The construction of a persuasive argument is a skill fundamental to a humanities education, and this assignment requires students to analyze a minor character in Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing. A successful essay will have a feasible argument about the chosen character, evidentiary support for all claims, and careful analysis of cited passages in which authors show how they arrive at their conclusions. All essays ought to be between 450-550 words. Select a minor character from Much Ado about Nothing—that is, any character EXCEPT for Beatrice, Benedick, Hero, and Claudio—and construct an argument about them. Remember that your thesis statement ought to be sufficiently narrowed and specific. Aim to answer the proverbial “so what” in your argument. That is, why does your argument regarding the minor character matter to our understanding of the play? How does it shift our interpretation? When you quote from the play, make sure that your analysis is the same length (or longer) than cited passages. Remember, too, that summary of the play does not constitute analysis; rather, practice unpacking specific details from the text (as we do in class) to prove your claims.
