Othello, Critics, and Contemplating Evil

What is the origin of evil in Othello? Is it internal or external, the product of the individual or of society? This assignment asks you to think more conceptually, so instead of thinking of character (you did this already!) think of the concept of evil (as presented in the play) and where it comes from.

This essay, as the capstone for ENG 101, asks you to not just build on your own thoughts and reading of the play,

Use your sources to present or address objections in your confutatio and to bolster the argument you are making about the text in confirmatio paragraphs. This essay asks you to engage with secondary and contextual sources around a primary source in order to provide a more sophisticated argument than was possible in your previous writing.

This assignment requires a reading of the play, and you must use three of the four: Vanita, McCloskey, Bowman, Kliger.

Requirements:

They will be in formal academic prose (refrain from using contractions or the first or second person)

MLA format: 12 pt., double-spaced, Times New Roman, a complete with an accurate Works Cited page, a word count

1,500-2000 words, not including your Works Cited page

At least 3 of the 4 secondary sources (Vanita, McCloskey, Bowman, Kliger)

Will contain a signed statement maintaining that the submitted work is in accordance with the Anne Arundel Community College Academic Integrity Policy

Some points to remember:

Your exordium begins with your title.

Your essay must contain a clear and focused thesis statement (divisio).

Your divisio should both make a claim and provide structure for the essay.

You must support your points with specific details (including relevant quotations) from the texts – for an essay of this length, two quotations per supporting paragraph.

Include page or act.scene.line numbers (in parentheses) when referring to specific passages from the texts. E.g., (Shakespeare 2.3.147-149) or (McCloskey 29)

Early in your essay, introduce the full name of each author and complete title of each work. (Afterwards, refer to the author by last name.)

Place titles of plays in italics. E.g., Aeneid, Ajax, Moby Dick, Hamlet

When writing about literature, write in the present tense. While it has happened, it continues to, and will do so long after you are gone.