Topics for the Drama Paper
Oedipus
At the end of the play, what did Oedipus learn about himself and/or about the gods? Show how and why he changed his way of thinking about himself and the gods.
Is Oedipus a tragic or a pathetic character?
Hamlet
In the graveyard scene (act 5, scene 1), the gravediggers make many ironic comments. In what way do these comments shed light on the events taking place in the play?
Discuss the role of appearance and reality or passion vs. reason or both in terms of how they are used by Shakespeare in the play. Also consider how they help reinforce the main ideas of the play.
How do characters in the play such as Laertes and Fortinbras act as foils for Hamlet? What aspects of Hamlet do they enhance for the reader?
Death of a Salesman
Read question 7 page 1636 of your text and develop your paper in which you determine whether or not Willy Loman is a tragic hero.
Do you believe Willy Loman is an innocent victim of the society he lives in or that there are flaws in his character that make him at least partially responsible for his own misfortune? Explain.
General Question
Explore the same theme in a short story and one of the plays. Show how the authors handle this theme similarly or differently. Examples of themes are messages about: love, fate, society, lack of self-knowledge, etc.