English 120G

Comparative Essay #1

Basic Assignment

Choose three of the first ten “heroes” we’ve encountered this semester and write a 3-4 page paper that compares those three heroes.

Examples and Advice

1.      Take a closer look at the “heroic” characters you have encountered so far this semester.  You might compare the Greek, Roman, and Anglo-Saxon heroes in terms of their motivation for action. 

2.      You might compare the Sumerian monarch with the Arthurian monarch and then with the monarch of the Hebrews in terms of their motivations for being a “good” ruler. 

3.      You might compare the warrior-hero of the early French with the Anglo-Saxon hero and then with the Spanish knight-hero in terms of what they might represent for their “nations.” 

4.      You might compare Esther with Penelope with Guinevere in terms of the roles of queens in these heroic stories. 

Use one of these examples or invent a comparison of your own.

There are many different ways to approach a comparative analysis, though it is key to figure out what your grounds for comparison are (why did you pick these two texts rather than some other texts?) and your reasons for comparing (why bother? or what is interesting, significant, or productive about comparing these two texts? what do we learn about these texts—that we might not realize by just reading them separately—when we compare them to each other?). Make sure you come to some conclusion at the end of your comparative essay.  And, you may need to do a bit more evidence collection to really support your essay in the best way possible.

Reminders

The paper should have a good title. It should be typed and double-spaced. Please use MLA style to cite texts and provide information on your sources.

Due Date

Wednesday, February 24.  Printed at classtime.

Length

3-4 pages

Evaluation

50 pts