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GUIDELINES FOR WRITING THE FINAL PAPER

The final paper is meant to be a cumulative experience, meaning

you are writing a paper on one full-length play based on all of
the things you learned this semester about play analysis. The
chapter and page numbers below are in Thomas, Script Analysis….

While the minimum number of pages is 5 – 7, I have never seen it

done in less than 10 pages. The sample paper I posted in Blackboard
is based on another model of doing this, but has many of the same
elements, so take a look at it. You do NOT have to do the elements
below in the order I’ve written them, except #1 which should be
first, but all of these should be included at some point:

1. Introduce the play by title (which is in italic font) and

author. Include the date of publication in parenthesis next to
the title. Ex: The Rose Tattoo (1950). Do research on the
playwright, and tell me something about them and their work.

2. Write about your personal responses to the play, i.e., how did
you personally respond emotionally, mentally, and any sensory
response that you felt in your body while reading the play. This
is written in first person. (Ex: “I shuttered when the urn of
ashes shattered on the ground.”). As part of this section, note
any fallacies you noticed when reading the play. Look at the first
4 pages of the sample paper on Blackboard for an example.

3. Describe the given circumstances and “the world of the play”

based on Chapter 2 (through page 65). Describe the background story
(Chapter 3).

4. Describe what you see as the “idea” of the play, based on

Chapter 7 (up to page 226).

5. Describe what you see as the “seed” of the play (see pp. 8 –
10). Then:

6. Create an “action analysis” based on the example of Hamlet

found on pp. 15-16.

7. Describe what you think is the “theme” of the play (see pp.
22-23)

8. Describe the structure of the play, including the “three major

climaxes,” (p. 16) the “Super-objective” (pp. 23-24) and the
“Through-action” and the “Counter Through-action” (pp. 24 – 27).
Also describe the “point of attack,” the “primary event,” “inciting
action,” “climax(es)” and “resolution” (pp. 145 – 154.)

NOTE: You do NOT have to break down the script into beats and
units.

9. Choose one leading character in the play (ideally, a character

you would play in a production) and describe their function (i.e.,
protagonist. See pp. 215 -218), their super-objective, their
obstacle, everything they say about themselves, everything other
characters say about them, and everything the playwright says about
them in stage directions. How do they fit into the seed, the
theme, the idea?

Do the first exercise we did in class: close your eyes, picture

this character in your mind’s eye, say hello to them, looking them
in the eyes, and hold their hand. Write a physical description of
them based on that exercise.

10. A concluding paragraph should include any final thoughts and

feelings you have about the play, about how you see the play being
produced, about how you’d play one of the leading characters.