This Short Essay focuses on your own understanding and analysisof the semester’s literature, rather than on your research skills.You are expected to build your essay using only the literature itself. No outside or research sources will be accepted. As this is a short essay, it requires only two body paragraphs in support of its thesis statement.

QUESTION

   Short Essay –Choose Wisely

This Short Essay focuses on your own understanding and analysisof the semester’s literature, rather than on your research skills.You are expected to build your essay using only the literature itself. No outside or research sources will be accepted.

As this is a short essay, it requires only two body paragraphs in support of its thesis statement.

Choose one of the following for your essay topic:

1)Does Dr. Faustus deserve his fate?

 a.His fate in the play is eternal damnation.

 b.Be sure your two supporting reasons (i.e. your body paragraph subjects) are worthy of eternal damnation,and that you explain why you think they are worthy of eternal damnation.

2)Does Othellopresent the ideal of loyalty as positive or negative (choose one)?

a.If the play presents loyalty as a positive ideal, your two body paragraph should focus on examples from the play that show loyalty leading to positive outcomes.

b.If the play presents loyalty as a negative ideal, your two body paragraphs should focus on examples from the play that show loyalty leading to negative outcomes.

3)Who is the worse villain, Faustus or Iago (choose one)?

a.Each body paragraph must include at least one quote from the character’s play you choose as the worse villain (i.e. if you choose Iagoas the worse villain, then each body paragraph must include at least one quote from Othello).

b.Each body paragraph must discuss both characters(with more focus on the one who is the worse villain).

The review offoundational approaches to essay writingoffered below is intended to be used alongside the materials provided for our previous assignments, as well as materials regarding writing provided in our Units and in the Writing Resources page in Blackboard. Remember, you are required to demonstrate a complete and appropriate thesis statement as well as supporting topic sentences in your essay.And your essay must adhere to the standard goal of one specific subject per body paragraph.

Thesis Statement:

You may notargue both sides of your chosen question. You must take a stand. And remember that a thesis statement is the answer to (or a restatement of) the question or prompt that started the assignment.

For example, if you choose prompt 1, your thesis should be either:

✓Dr. Faustus deserves his fate.

✓Dr. Faustus does not deserve his fate.

British Literature I: Short Essay Guidelines

Topic Sentences & Paragraph Focus:

As in our previous essay, paragraph development and focus around one single, specific subject each is a key goal of this assignment. Topic sentences are a functional and strategic tool for helping with this goal.

Example topic sentences for this assignment:

✓The firstreason Iago is a worse villain than Faustus is_____.

✓Another way the play Othello presents loyalty as negative is_____.

Be sure to fill in each blank with a specific subject or action that you can write a complete paragraph about, including both quotations from the play and logical argument and/or reasoning of your own to explain how or why your example supports your thesis statement.

Other Notes and Reminders About Writing Literary Essays & About this Project:•

This is not a research essay. No outside sources are required or accepted.•

This is not a book report. No paragraph or section of your essay should retell the plot of the literature.Assume the person reading your essay is familiar with the basic plot.

•Each body paragraph must include at least one quotation from the playyou’ve chosen to discuss.oNote: see specific details for Prompt 3if you choose this prompt.

•Quotations must be properly formatted and incorporated, and they should be no longer than three lines of the essay content each. In other words, no block formatted quotes.

•For this course, I consider a well-developed body paragraph to be no less than fivesentences long, and a well-developed intro/conclusion to be no less than four sentences long.

•Discussion of what happens within a piece of literature should be done in the present tense.

•First draft does not mean rough draft. I expect your first draft to be complete, revised, edited, and triple checked for things like formatting, typos, length, and other course and project requirements.

Essay Project Guidelines(in addition to what is discussed above, and other Engl 201guidelines, i.e. the syllabus& texts

A thesis-driven essay with clear and appropriate thesis statement and topic sentences.

•4 total paragraphs long (introduction, 2 body paragraphs, and conclusion)

.•Minimum one appropriate and well-incorporated quotation from the literature per body paragraph(see the note in Prompt3if you choose this prompt).

•Accurate and currentMLA style in-text citations and works cited page.

•Evidence of careful revision and editing.

•Essay uploadedas .doc, .docx, orPDFfile to the appropriate link in Blackboard.

Note: The requirements set forth above are not optional. Essays which do notfulfill all of the requirements discussed in these instructions, and in class for this project, will be evaluated as deficient and will be assigned a grade of D or Fbased on the severity of the deficiencies without the benefit of the rubric breakdown

ANSWER

The Tragic Fate of Dr. Faustus

Thesis statement

Dr. Faustus deserves his fate of eternal damnation due to his pursuit of forbidden knowledge and his refusal to repent for his sins.

Introduction

Christopher Marlowe’s play “Doctor Faustus” delves into the tragic story of a scholar named Faustus who makes a pact with the devil in exchange for supernatural powers and knowledge. This essay will argue that Dr. Faustus deserves his fate of eternal damnation. The two supporting reasons that justify his condemnation are his relentless pursuit of forbidden knowledge and his ultimate refusal to seek redemption for his sins.

Body paragraph 1

Faustus’s insatiable thirst for knowledge serves as the first reason for his deserving fate. Throughout the play, Faustus shows an unwavering desire to acquire knowledge beyond the boundaries set by God and religion. In Act 1, Scene 1, Faustus dismisses various fields of study and turns to magic, exclaiming, “These metaphysics of magicians and necromantic books are heavenly” (Marlowe, 1.1). This quote highlights Faustus’s attraction to forbidden knowledge and his willingness to defy divine limits. His relentless pursuit of knowledge leads him to summon Mephistopheles, entering into a diabolical pact. This action reveals Faustus’s disregard for moral boundaries and his willingness to abandon his Christian faith.

Body paragraph 2

The second reason for Dr. Faustus’s deserving fate is his refusal to seek redemption. Despite having numerous opportunities to repent and turn away from his sinful path, Faustus remains stubborn and rejects the chance for salvation. In Act 5, Scene 2, Faustus admits, “My heart’s so hardened, I cannot repent” (Marlowe, 5.2). This refusal to seek forgiveness demonstrates Faustus’s moral corruption and his conscious decision to reject God’s mercy. By choosing to persist in his sinful ways, Faustus seals his fate of eternal damnation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Dr. Faustus’s fate of eternal damnation is well-deserved due to his unwavering pursuit of forbidden knowledge and his refusal to seek redemption. Throughout the play, Faustus consistently demonstrates his defiance of moral boundaries and his unwillingness to repent for his sins. Marlowe’s depiction of Faustus’s tragic downfall serves as a cautionary tale, warning against the dangers of unbridled ambition and the consequences of rejecting divine grace.