Exploring Themes and Characters in As You Like It: A Literary Criticism Essay

As You Like It
Literary Criticism Essay
The As You Like It Literary Criticism Essay must be a minimum of 1200 words, and it is due on [Sunday] May 12. Four research resources are required. One resource must be literary criticism. Three of the research resources must be from Canvas. Essay #4 is worth 150 points.
Potential resources from Canvas include:
• In-Class Schema Builders
• Lesson Plans
• Film Versions of As You Like It and YouTube clips
• Input about As You Like It Documents
• Essay #4 Resources [Literary Criticism] .pdf
• “Old School Man with New School Views” or another Essay #4 Student Model
Essays without resources from Canvas or without significant changes between drafts will be too incomplete for me to grade. Requirements:
• Freewrite Draft or MLA Format Outline
[Students who submit an MLA Format Outline will earn 10 extra credit Points]
• Complete Rough Draft
[Significant changes between drafts are required.]
• Standard Format Final Draft
• MLA Format Works Cited
Potential Topics for Essay #4 Include:
Finding and Interpreting a Theme: • Nature has the power to heal people morally and psychologically.
• Corruption at the national level can lead to corruption at the personal [family] level.
• A woman has the same responsibility as a man to pursue her destiny, romantic and otherwise.
• Gender is presentation.
Analyzing Character and Action:
• Why does Rosalind continue to cross dress as a man when it is no longer required for her safety?
• Does Orlando suspect that “Ganymede” is actually Rosalind? When and why?
Interpreting Symbols:
• The chronological progression of Winter into Spring is symbolic of As You Like It’s transition from challenge to triumph.
Commenting on Form: • How does Shakespeare use the theatrical convention of men playing female roles for comedy and psychological insight?
Analyzing Modern Parallels to Situations and Characters in As You Like It:
• Young Romance in 2024 versus Young Romance in As You Like It
• Write a modern version of a scene or monologue of As You Like It.
• Cast an imaginary production of As You Like It with modern actors.
• Compare characters and situations in As You Like It with characters and situations in Cannery Row, If Beale Street could Talk or The Girl from H.O.P.P.E.R.S.