Many of the plays we have read this semester depict a dynamic relationship between order (and ancillary concepts like control, power, etc.) and disorder. For your first paper, I want you to write a 4-5-page essay about how this dynamic between order and disorder plays out in one of the plays we have read so far this semester. Some questions you might want to consider are:
- What is/are the source(s) of order within the text? Is the social order or structure dictated by the gods, government, human power, etc.? Where do those sources get their power and what power do those unsatisfied with that order have against it?
- How do characters confront the accepted order? Why are they unsatisfied with the prevailing order? What do they do about it?
- What is the author's attitude toward order and disorder? Is one or the other condoned or condemned, or does the author make a more subtle argument? How do you determine the author's attitudes versus those of the characters?
Your essay should have a strong thesis statement that makes a clear interpretive claim about the status of order within one of the texts we have examined so far this semester. You should support your thesis with close analysis of both the play's structure (plot, characterization, setting, etc.) as well as its language (i.e. "close reading," or analysis of the text on a sentence and word level).
A strong essay will:
- Have a clear, specific, precisely-worded thesis statement that directly answers the question posed by the prompt. The idea itself will be surprising, reflecting a deep level of engagement with the text.
- Contain several paragraphs of close analysis of both the play's structure and its language. This analysis will reflect close and careful consideration of the text at hand, and all analysis will relate clearly and directly back to the thesis statement; in other words, you will choose passages relevant to the idea you present in your thesis and your analysis of these passages will serve to move your argument forward.
- Be relatively free of plot summary. Please assume that your paper's audience has read the play already. Your space in this essay in precious, and devoting any room that could used for analysis to plot summary will hurt your grade a great deal.
- Be well-structured and organized. The argument will unfold in a clear and logical manner. All paragraphs will have strong and clear topic sentences.
- Be polished on the sentence level. The prose will be simple, straightforward, clear, and easy to read and understand. The text will be free of errors in spelling, grammar, and document design.
Although Orgon and Tartuffe posses traits of “bad” characters, they also exhibit morally just qualities that cause us to question if a person can be all good or all bad.
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