Undergraduate Paper Topics - Vicki Lague
Miami Dade College

As always, a complete set of site navigation options is available at the bottom of this page.

Version #1

LIT 2131 King Arthur in Legend and Literature

Miami-Dade Community College

Instructors: Zamorano and Lague

Assignment: Critical analysis of a specific element of a twentieth-century Arthurian novel

Under no circumstances should you consult sources, whether print or electronic. Develop an original thesis and support it with evidence from the text itself, including quotations. Appropriate penalties will be imposed on papers showing any evidence of plagiarism.

Suggested topics:

1. Analysis of a single character, including progress toward maturity or wisdom or decline toward corruption
2. Analysis of the relationship between two characters
3. The function of setting in reinforcing theme and characterization
4. The use of literary devices to communicate theme: imagery, metaphors/similes, symbolism, foreshadowing, irony (single technique or combination)
5. Careful examination of one central scene: its crucial role in plot development, resolution of conflict, and exposition of theme

Possible issues to be addressed in introduction or conclusion:

1. The novel's place in the evolution of the Legend
2. Characteristics that make the work typical (or atypical) of the modern era [Do not open or close with biographical material on the author.]

Deadline: March 18 (in class, no extensions)

Length: 3-5 pages (minimum three full pages) typed

Evaluation criteria:

1. Content: understanding of the novel, validity of ideas, adequacy of supporting evidence
2. Organization: introduction ending with thesis, detailed development of analysis, conclusion
3. Arrangement of quotations from text: Brief quotation (1-4 lines): flush with margin and enclosed in quotation marks, followed by parenthetical page reference. Long quotation (5 lines or more): indented ten spaces from left margin without quotation marks, followed by parenthetical page reference
4. Style
5. Grammar/mechanics

Top of this page  ||  Site navigation options

Version #2

LIT 2131 King Arthur in Legend and Literature

Miami-Dade Community College

Instructors: Zamorano and Lague

Subject: One or more Arthurian works--medieval or Victorian--discussed in class, chosen from among the following:

• Chrétien de Troyes: The Knight of the Cart
• Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
• Sir Thomas Malory: Le Morte Darthur (one or more of the selections you studied)
• Alfred Lord Tennyson: Idylls of the King (the entire work or a single Idyll)

Assignment:

1. Critical analysis of a specific element of a single work
   or
2. Comparison between a medieval work and Tennyson's Idylls

Research is neither required nor even encouraged. Develop an original thesis and support it with evidence from the text itself, including quotations.

Suggested topics:

1. Analysis of a single character, including progress toward maturity or wisdom or decline toward corruption
2. Analysis of the relationship between two characters
3. The function of setting in reinforcing theme and characterization
4. The use of literary devices to communicate theme: imagery, metaphors/similes, symbolism, foreshadowing, irony (some combination thereof or emphasis on a single technique)
5. Careful examination of one central scene: its crucial role in plot development, resolution of conflict, and exposition of theme

Possible issues to be addressed in introduction or conclusion:

1. The work's place in the evolution of the Legend
2. Characteristics that make the work typical (or atypical) of the period that produced it

[Do not open or close with biographical material on the author.]

Deadline: March 31 (in class, no extensions)

Length: 3-5 pages (minimum three full pages) typed

Evaluation criteria:

1. Content: understanding of the work, validity of ideas, adequacy of supporting evidence
2. Organization: introduction ending with thesis, detailed development of analysis, conclusion
3. Arrangement of quotations from text:

• Brief quotation (1-4 lines): flush with margin and enclosed in quotation marks, followed by parenthetical page reference
• Long quotation (5 lines or more): indented ten spaces from left margin without quotation marks, followed by parenthetical page reference
• Verse quotation: see related handout

1. Style
2. Grammar/mechanics

NOTE: Appropriate penalties will be imposed on papers showing any evidence of plagiarism.

Top of this page  ||  Site navigation options

Site Navigation Options

Pre-School & Kindergarten  ||  Elementary School  ||  Middle School  ||  High School

Undergraduate School  ||  Graduate School  ||  Adult Learners  ||  Short Seminars & Lectures

Textbooks and Films  ||  Maps  ||  Graphics  ||  Related Websites

Arthurnet Discussions  ||  Pedagogy Homepage ||  Arthuriana

© Arthuriana
Site Administrator: Alan Baragona BaragonaA@mail.vmi.edu
Last revised: May 3, 2005
This page is http://faculty.smu.edu/arthuriana/teaching/papers_lague.html and
http://www.vmi.edu/english/arthuriana_pedagogy/papers_lague.html
SMU Required Secondary Information Server Disclaimer:
The contents of this Secondary Information Server are the sole responsibility of Arthuriana and its contributors, and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of Southern Methodist University or the Norwick Center for Media and Instructional Technology. The administrator of this Secondary Information Service is Bonnie Wheeler bwheeler@mail.smu.edu