Topic: Look at Spenser’s The Fairie Queene
And examine the way it portrays gender. What is the role of men and/or women in that text? How do male and female gender roles differ from each other? What can we deduce about gender in the English Renaissance from this text? Perform a close reading of the text (or portions of it) to illustrate your assertions. Use two (and only two) secondary sources to support your argument.
Format: The Short Paper is a traditional academic paper. The paper should include the following elements:
A title that indicates the main focus of your essay
An introductory paragraph that creates a context for your thesis
A strong and clear thesis statement that sets up the premise/argument of the paper
Effective organization that is displayed through the use of controlling topic sentences and paragraph development
Clear references to the text that support the thesis
Two scholarly sources that are used in support of the argument. (Do not use more than two sources.)
A concluding paragraph that begins by re-examining the thesis and then reflects on what we now know about the play as a result of your analysis
In-text citations in MLA style.
A works cited list in MLA style (8th edition) on a separate page.
Citations: Be sure to cite all sources in the text whether the source is included in your own words or quoted directly.
Length: 750-1,000 words in Times Roman 12, with indented paragraphs. This page count does not include the Works Cited page.
Academic Sources: Two academic sources are required. (Do not use more than secondary outside sources.) You will want to demonstrate your ability to research formal scholarly work in the Librarys databases. When quoting from sources, be sure to attach signal phrases; avoid “dropped quotations” or long quoted passages. For example, sources may be historical texts or literary criticism that shed light on the primary text and/or on the historical period.
