CLST 283-WI: Classical Comedy and Satire
Spring Semester 2003
Dr. Jacqueline Long
Writing Assignment 1
Goals
- To explore a problem about ancient Athenian comedy and how it
operates, using literary evidence
- To build a persuasive argument about your conclusions
- To practice skills of analysis and exposition in essay form
To submit to peer review in class on Friday, 31 January: have in
hand, in our room, at the start of class period:
In 900-1100 words (4 word-processed, double-spaced pages in 12-point
Times Roman) an essay proposing and defending YOUR ANSWER to the
question:
Is Procleon or Contracleon better
understood to be the protagonist of Aristophanes'
"Wasps"?
- Recommended strategy - general considerations:
- Think through the problem first. Form a preliminary answer, then
keep testing it against the evidence that relates to the question.
Refine your preliminary answer in light of your investigations.
Repeat until you are sure you have thought of everything.
- What evidence is relevant?
- What does the evidence show? How does it show it?
- How does the evidence help answer the question?
- Taking all the relevant evidence into account (including
counter-evidence that leads away from your conclusion), how can you
best answer the question?
- How can an argument most persuasively demonstrate the answer you
arrive at in phase 1 above? NB: The route by which you arrive at your
answer may or may not be the most efficent route to take somebody else
to the same point. Consider carefully what will work well.
- Refer to concrete, specific pieces of relevant evidence, so
that your reader can see you are building your answer on a solid basis.
- Explain clearly how your evidence supports your conclusion, so
your reader can see how your argument is operating.
- Write your essay so that it advances and defends your answer,
according to the plan you arrived at in phase 2 above.
- Reread your essay. Does it work the way you planned it to? Now that
it's all together, can you think of any ways to make it stronger and
more persuasive? Modify as seems appropriate.
- For more suggestions about formulating an argument, see this
Guide to Writing
Papers. Use the BACK
button on your browser to return to this page.
- Recommended strategy - specific considerations for this problem:
- What characteristics define Aristophanes' protagonists? Use
"Acharnians" and "Clouds" as standards to which to compare "Wasps".
- Does Procleon or Contracleon better fit the model "Acharnians"
and "Clouds" seem to define?
See also Questions for Peer Review of
Writing Assignments
BACK to CLST 283-WI Schedule of
Readings and Assignments
This file last updated 26 January 2003 by
jlong1@orion.it.luc.edu.
http://www.luc.edu/depts/classics/