LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAY

Writing the Introduction  Provide the necessary background information in 5- 7 sentences.  Title of the Novel  Author/any relevant historical or biographical information  Brief Summary of the story  Thesis Statement (last sentence(s) of the introduction)

Thesis Statement  Your thesis statement should answer the prompt.  It should be specific and also broad enough to analyze multiple elements that support the thesis within your essay.

Sample Introduction and Thesis Statement for Prompt 3  In Hamlet, one of Shakespeare's greatest plays, the young prince of Denmark must uncover the truth about his father’s death. Hamlet orchestrates a play that tells the story of a young prince whose father recently died. Hamlet’s uncle Claudius marries his mother the queen and takes the throne. As the play unfolds, Hamlet finds out his father was murdered by the recently crowned king. He quickly realizes that no one is to be trusted as their actions do not always match their internal motivations. Characters within the play appear to be true and honest but in reality are infested with evil. Many of the characters within the play hide behind a mask of falseness. Four of the main characters that hid behind this mask are Polonius, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and King Claudius. From behind this mask they give the impression of people who are sincere and genuine. Their appearance makes it very difficult for Hamlet to uncover the truth, because the characters hide behind their lies.

Body Paragraphs  The number of paragraphs will be based on the number of elements your thesis outlines as items to be analyzed.  Based on the previous thesis statement, you would have four body paragraphs total (follow the order listed in your thesis statement). 1 paragraph for Polonius 1 paragraph for Rosencrantz 1 paragraph for Guildenstern 1 paragraph for King Claudius

Body Paragraphs  Each body paragraph should be five to seven sentences  Each paragraph should provide a textual example (quote) that demonstrates that element.  Each quote should be set up with a signal phrase.  E.g. “An example of this falseness can be seen when Shakespeare writes, “quote” (V.ii, p. 121).  Each body paragraph should explain how the paragraph topic and quote support the argument made in your thesis statement.

Example Body Paragraph  Polonius, the king’s royal assistant, has a preoccupation with appearance. He always wants to keep up the appearance of a loving and caring person. An example of this can be seen when Polonius says, “This above all: to thine own self be true,/And it must follow, as the night the day,/Thou canst not then be false to any man” (I.iii. p. 17). Polonius speaks to his son with advice that sounds sincere but in reality it is rehearsed, hollow and without feeling. The reality is he is concerned with his appearance as a dutiful and loving father for political gain with the King. The audience becomes aware of Polonius’ deceit when he elicits Reynaldo’s help in spreading rumors about his son to learn of Laertes’ reputation in France.

Conclusion  Your concluding paragraph should begin by echoing your major thesis without repeating the words verbatim.  Summarize the main arguments you made in the essay.  Evaluate how successful the author is at conveying his message.  It should also broaden from the thesis statement to answer the “so what?” question your reader may have after reading your essay.  Why should society be concerned with the message Shakespeare is trying to teach readers?

Example Conclusion Paragraph  Throughout the play, the characters all help to show the theme of appearance verses reality. Polonius, Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and the King Claudius all appear to be good and honest. As Hamlet finds out, all harbor lies and have hidden intentions within them. As each character is presented in the play, all appear to be good and honest making it a difficult task for Hamlet to elucidate the hidden truth about the nature of each character. The world is founded on fundamental inconsistencies that most people overlook; it is this failure to recognize inconsistencies that allows them to act. Hamlet's fatal flaw isn't that he's wrong to see uncertainty in everything, but that he's right.