British Literature
Research Paper
Dear students,
Throughout the last nine months you have been reading works of British literature from
the 11th to the 20th century. As you recall, we have been discussing themes such as the
role of women in “The Taming of the Shrew”, “Othello”, and “Jane Eyre”; we have also
analyzed the importance of socio-economic classes (rich vs. poor) as they relate to “The
Taming of the Shrew” and “Jane Eyre.” Lastly, we have also learned about a myth in
“Beowulf” and the portrayal of early Christianity in “The Canterbury Tales.”
At this point, pick one of the six topics listed below.
1. Comparing the role of women in our literature selections vs. the reality of author’s
time period
a. Women play prominent, if secondary, roles in the two Shakespeare plays
that we’ve read this year. The examples are obvious. Kate is dominated
and crushed beneath Petruchio’s tactics while Desdemona is murdered for
her perceived infidelity. But what was life like for women during
Shakespeare’s time, roughly from 1575-1625)? Does Shakespeare
accurately depict the difficulties of women or was he exaggerating? In our
two plays the women are depicted exclusively as mates, or potential
mates, and have very little function outside of that, but in reality did
women have any financial, political, or social power in Elizabethan
England? Compare Shakespeare’s perspective with the realities of women
in Elizabethan England.
b. The protagonist of “Jane Eyre” is Jane Eyre. The book is written by
Charlotte Bronte, a woman. “Jane Eyre” more than any other book is
focused on the problems of women in the mid 1800s, but how accurate is
Bronte’s description? Did women then, like Jane, have to struggle to
make a living? Did men have the same kind of power over women that
Rochester does over Jane? Consider Jane, and even Blanche, and what
they had to endure compared to other women in Victorian England. Look
into the laws and social conventions of Victorian Age and how they
influenced the lives of women.
2. Compare economic classes in our literature selections vs. the reality of class in the
author’s time period
a. Shakespeare certainly had a lot to say about class in “Othello” and
“Taming of the Shrew” but none of it was stated directly. While the plot
dealt with love lost and found various servants and subordinates toiled in
the background. Lucentio is obviously rich, pretends to be poor, and has
excellent relations with his servant Tranio, while Petruchio is poor,
pretends to be rich, and often mistreats his servant Grumio. Othello, is
presumable upper class, both hasn’t been there all his life, making him still
an outsider. It seems that his “servant” Iago knows his way around classy
society much better. But what does class look like in Elizabethan
England, outside of Shakespeare’s plays? Did he get it right or was it
better, or much worse? Describe how class is related in the play to reality.
b. “Jane Eyre” also deals a lot with class. Jane, though having come from a
good family, is now poor, much poorer than even the servants in the
houses she lives in. Though it doesn’t often seem that way because of her
treatment, Jane actually has a comparative easy life to much of the poor
people in her time. No dirty factories, no long hours, no exposure to
disease or dangerous machinery. She doesn’t have to physically work at
all. What does it mean to be “rich” in Victorian England and how is that
demonstrated in “Jane Eyre”? How does social mobility play a role in
society? Historically speaking, how much of a problem would it be if she
married Rochester, a well-to-do man with a long history of respectable
family?
3. The role of myth in “Beowulf” or the role of religion in “The Canterbury Tales”
a. “Beowulf” includes a number of beasts and myths even older than itself.
The mythological structure underneath it dates back hundreds of years
before “Beowulf” was written down in 1000 AD. What myths (beasts,
monsters, gods, and heroes) add to the dark and frightening tone of the
ancient story? Where do they come from and how were they recreated by
an early Christian, nameless monk who transcribed the “Beowulf” tale a
thousand years ago?
b. When Chaucer wrote “The Canterbury Tales” he intended it to be a
commentary on the lives of the English during the Renaissance. He makes
fun of the poor, the working class, the rich, soldiers, the clergy,
everybody! But one of the over arching elements in his stories is the use
of religion. Catholicism was very important to people of that time period.
The church took care of everything for you, from birth to death, weddings,
funerals, education and everything in between. How was the Catholic
church visible during Renaissance England and how does that show up in
the “Canterbury Tales”? What point is Chaucer trying to make using
religious references? How did Renaissance people experience their
religion as compared to characters in the tale?
Requirements for the paper:
- 3 pages minimum
- 4 primary or secondary sources minimum (3 Regular) (2 Special Ed.)
o The story or play
o A database article
o A print source (newspaper, magazine, book)
o A secondary internet source (instructions will be given)
- MLA in-text citations
- Works Cited page
- 12 pts. Times New Roman font, double spaced
- Title and proper heading, no cover pages
Due Dates:
Outline: 10pts.
Research: 10pts.
Thesis 20pts.
Opening paragraph 10pts.
Body 1 draft: 10pts.
Body 2 draft: 10pts.
Body 3 draft: 10pts.
Conclusion 10pts.
Final Draft: 100pts.
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TOTAL: 190 pts
Rubric Forthcoming