Essay Planning Guide – Thesis and topic sentences
should be full sentences. Everything else dot points. I have had trouble with finding a topic for my third body paragraph as i wanted to incorporate the theme of reputation. I will fix this today and update the post.
Introduction:
Introductory
statement (Optional):
Thesis
statement: What is your answer to the question? This must be very clear – it is the lynch pin of your essay.
Main points:
What main points will you use to support your argument that the play
represents guilt as you suggest it does?
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Introductory
statement:
Evil can be
known as an action which is purely bad, deliberate and it has the intention
of causing harm or distress to others.
Thesis statement:
The Shakespearian
play, Othello is about good vs.
Evil, it reveals how even good characters are capable of doing evil deeds.
Main points:
-
Individuals
self-doubt and insecurities can lead them to performing evil deeds – othello
-
a
good character can be manipulated because of their weaknesses – Cassio
-
reputation
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Body paragraph 1
Topic Sentence:
Evidence: Your
paragraph should then provide evidence from the text to support your point.
Explanation: In
order to construct an argument, you must explain how your evidence is relevant/significant
to your argument.
Concluding
Sentence: The final sentence of your paragraph should come back to the point
you are making and make a clear link to the aspect of your thesis with which
you are dealing.
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Topic Sentence:
The main character,
Othello is the protagonist but his problems in his personal life lead to the
greatest tragedy of the entire play.
Evidence:
-“old black
ram”, “or else the devil will make a grandsire of you” (1.1.89-91)
-“Barbary horse”
(1.1.111)
-“in spite of
nature...to fall in love with what she feared to look upon?” (1.3.95-97)
Explanation:
-
personal
life problems are insecurity of his race
-
his
self doubt kills Desdemona
-
themes
– jealously, death, issues of race
-
positioning
techniques are dramatic
Concluding
Sentence:
Othello is
blinded by jealous rage which drives his insecurities into making him belief
the love of his life is having an affair.
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-
Body paragraph 2 a good character can be manipulated
because of their weaknesses – Cassio
Topic Sentence:
Evidence: Your
paragraph should then provide evidence from the text to support your point.
Explanation: In
order to construct an argument, you must explain how your evidence is
relevant/significant to your argument.
Concluding
Sentence: The final sentence of your paragraph should come back to the point
you are making and make a clear link to the aspect of your thesis with which
you are dealing.
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Topic Sentence:
In Othello several character’s weaknesses
are used as against them carry out
evil deeds
Evidence:
“I am not drunk
now, I can stand well enough,
and speak well enough.”
– cassio, (2.3.96-97)
Explanation:
-
Cassios
weakness is drinking which contribute him into betraying the trust of his
general, Othello
-
Emilia
weakness is her affection from her husband, she tries to please him.
-
Emilia
intentionally gives Iago her husband the Desdemona’s handkerchief, even
though she suspects he will use it for evil.
-
Desdemona
also has a weakness is that she is too much of good person and wishes to do
the right thing
-
This
leads to her demise as her actions which were made to be out of love are used
against her to make her out to be deceptive.
-
Main
themes – deception
-
Positioning
techniques repetition
Concluding
Sentence:
Iago is cunning
and deceitful as he deceives several good characters into for filling his
needs by playing upon their vulnerabilities.
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Body paragraph 3
Topic Sentence:
Evidence: Your
paragraph should then provide evidence from the text to support your point.
Explanation: In
order to construct an argument, you must explain how your evidence is
relevant/significant to your argument.
Concluding
Sentence: The final sentence of your paragraph should come back to the point
you are making and make a clear link to the aspect of your thesis with which
you are dealing.
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Topic Sentence:
The play’s characters are neither entirely good or
entirely evil
Evidence:
“reputation,
reputation, reputation!”
Explanation:
Concluding
Sentence:
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Conclusion: Your concluding paragraph must restate your thesis.
It should also summarise the main points of your argument. Once again, do not try to fit all of
these into one sentence. It is by presenting each point of your argument
again, that you summarise your case. Deal with each point, in at least one
sentence.
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Thesis:
Main points:
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