English discussion (william shakespeare’s richard iii)

i) Please read the question carefully. Last time a number of assignments did not answer the question.

ii) Please do not describe. Always remember: we know what happens in The Handmaid’s Tale or The School for Scandal. What we do not know is what you think of what happens. Do not spend valuable words rehearsing the plot.  Analyze the language. Do not tell us the story.

iii) Please do not make careless mistakes. A number of posts last time were damaged by spelling errors, mistakes in grammar, problems with format, and so on. By this point in the course, you need to be on top of all these kinds of errors.

iv) Please come straight to the point. Your post should begin analyzing right away. Everything you write needs to be directed toward unpacking your example(s).

v) Please proofread. Making time to do this task almost invariably improves your grade.

For this week, please write a post of no more than 200 words in which you close-read an instance of Richard lying to someone. What is the significance of his lie, and why does he lie to that particular person or group of people? What rhetorical devices does Richard use in order to persuade others? How does he exploit language to disguise his motives? What lines might require directorial intervention in order to focus on one of many potential meanings?

Before you write your post, or as you polish it, you may find it useful to listen to the first Writing Seminar (posted in the course timeline). The session contains lots of valuable advice on how to produce an effective close reading post, and what to do to hone your ideas