Write a literary paper* on the topic listed below. Use direct quotes (properly introduced
and cited in MLA in-text citation style) from the text as well as direct quotes from
scholarly journal articles (a minimum of 2, maximum of 3).
The paper should be (5.5 – 7) FIVE-AND-A-HALF to SEVEN FULL PAGES in length with an
introduction, body paragraphs, the direct quotes, a conclusion, and a separate page (8th
page) for the Works Cited, with the entries in alphabetical order.
QUOTE ONLY FROM MACBETH AND YOUR CHOSEN SCHOLARLY JOURNAL ARTICLES.
All papers will be submitted using TurnItIn, which captures uncited sources and instances
of plagiarism.
TOPIC
TOPIC OVERVIEW: Macbeth has committed terrible crimes, with Lady Macbeth by his side,
urging him on. Like Richard III, Macbeth (directly and through the hiring of killers) has
murdered kings, close friends, children, and others in pursuit of his ambitions. However, as
critics have noted, Macbeth is not considered a “villain,” in the same league as Richard, but
rather as a tragic hero. Shakespearean scholar Amanda Mabillard notes that “…what sets
Macbeth apart is his penchant for self-reflection. Although ultimately, he cannot resist his
dark desires, his struggle to regain his goodness is constant, and the part of his
character that is capable of much love and compassion, although ever fading, is always
present.”
PAPER TOPIC: After carefully reading the overview above, write a literary paper in which
you explore the role of guilt and/or conscience in the crimes committed by Macbeth
and/or Lady Macbeth.
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Guidelines
The assignment should be supported the literature. The paper should be five-and-a-half to
seven (5.5-7) FULL pages in length with an introduction, body paragraphs, properly cited
direct quotations from the play, properly cited direct quotations from a scholarly
journal article, and a conclusion. The seventh page should be your separate Works
Cited page. (See instructions on finding scholarly sources).
Instructions – Formal Essay 3 – 2
*Your focus is LITERARY ANALYSIS. Do not include biographical information about
Shakespeare, such as where and when he was born. Avoid vague generalities–do not
write that “he was a great writer” or “his language was difficult to understand.” DO
NOT REFERENCE YOUR OWN LIFE OR MAKE BROAD GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT
CONTROL OR FATE You need to engage in literary analysis of the text specifically.
Your writing must show that you have properly met the standards of what I consider
acceptable for a 200-level literature course. It is YOUR responsibility to ensure that your
papers are proof-read before you hand them in. Below is how I break down the points:
• Clear thesis statement, well-organized supporting points and conclusion, using MLA
formatting style (per PDF guides in Moodle) 60%
• Cited adequately and correctly from the primary text and secondary source, which
must be a scholarly journal article from a literary journal (see PDFs/PPTs in Moodle)
20%
• Demonstrated writing strength (sentence structure, spelling, grammar) appropriate
to a 200-level literature course (use grammar guides in Moodle) 20%
Be sure to use quotes from the text to support your argument. You must use proper MLA-
compliant heading and style, and you must create your own title for the paper. Do not call
the assignment by the name of the text under discussion–for example, do not title your
paper “Hamlet.” Again, it should be five-and-a-half to seven (5.5-7) FULL pages in length,
with an introduction–opening paragraphs with a thesis statement (including author and
title of text), body paragraphs with properly cited quotes from the play (between 5-8 direct
quotations in total from the plays) and properly cited quotes from the scholarly journal
articles (2-3 direct quotations from each of the scholarly journal articles) using standard
MLA-style documentation, a clear conclusion, and a separate Works Cited page.
Use the Essex County College databases to retrieve articles—review the PDFs/PPTs in the
Moodle Room under “The Writing Process – Academic Research” to ensure that you are
retrieving scholarly journal articles (not reviews, summaries, or non-academic sources).
NOTE: In using quotes, do not use long quotes–the similarity checker should not go
above 25%–if it does, go back and shorten the quote or include more analysis.
Do not wait until the last minute to submit your paper–that’s when computer issues,
Internet problems, etc., arise–it is your responsibility to have your work in on time. No late
papers will be accepted. Again, you are being graded on the following:
• Clear thesis statement, well-organized supporting points and conclusion
• Cited adequately and correctly from the play and two-three scholarly journal articles
Instructions – Formal Essay 3 – 3
• Demonstrated writing strength (sentence structure, spelling, grammar) appropriate
to a 200-level literature course
• Proper use of MLA formatting style (per PDF guides in “Class Information”)
• Properly formatted Works Cited page (page six of your paper)
Plagiarism results in an “F” on the paper. A second instance of plagiarism results in
automatic failure of the course.
YOU MAY NOT USE the following, as they are NOT considered scholarly works: The
Explicator (this is just a summary—not a journal), SparkNotes, CliffsNotes, ClassicNotes,
Enotes, GradeSaver, or other student guides; also, do not use encyclopedias, dictionaries, or
sites which simply offer summaries. Further, do not use plagiarism sites such as 123HelpMe,
Free Essays, or any other “essays for sale” type sites. Simply “re-wording” the works of any
of these sites by substituting or changing adjectives or nouns constitutes plagiarism. All
papers will be submitted using TurnItIn, which captures uncited sources and instances of
plagiarism.
PLEASE NOTE: Simply re-wording summaries or analysis from another source, or
changing specific nouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc., constitutes plagiarism—your work
must consist of YOUR OWN THOUGHTS AND WRITING—please don’t fail this course
because of plagiarism. Make sure that you use quotation marks and that you give proper
credit to the source if you are paraphrasing.
