OPTIONAL THIRD ESSAY (Song of Roland)
EXPLANATION:
The semester is moving rapidly and we are all short of time.
I am hereby making the third essay an optional assignment. You have two
options:
a. you elect to write the essay: in this case,
the grade break-down for the course remains
the same. (ie., the third essay will account for 20% of your grade)
Attendance
and Discussion: 10%
Quizzes
10%
First
Essay (Argumentation): 10%
Second
Essay (causation): 20%
Third
Essay (lordship):
20%
Final
Essay (synthesis):
30%
b. you elect to not write the essay: in this
case, the 20% of your grade that would have
been designated for the third essay will have to be redistributed. This
will make the course grade break-down as follows.
Attendance
and Discussion: 15%
Quizzes
10%
First
Essay (Argumentation): 15%
Second
Essay (causation): 25%
Final
Essay (synthesis):
35%
Your decision will be signalled by your turning in a paper next Thurs.
(or not)
DUE: Thursday, April 11, in class
FORMAT: a 4 page, typed, double-spaced paper with standard margins and fonts. Please use foot- or endnotes to cite sources (Roland and/or anything else you use). See the last assignment sheet for info on how to use foot- or endnotes.
ASSIGNMENT: Answer the following question, being sure to use examples from Roland and/or other sources on lordship whereever appropriate.
Which character in the Song of Roland serves as the best representative of medieval ideals of lordship? Why?
[Note: you need to say something about how aristocratic lordship was
supposed to work, and then prove how your choice lives up to that model;
you probably ought also to explain why your choice is better than other
possible choices]