CLST 283-WI: Classical Comedy and Satire
Spring Semester 2003
Dr. Jacqueline Long
Writing Assignment 2
Goals
- To explore a problem about Athenian New 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, 28 February: 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:
How does Menander's "The Malcontent" use
the character of Knemon to generate humor?
- Recommended strategy - general considerations - just like
Writing Assigment 1:
- Form a hypothesis based on the text; think it through, test its
implications, double-check against the text, refine your hypothesis,
and test again. Be sure you have taken everything into account.
- Build your argument so that it sets forth your hypothesis and its
proof in the most persuasive way. Refer to specific passages of the
text as concrete, specific pieces of relevant evidence, and explain
clearly how your evidence supports your conclusion.
- Write, realizing your plans.
- Reread and "test" your essay as a written argument. Does it make
the case well? Can you improve it? Think of the suggestions
you got in feedback on Writing Assignment 1: how can you help your
readers to understand your judgments and agree with them?
- 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.
- Specific considerations for this problem:
- Who is Knemon? How does an audience know? How do things that
the script actually says work on the minds of the audience (ancient
Athenians at the initial performance of "The Malcontent", or us as
readers) in order to turn this bunch of words into the impression of
a personality?
- How is humor generated?
- What does the script contribute? What does
the audience bring by way of expectations and interpretations, on
which the script works?
- What does Knemon himself do and say? What do other characters do
and say in reaction to Knemon?
See also Questions for Peer Review of
Writing Assignments
BACK to CLST 283-WI Schedule of
Readings and Assignments
This file last updated 24 February 2003 by
jlong1@orion.it.luc.edu.
http://www.luc.edu/depts/classics/