This Essay Should Be A Word Essay: Close Reading Assignment

This essay should be a word essay: close reading assignment

This essay should be a close reading essay, and should use as evidence primarily passages from the story or stories that you discuss. You may not use ANY outside sources without the instructor's approval. The essay should be in MLA essay format (see the sample essay attached below) and use MLA citations. A works cited entry and in-text citations for each text discussed are required. The essay should be focused on making a debatable claim about the work(s) in question; informational essays or essays consisting of summary are not appropriate.

The claim should be supported with discussion of specific passages from the text(s) on which the essay is focused. The essay grading rubric can be found here. DIRECTIONS:::: Choose 1 of the following topics, and write a thesis-driven essay in response to that topic: The Tragic Hero: In Oedipus Tyrannus, should we view Oedipus as a victim, or can we find something heroic in his actions and end? Support your argument by discussing only events and lines from the play. Being Human: Consider Oedipus’ attempts to outrun prophecy: what does Sophocles seem to be arguing, through the play, about human potential and limitations? Support your argument by discussing only events and lines from the play. Alone Time: Choose a variety of poems by Li Bai, and analyze them for a picture of the lure of solitude. How is solitude represented and what kinds of imagery (natural/urban, light/dark, etc.) are used alongside it? Support your argument by discussing only passages from the poem you chose. Shared Themes: Choose one (1) poem by Li Bai, and identify in it a theme that you also can find in Oedipus Tyrannus. Compare and contrast the two works’ treatment of the theme. Do they deal with that theme in a way that is more alike or different? Focus your thesis on arguing how the treatments are more similar/different, and support your argument by discussing only passages from the two works. MAKE SURE TO CITE YOUR WORK!!!

Paper For Above instruction

This essay requires a detailed close reading of selected literary texts, focusing on analyzing specific passages that support a debatable thesis about the work(s). Students must choose one of four topics: the tragic hero in Oedipus Tyrannus, human potential and limitations demonstrated in Oedipus, the representation of solitude in works by Li Bai, or a thematic comparison between a poem by Li Bai and Oedipus Tyrannus. The essay must adhere to MLA format, include in-text citations, and feature a Works Cited page. Outside sources are prohibited unless authorized by the instructor. The primary goal is to craft a compelling argument supported exclusively by textual evidence, avoiding summaries or informational essays.

Paper For Above instruction

In this essay, I will explore the complex nature of Oedipus in Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus, considering whether he should be viewed primarily as a victim or if his actions contain an inherent heroism. This analysis will interpret specific passages from the play to construct a clear, debatable thesis. I will argue that Oedipus’s tragic flaw—his hubris and determination to uncover the truth—contribute both to his downfall and his heroism, depending on the interpretive lens used. Through close examination of key lines such as Oedipus’s declarations of intent and moments of self-awareness, I aim to demonstrate that Sophocles presents Oedipus as a tragic hero whose human flaws evoke both pity and admiration.

Similarly, I will analyze Oedipus’s relentless efforts to escape his prophetic destiny, exploring what Sophocles seems to imply about human potential and limitations. For instance, Oedipus’s attempts to avert the prophecy through investigative action reflect a human desire to exert control over fate, but ultimately reveal the limits of human knowledge and hubris. These passages highlight themes of human vulnerability and the tragic inevitability of fate, illustrating Sophocles’ perspective on the limits of human agency.

Alternatively, I could examine Li Bai’s poems that depict solitude, analyzing how natural and urban imagery—such as moonlit mountains or quiet rivers—represent the allure and profundity of solitude. This analysis would focus on specific passages where Li Bai’s imagery emphasizes light versus dark or the transient nature of life, portraying solitude as both a retreat and a means of spiritual reflection.

If I choose the shared themes option, I might identify a theme such as fate or human vulnerability that appears in both Li Bai’s poetry and Oedipus Tyrannus. I would then compare how each work treats this theme—whether they depict it as inevitable, as a source of suffering, or as an opportunity for insight—and argue whether their treatments are more similar or different based on textual evidence.

References

  • Sophocles. Oedipus Tyrannus. Translated by Robert Fagles, Penguin Classics, 1984.
  • Li Bai. Selected Poems. Translated by David Hinton, New York Review Books Classics, 2009.
  • Kirk, G. S. The Nature of Greek Tragedy. Oxford University Press, 1997.
  • Woodruff, Paul. “Fate and Free Will in Greek Tragedy.” The Journal of Hellenic Studies, vol. 127, 2007, pp. 95–115.
  • Hinton, David. “Li Bai’s Solitudes and the Poetics of Nature.” Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews, vol. 20, 1994, pp. 45–59.
  • Segal, C. “Heroism in Greek Tragedy.” Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. 72, 1968, pp. 43–70.
  • Fagles, Robert. The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles. Penguin Classics, 1984.
  • Fontenrose, Joseph. “Fate and Free Will in Greek Drama.” University of California Press, 1968.
  • Wu, L. “Imagery and Meaning in Li Bai’s Poems.” Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 13, no. 2, 1984, pp. 231–250.
  • Ober, Josiah. Cultural Identity and Moral Action in the Greek and Chinese Classics. Princeton University Press, 2012.

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