Essay: Character Comparison You are to choose one character from the prologue of The Canterbury Tales and identify its significant characteristics. Then select any other character from Othello and frame an argument with specific thesis pertaining to both. Example: Choose Wyf of Bath and Emilia. The narrator tells us the Wyf of Bath knew “muchel of wandring by the waye,” as well as “Of remedies of love” and “of that art [love] the olde daunce” (469, 477, 478). By these remarks, as well as her obvious wealth and wide travels, she comes across to many readers as one who possesses a great deal of knowledge. Indeed, in the opening line of the prologue to her tale, she advocates her knowledge from “Experience” as the governing authority in her life. But by comparing her to the character Emilia from Othello, one sees that Emilia is similarly knowledgeable and intuitive, and turns that experience to serving her lady Desdemona. But her experience is not enough to warn her of Iago’s intentions, and she unwittingly helps him destroy her lady. Perhaps it reveals how limited in usefulness her knowledge of the world can be. Make sure you can answer these question in your paper: 1. Are the text and author introduced early in the paper? If they do not appear in the title, they should certainly appear in the first sentence. Acquaint the reader with the concept and suggest briefly how it is applied to the texts. Assume the reader has thorough knowledge of both texts and is reading your paper to engage a point of critical debate. The issue and your position must be established early. Finally, is the thesis clearly stated? Is it an arguable point? Does it adequately project what kind of argument will follow? 2. Remember foremost that this paper is an argument of literary analysis, and you must use the text as evidence to make your argument. Secondary sources are not allowed in the paper, so the job of convincing the reader is entirely your responsibility: a matter of quoting the text and then explaining what it means. Does this paper use the text adequately as evidence? Are all quotations explained fully? Is each related to a specific point? Does each quotation presented help support the thesis of the paper? 3. Are all quotations incorporated into the author's own prose, using either a simple introductory tag, such as, Everyman states, " . . . . " or some more sophisticated means of integrating sources? (Quotations must never stand alone; they must be incorporated into the argument logically through such means.) Does each quotation agree with the grammatical construction of the sentence it appears in? Are all such quotations presented in a consistent verb tense (normally past or present, as in the italicized example, throughout)? 4. Proper formatting and application of MLA requirements are a given for this paper. (Margins set at 1” on all sides, double-spaced, reasonable 12-pt. font; there are helpful videos on MLA form on YouTube.) ...

1. Essay: Character Comparison
You are to choose one character from the prologue of The
Canterbury Tales and identify its significant characteristics.
Then select any other character from Othello and frame an
argument with specific thesis pertaining to both.
Example: Choose Wyf of Bath and Emilia. The narrator tells us
the Wyf of Bath knew “muchel of wandring by the waye,” as
well as “Of remedies of love” and “of that art [love] the olde
daunce” (469, 477, 478). By these remarks, as well as her
obvious wealth and wide travels, she comes across to many
readers as one who possesses a great deal of knowledge.
Indeed, in the opening line of the prologue to her tale, she
advocates her knowledge from “Experience” as the governing
authority in her life. But by comparing her to the character
Emilia from Othello, one sees that Emilia is similarly
knowledgeable and intuitive, and turns that experience to
serving her lady Desdemona. But her experience is not enough
to warn her of Iago’s intentions, and she unwittingly helps him
destroy her lady. Perhaps it reveals how limited in usefulness
her knowledge of the world can be.
Make sure you can answer these question in your paper:
1. Are the text and author introduced early in the paper? If
they do not appear in the title, they should certainly appear in
the first sentence. Acquaint the reader with the concept and
suggest briefly how it is applied to the texts. Assume the reader
has thorough knowledge of both texts and is reading your paper
to engage a point of critical debate. The issue and your position
must be established early. Finally, is the thesis clearly stated?
Is it an arguable point? Does it adequately project what kind of
argument will follow?

2. 2. Remember foremost that this paper is an argument of literary
analysis, and you must use the text as evidence to make your
argument. Secondary sources are not allowed in the paper, so
the job of convincing the reader is entirely your responsibility:
a matter of quoting the text and then explaining what it means.
Does this paper use the text adequately as evidence? Are all
quotations explained fully? Is each related to a specific point?
Does each quotation presented help support the thesis of the
paper?
3. Are all quotations incorporated into the author's own prose,
using either a simple introductory tag, such as, Everyman states,
" . . . . " or some more sophisticated means of integrating
sources? (Quotations must never stand alone; they must be
incorporated into the argument logically through such means.)
Does each quotation agree with the grammatical construction of
the sentence it appears in? Are all such quotations presented in
a consistent verb tense (normally past or present, as in the
italicized example, throughout)?
4. Proper formatting and application of MLA requirements are
a given for this paper. (Margins set at 1” on all sides, double-
spaced, reasonable 12-pt. font; there are helpful videos on MLA
form on YouTube.) For each quotation, is there a parenthetical
citation of page or line number? (Remember plays are cited by
act, scene, and line, like 2.4.78-79). Are all quotations 4 lines
or longer presented in block quotation format?
5. Is the paper convincing? Has the thesis identified an idea
and presented a solid argument for it? Does the paper present
sufficient evidence from the text to make the reader believe this
view of the literature is valid?
6. Poor attempts at literary analysis rely on summary to take up
space where no analysis is taking place. Ideally, after the
initial paragraphs there should be NO summary, merely analysis

3. of specific features of the text. Is there unnecessary summary
in the paper?
7. Does the conclusion emphasize the main points of the
argument? Does it go beyond those points to speculate on
implications, or does it push the thesis a little further, or does it
leave the reader with a final, powerful observation? Could one
of these strategies improve the conclusion?
8. With complex activity of literary analysis, relatively minor
points of spelling, grammar, and punctuation become greater
problems because they tend to be overlooked. But of course
they still count. Help avoid such errors by carefully
proofreading for such problems at every stage of the writing
process.