly to your topic
sentence - RELEVANT
 Evidence should be provided in the form of a direct quotation or paraphrasing
 All evidence must include correct in-text citation and an entry on your works cited
page
 Caution:Your voice needs to be evident in your paper. Do not spend the whole
paragraph giving evidence (paraphrasing especially)
COMMENTARY
 Commentary should always follow evidence
 After you’ve included evidence, write at least 2 sentences of
commentary
 Commentary should NOT be summary or restatement of the evidence
(no translation)
 Commentary is your ANALYSIS of the significance of the evidence in
terms of your assertion for that paragraph and the research paper as a
whole
One of the themes of William Shakespeare’s play King Lear is father-daughter
relationships. This may have, at least in part, come from King Henry’s known on-andoff relationship with Elizabeth. Katherine Howard, the king’s fifth wife, was also
beheaded when Elizabeth was eight. Elizabethi.org mentions that Robert Dudley,
Elizabeth’s childhood friend, said years later that after this “Elizabeth told him that
she would never marry” (www.elizabethi.org). This may be one of the reasons that
Elizabeth was known as the ‘Virgin Queen’.
FINAL PARAGRAPH - CONCLUSION
 Conclusion should go from narrow to broad (opposite of introduction)
 Main idea of your paper should be addressed
 Statements in your conclusion should offer reflection on the information
that was provided in your paper
 Thesis statement should be addressed (not restated word for word)
Ultimately, the relationships that Elizabeth had, as well as her interests, greatly
influenced Shakespeare’s plays. Shakespeare often writes about familial relationships.
Many of Queen Elizabeth’s relationships were public knowledge and commonly
discussed during Shakespeare’s time. In addition, we can see that Queen Elizabeth had
great respect for and interest in the theater. Combining both her patronage of the
theater, and her own life, it is possible see connections that influenced
Shakespeare’s writing. Without the influence of Queen Elizabeth, Shakespeare’s
plays may have been very different.