ENGL 102 Essay – Noble Savages
ENGL 102 X50 Winter 2017 1 Essay #1: Close Reading ENGL 102 Essay #1 (800-1000 words) (25%)For this assignment, you will write a comparative essay engaging with poetry and drama. Thechosen texts are a selection of colonial and postcolonial texts, and texts which can be read usingpostcolonial theory. For your essay, you will compare an aspect of one poem (Walcott or Ruffo)and Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Choose ONE of the following topics:1.) NOBLE SAVAGES: Compare Duncan Campbell Scott’s depiction of Indigenous people in“Indian Place-Names” with William Shakespeare’s depiction of Caliban in The Tempest. Whichlines demonstrate their similarity/difference? Why does it matter? Possible elements: language,names.2.) SPIRITS: Compare the purpose of spirits, ghosts, or magical creatures in Derek Walcott’s“Ruins of a Great House” and William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. What do the spirits show usabout the islands? Why are they important? Which lines demonstrate their roles in the texts?Possible elements: earth/air, agency.Since the topics are broad, you must narrow down your topic and refer to only one elementrelated to the topic.Texts:Derek Walcott, “Ruins of a Great House”http://www.poetryarchive.org/poem/ruins-great-househttp://www.poetryarchive.org/poem/ruinsgreat-houseDuncan Campbell Scott, “Indian Place-Names”http://uwo.ca/english/canadianpoetry/confederation/DCScott/poems/dc_scott_poems.html#indianhttp://uwo.ca/english/canadianpoetry/confederation/DCScott/poems/dc_scott_poems.html indianWilliam Shakespeare, The Tempesthttp://shakespeare.mit.edu/tempest/full.htmlStyle: The essay should be in Times New Roman font size 12. It should follow the MLA format:double spaced text, citations, works cited, page formatting, etc. (see e-class link)Your essay must contain a thesis statement. The introductory paragraph should follow the outlinespecified in class. The essay should be structured around an introductory paragraph, a minimumof two body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion. The essay should contain a minimum of 6citations, 3 citations per text (poem and play). You may use additional citations from the AniaLoomba essay if it helps your argument. ENGL 102 X50 Winter 2017 2 This is not a research essay: you do not need to consult any external sources in developing youranalysis. You must, however, quote from and cite the texts as you provide evidence to supportyour argument. If you do use secondary sources, you must cite them (because if you don’t that isone of the ways in which plagiarism happens).NOTE: Simple plot summaries that go beyond two or three sentences will likely not get apassing grade. Assume that I am your only reader and that I am familiar with the plot of the texts.Since this is such a short essay, get right to the point and stay on topic at all times.
