1) When we first meet Romeo in act one of Romeo and Juliet, he claims to be in love with a character named Rosaline who never speaks a line in the play and may not even appear on stage. Romeo, of course, quickly forgets Rosaline when he meets Juliet. But his behavior does not become any less erratic after he finds “true love.” With specific attention to textual evidence, consider the extent to which Juliet’s love transforms Romeo. Alternatively, you may consider this question from Juliet’s perspective.
2) The numerous scenes of graphic violence that Shakespeare interweaves throughout Titus Andronicus have led some to conclude that the play intends to inspire disgust and horror in its readers and audience members rather than pity and awe. Explore the question of whether the play works as a tragedy by tracing the development of one of the characters within it. Do any of the characters in the play earn our sympathy? Or is the world that Titus creates too vicious for us to engage with on a human level? In addition to close reading, your paper should consider how imagining the stage pictures the text creates alters our understanding of the play.
3) What does it take to be a successful character in Twelfth Night? Over the course of the play, we see multiple characters placed in challenging situations, many of which require them to improvise or falsify their identities. Viola, most obviously, quickly acclimates to Illyria by inspiring admiration and desire in nearly everyone she meets. Malvolio, on the other hand, refuses to accept his environment and ends the play more marginalized than ever. Using specific examples from the text, form an argument that accounts for the successes and failures of a particular character. Major characters work well, but minor ones such as Maria also make for interesting case studies. Alternatively, you may argue that success itself is a relative term in the world the play creates.
4) A topic of your own devising. Students who choose this option should focus on one play and must have their ideas approved by me before they begin writing in earnest.
Note: There is an enormous amount of criticism about Shakespeare’s plays circulating. I do not want you to use any outside sources, but if you do, they must be credited fully using MLA format. Please make every effort to ensure that the essay you turn in is comprised of your original ideas
