Over the course of the semester, you will write five brief analyses (about 300 words each) of specific stylistic choices in each of the assigned plays. You will write one Stylistic Analysis for each of the five assigned plays.
For each analysis, pick a few lines from the assigned play, then focus on a particular linguistic detail in them (a surprising word choice, an arresting metaphor, a complex allusion, a striking use of rhythm), and offer your insights into what that specific stylistic nuance does for a reader.
Begin by quoting the text you will analyze. Then start your analysis with a clear thesis statement, letting your reader know what element of the passage you will be analyzing. Develop the analysis point by point with frequent reference to the text.
Everything you say in your analysis should relate directly to the actual words of the text. Don’t get sidetracked; stick with the words. Focus on how Shakespeare has shaped and arranged the language. Strive for fine-grained analysis, not mushy generalizations.
Your analyses will not receive letter grades. I will evaluate them as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. If you submit five Satisfactory analyses, you will make 100% on the assignment.
Post your Stylistic Analyses in the Journal component of Blackboard. Please DO NOT submit your analyses as attached files.
You must submit your Stylistic Analysis for each play on or before the last day we discuss that play.
| Play | Deadline |
| A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Th 7/13 |
| 1 Henry IV | W 7/19 |
| Twelfth Night | M 7/24 |
| Othello | M 7/31 |
| The Tempest | Th 8/3 |