RESEARCH PAPER INSTRUCTIONS

In Module/Week 8, you will write a 1,500-word (5–7 pages) essay that addresses 1 of the plays from the Drama Unit. A minimum of 6 citations, including the primary source and at least 5 secondary scholarly sources, is required for this assignment. Before you begin writing the essay, carefully read the guidelines for developing your paper topic that are given below. Review the Research Paper Grading Rubric to see how your submission will be graded. Gather all of your information, plan the direction of your essay, organize your ideas by developing a 1-page thesis statement and outline, draft your research paper, and compile bibliography sources used. Format the thesis/outline, the draft, and bibliography using current MLA, APA, or Turabian style (whichever corresponds to your degree program).

The Research paper must include a title page, thesis statement, and outline followed by the research essay itself and your correctly documented sources page.

Guidelines for Developing Your Paper Topic

Chapters 41 and 42 of the Kennedy and Gioia textbook provide helpful pointers for writing about plays and for developing research papers. Be sure to review both chapters thoroughly before you begin doing any further work for this assignment.

Choose 1 of the prompts below to address in your paper:

1. Write an essay explaining how Sophocles’ Oedipus exemplifies or refutes Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. Review Chapter 34 in your textbook for the background and overview of Aristotle’s concept of tragedy/the tragic hero and drama. This chapter also contains critical information on Sophocles and the play Oedipus. You may use any of the critical material as a secondary source, but remember to cite it correctly.

2. Discuss William Shakespeare’s Othello, the Moor of Venice as a tragedy. As defined by Aristotle, is it correct to label Othello a “tragic hero” and to classify the play as an Aristotelian tragedy? Review Chapter 35 of your textbook for the background and overview of Shakespeare’s Othello, the Moor of Venice, and drama. This chapter also contains critical information on Shakespeare and the play Othello, the Moor of Venice. Also, see pp. 944–947 and pp. 1,112–1,115; this addresses Aristotle’s concept of tragedy and the tragic hero. You may use any of the critical material as a secondary source, but remember to cite it correctly.

3. Use evidence from Sophocles’ Oedipus, from Shakespeare’s Othello, Moor of Venice, and from secondary sources to explain why you agree or disagree with this statement: “The downfall of Oedipus is the work of the gods; the downfall of Othello is self-inflicted” (Should you choose this option, you need to read both Oedipus and Othello in full).

4. Discuss the author’s perception of death and the treatment of death in Everyman.

Finding Scholarly Sources

For your papers, you are only permitted to use academic sources. Resources such as 123Essays, Spark Notes, Cliff Notes, and Masterplots (or similar resources) are not scholarly and will not be permitted in your papers. To find appropriate sources, access the Liberty University Library through the Services/Support link on the course menu. From there, you can use the Library Research Portal to find peer-reviewed, scholarly journals. The Literature Resource Center is an excellent resource for these types of papers.

If you need additional help finding the right sources, you can receive help from a librarian in the Liberty library by emailing your questions to research@liberty.edu. You are also free to visit your local library or do some research on the Internet; however, make sure that you have credible sources. If you are uncertain, email your source to you instructor in advance.