Representations of Reality

Literary characters are not real people. There is no single "right" answer to a question such as, "Was Hamlet mad?"

There are, however, persuasive and not-so-persuasive answers, based on evidence gathered from the play itself, from historical records about how the character Hamlet was performed throughout history, what Shakespeare and his contemporaries thought about madness, how a royal son was expected to act towards his mother, how a wronged prince was supposed to respond to the murder of the king, etc.

But reading Hamlet doesn't by itself provide you with sufficient information to make arguments about the historical Danish characters whose story Shakespeare retold, or what Shakespeare and his contemporaries thought about the monarchy in general.

Ex 1-1a: Close Reading 1

Write a two-page close reading on either all of "After Apple Picking" or a few pages of "Trifles." Avoid summary. Assume that I have read the literary work, that I know it well, and that I have a copy within reach. There is no need to retell the plot.

Submission details:

1. Upload your file to the appropriate slot in J-Web. (For this assignment only, you can just bring a copy of your file to class. Usually the deadline for uploaded work will be a half hour before class starts. After this week, you won't have class time to upload your work.)
2. Bring 2 printouts to class, to trade with peers. (Exercise 1-1b will ask you to read and offer constructive criticism on your peers' work.)
   
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Roberts on Close Reading.

In the 11th edition of Roberts, Writing about Literature, chapter 2 is the chapter on close reading.

See also the course FAQ page on Close Reading.

Glaspell, ''Trifles'' (1916)

See Roberts (Eleventh Edition) 392.