ASSIGNMENT
For this essay, pretend that the curriculum development committee at OSU was so impressed with your arguments about why the Iliad should be required reading that they have approached you for more advice.
The committee is still designing a reading list for freshmen and now wants to include another Classical work. They've narrowed it down to Homer's Odyssey and Hesiod's Theogony.
In this essay, you must answer this question for the curriculum development committee: which is better for OSU freshmen in their role of citizen, Homer's Odyssey or Hesiod's Theogony?
In order to earn an "A" (at least 9/10 pts.), essays must address the citizen identity of the OSU freshmen in question.
To develop your argument, think about the themes we've focused on - the story's "points," provocative questions, issues - and the audience of the readings, namely OSU freshman. What observations, provocations, and inspirations could justify requiring the Odyssey or the Theogony in this context?
Essays might emphasize the positives of one text over the other or feature a point for point analysis of both texts. Regardless of structure the strongest essays will account for both texts' strengths and weaknesses to some degree. Put differently, essays that argue for one text without even mentioning the other will be weaker than essays that address both.
(In the same way that, if your friend is trying to decide between Mac and PC, arguments addressing the pros and cons of both will be the most convincing.)
The essay must state its thesis in a short introductory paragraph, followed by a few body paragraphs actually making the argument. As part of its evidence the essay must cite specific passages of the Odyssey and/or Theogony at least four times (not necessarily quote, but cite), using book and page number for Odyssey (e.g., 24.479) and line number for Theogony (e.g., 463- 6). You may only use the Odyssey and Theogony as evidence, and you may not include a Works Cited page.
Further details are below in the RUBRIC. For more tips on writing this type of essay, and a post-writing checklist, see the WRITING TIPS document on Carmen.
Option to Collaborate: For this paper, students may collaborate with one classmate to prepare, compose, and turn in one paper. To do this, each student must still turn in his/her copy on Dropbox on-time, but should indicate both their own and their partner's name on the subject line. For example: "A Necessary Iliad by Margaret MacGregor and Bill Veith".
Each student will receive the same grade, but feedback will be provided only to one of the partners. Students who collaborate with more than one partner will receive a zero.