Fences & Othello Prompt Options:
A.Morally ambiguous characters—characters whose behavior discourages readers from defining them as purely good or purely evil—are at the heart of many works of literature. Choose a character from Fences and one from Othello and explain how that character can be viewed as morally ambiguous and why his/her moral ambiguity is significant to the work as a whole.
B.Tragic Hero—There are several characteristics that define a tragic hero. Support or refute the characters of Othello and Troy as tragic heroes. Be sure to identify a minimum of three traits that label a hero as tragic, and discus how you perceive Othello and Troy to fit into that mold.
C.Feminist Theory—The play Othello emphasizes the importance of three women characters, exploring the way limits are imposed on their freedom to act. Explore how at least one woman from each play is a feminist prototype or is a victim of her gender role in society. Develop ideas such as these, their opposites, or ones entirely of your own making.
D. Discuss ideas of loyalty and disloyalty in Othello and Fences (Iago & Othello, and Troy & Gabriel, for example).
E.Post-Colonial Theory—How do the plays expose “European” notions about race and difference?
F.A critic once said that one important measure of a literary work is its ability to produce in the reader a healty confusion of pleasure and disquietude. Write an essay in which you explain the sources of pleasure and disquietude in Fences and Othello.
G.Fences (Physical and Metaphorical)–There are many “fences,” physical and metaphorical, in Fences. One could argue that there are in Othello as well—fences/barriers of caste, station, birth, age, gender, age, health, etc. Explore, compare, and analyze the “fences” in these texts.
Do NOT just summarize the plots. Focus on answering the prompt & use research from the databases & textual evidence from the plays.