The tempest

Make an argument

Weigh in on the critical debate about the significance or value of the playtext. Using textual, historical, and/or literary critical evidence, show how the playtext is racist, or anti-racist, or something more complex. (Complexity and ambiguity are something to engage with here, not something to clean up, simplify, or ignore.) What I’m looking for is a nuanced argument that is well-supported by specific textual evidence and credible analysis. (If you’re making a textual argument and you don’t quote the text, you’re not being specific enough.) Also, if your analysis does not fit with all the data (i.e., the whole playtext) but only some portion of it (i.e., one scene), it is unlikely to be credible. You don’t have to do research for this project, but you might find it useful. Just be sure to cite any ideas, arguments, observations, or thoughts that are not your own. This prompt focuses on the play as a literary text, not a production or performance, so you’ll want to use the tools of literary analysis, not the tools of dramatic performance or interpretation.