1. Diagnostic essay
review

2. Consider the prompt
Read the following passage from Shakespeare’s Richard II, in which the Queen eavesdrops on a conversation between two commoners. Then, in a well-organized essay, discuss what she learns about the present state of the king, and how the figurative language of the piece dramatizes the king’s situation.
Identify what the prompt is asking you to write about.

3. Consider the prompt
Read the following passage from Shakespeare’s Richard II, in which the Queen eavesdrops on a conversation between two commoners. Then, in a well-organized essay, discuss what she learns about the present state of the king, and how the figurative language of the piece dramatizes the king’s situation.
So, the first thing you need to figure out is what the king’s situation is.
Read through the passage to find as much detail about his situation as possible.

4. The King’s situation
He has been captured by Bolingbroke, his men have been killed, and is depressed.
WHY has he been captured? That is also a part of his situation and can lead us to theme.

5. The King’s capture
He has been negligent. He has allowed the men under him to do whatever they want, so he has no power over them or the kingdom anymore.
He has been weighed down by those that he helped bring to power, and he has played favorites.
Where do you see this in the passage? How can you figure this out?

6. Figurative language
What is the most obvious figurative language that is used here?
GARDEN METAPHOR
Without this metaphor, we would not have figured out what the king’s situation is. Therefore, this needs to be addressed in your essay.
Are there other options for figurative language? OF COURSE. In fact, you will want to mention more than one in your essay. However, if you don’t mention the garden metaphor, then you are missing the whole crux of the piece.
Most people seemed to be able to identify the metaphor, but were not able to identify how the pieces translated from the vehicle to the tenor. (the garden to the kingdom)

7. Thesis statement
In (piece) by (author), (device or devices) are used to convey (meaning, in this case the king’s situation and potentially what can be learned from it).
In this excerpt from Shakespeare’s Richard II, an extended garden metaphor and a biblical allusion to the Garden of Eden are used to convey the king’s culpability in the chaotic state of the kingdom, as well as his impending doom. Overall, this passage suggests that a leader must be both caretaker to his kingdom and people as well as ruthless “executioner”(10).
Does it have all of the required pieces?

8. Read the example essay
Consider, how does the author state a claim, and then work to prove it?
How are the paragraphs organized? Is there a clear connection between each idea?
How are quotes incorporated into the essay? Do they support the author’s argument and are they well explained? Are they woven into the argument, or plopped in?