The idea of authorship is an obvious theme in the play GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-organized essay using detailed examples from the text, your research and personal experience to support your statements.

1. What is the issue of authorship in the play? Give examples to illustrate your statements. Is this issue resolved?

2. Professor Night thanks Constance for her ghost writing much of his academic publications and allowing him to take credit for her contributions. Do you think this is honest on the Professor's part? Do you think he would be out of a job if his taking advantage of Constance were revealed? How often do you think Professors take credit for work done by their research assistants? Is this fair, considering the Professor is the one taking the time to supervise a graduate student? Would you be willing to ghost write for someone else and not receive credit for your work? What if you were well paid for doing so--would that make a difference?

3. Authorship is a broader issue in the play as several characters in a sense re-write their lives--particularly Desdemona, Juliet, and Constance. How do you think you author your own life? Are you writing your story the way you want it to play out? Can you change your story? Would you?

Essay Topic 2

In Act 3, Scene 4, Romeo and Juliet, as well as Constance and other introduced characters are attending a masked ball. Masked balls used to be quite common in past centuries but have seem to fallen by the wayside in the 21st century, excepting perhaps Halloween. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using examples from the book as well as personal experience:

1. Why do you think masked balls used to be so common? What do you think is the purpose of a masked ball--could it have had underlying socio-cultural reasons?

2. Why do you think Juliet's father would be putting on a masked ball to celebrate his daughter's wedding? Do you think this will help minimize fights between the feuding families?

3. Do you think you would enjoy a masked ball? Why or why not? What would you like about it? What would you dislike about it?

Essay Topic 3

In Act 2, Scene 1, Desdemona urges Constance to study violence and become a warrior. Constance confides that she is furtively called 'the mouse' at the university; Desdemona decries the appellation as entirely unfair and urges Constance to learn to kill. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-organized essay using detailed examples from the text, your research and personal experience to support your statements:

1. Desdemona as a fierce warrior is far different from the placid Desdemona of Shakespeare's OTHELLO, as it the idea of Constance as a warrior versus Constance as a "mouse." Which face of each of these 2 characters do you find more interesting? Explain. Would you prefer your daughter to be a mouse or a warrior? Why? Is there something in between the two extremes? What?

2. Until very recently, women were not allowed in combat units in the military. Do you think this was a good policy? Why or why not. Explain fully. Do you think women could pose a threat to their male comrades because of either their lesser physical strength or because of a male's instinct to protect women? Develop your ideas fully in conjunction with the first question.

3. Research and write a paper about a country that has women on the front lines of combat--for example, Sweden or Israel. What has been the effect of this policy on their military? Has it been a successful integration? What problems?

(see the answer keys)

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