Download Greece-Essay 4-Peloponnesian War-11.08.14

Ancient History – Essay #4 – The Peloponnesian War -­‐ Rogers For this project you have your choice of three essay options. Your paper should not exceed about 750 words, or three typed pages. You may submit your paper to me electronically. The due date is Saturday, November 8, at the end of class. You will have time in class on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to work on this project. Option A – Write a conventional analytical essay: “In what ways and to what degree did Athens fall short of its ideals during the Peloponnesian War?” See Guidelines below. Option B: Write a “Spartan Funeral Oration” that conveys the major ideals and values of Spartan society. Use Pericles’ Funeral Oration as a model, but write from the perspective of a Spartan. And just as Pericles notes important contrasts between the two states that make Athens appear superior, you should note contrasts that make Sparta appear superior. Option C: Write a Speech to be delivered to the Athenian Assembly in the aftermath of the failure of the Sicilian Expedition. Review Athenian conduct during the war (where did the city go right or wrong?) and then propose a plan for the future. Continue fighting? Seek a negotiated peace? Explain your position. There is no set “formula” for Options B or C. Use your best judgment about to structure your speech. Make sure that everything you say is based on materials from the readings. Guidelines & Structure for Option A: You can write this as a “four-­‐paragraph” essay. That is, you will need an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Your introduction should include a hook, a strong thesis statement, and two supporting details. The introduction should identify the most significant ideals or values from Pericles’ Funeral Oration. Your supporting details should come from two instances during the Peloponnesian War when Athenian conduct either contradicted or failed to live up to those ideals. (You should select from the following possibilities: Pericles’ “Burdens of Empire” Speech; the Mytilenian Debate; the Civil War in Corcyra; the Melian Dialogue; the Sicilian Expedition.) MAKE SURE THAT YOUR THESIS STATEMENT ANSWERS THE QUESTION! Your two body paragraphs should each follow the pattern that Ms. Bonner spells out for your Odyssey Essay #2: • Topic Sentence (with transitional phrase followed by a restatement of the main topic and first supporting detail) • Quotation #1 (introduced by a correct lead and followed by a correct parenthetical citation – note whether Thucydides is writing in his own voice or in the voice of Pericles, Cleon, Diodotus, the Melians, the Athenian ambassadors, or Nicias, etc.) • Analysis of Quotation #1 (Two or three sentences of explanation of the quotation – show how Athenian conduct clashes with Pericles’ stated ideals) •
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Quotation #2 (introduced by a correct lead and followed by a correct parenthetical citation – again note whether Thucydides writes in his own voice or that of another figure) Analysis of Quotations #2 (Two or three sentences of explanation) Clincher Sentence (restatement of main topic and first supporting detail, preferably with a transitional phrase) Your conclusion should include a brief restatement of your main thesis in fresh language. Your parenthetical citations should only include the page number from The Western World. You do not need a Works Cited page because all information for this paper can come from the Thucydides readings. Preparation for Option A Essay – In Class Work on W 10/29 or Th 10/30 Begin an Outline for your paper on the yellow sheets handed out in class. Turn in those sheets for feedback at the end of class. Step 1: Athenian Values Make a list of three bullet points from Pericles’ Funeral Oration that best convey important Athenian ideals. Focus on ideals that you think Athens does not live up to during the war. Include the page reference for each point (not the passage number from the guide – you need to go to the book) Write a paraphrase (a restatement in your own words) of each of those ideals Step 2: Selection of Examples Determine which two episodes you will use to highlight Athenian conduct falling short of Athenian ideals: Burden of Empire speech; Mytilenian Debate; Civil War in Corcyra; Melian Dialogue; Failure of the Sicilian Expedition. Step 3: Selection of Quotations – Episode 1 Make a list of three quotations or passages from the first episode that you believe illustrate the conflict with Athenian ideals. Include the page reference for each point. (Leave room on your sheet for the “explanations” described in Step 4) Step 4: Explanation of Quotations from Episode 1 For each of your quotations, attempt to write two or three bullet points of explanation of how the passage shows Athens falling short of its ideals. This means you would write a total of six to nine sentences of explanation for Episode 1. Step 5: Selection of Quotations – Episode 2 Make a list of three quotations or passages from the second episode that you believe illustrate the conflict with Athenian ideals. Include the page reference for each point. All students must complete Steps 1-­‐5, but only those students choosing Option A for their paper need to complete Steps 6-­‐12. The following steps should be done on your computer after you have received initial feedback on your selection of passages: Step 6: Explanation of Quotations from Episode 2 For each of your quotations, attempt to write two or three bullet points of explanation of how the passage shows Athens falling short of its ideals. This means you would write a total of six to nine sentences of explanation for Episode 2. Step 7: Selection of Quotations & Explanations for your Paper For each of your body paragraphs, select the two best quotations/explanations that you have generated. Step 8: Draft a Thesis Statement Write a statement that ties together your findings about Athenian ideals and the two episodes you have selected. Step 9: Develop a Hook Write an engaging lead for your essay that draws your reader into the topic. Step 10: Write a full draft of your two body paragraphs Take the raw material of your quotations and explanations and introduce them with a good topic sentence. Develop your quotation and explanations into a coherent paragraph. Tie the paragraph together with a clincher sentence that leads you into the next section of the paper Step 11: Write a conclusion Write a brief restatement of your main thesis in fresh language and reinforce your explanation of the your two episodes Step 12: Type it all up and Send it in! (You should send your paper electronically as a “reply” to an email I will send to you. You must send your paper to me as a MICROSSOFT WORD document.) Guidelines for Option A: Athenian Hypocrisy Template for Introduction: Hook: Say something snappy about Athenian Hypocrisy -­‐ but this can be the last thing you actually write Background: Orient your reader by identifying the author and work under discussion & by setting the historical scene In Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War, Pericles’ Funeral Oration stands as the best statement of Athenian ideals. In that speech delivered early in the war against Sparta, Pericles praises his fellow Athenians for ______, _______, ______, and ____. [Select those ideals that you consider most significant – we generated a list of about 20 in class, and you have them in your notes] Thesis Statement: Be sure to provide a direct answer to the question & two examples of Athenian conduct But as the war went on Athens fell _____ short of these ideals by ____________ in the ____________, and by ___________ in the __________. Template for Body Paragraphs: Topic Sentence: Link to your thesis – identify the Ideal and the Contradiction and the Episode Introduce Quotation #1: Identify the speaker Analysis of Quotation #1: Explain the context and significance of the quotation Explain how and (perhaps) why Athenians violated/contradicted their ideal Introduce Quotation #2: Identify the speaker Analysis of Quotation #2: Explain the context and significance of the quotation Explain how and (perhaps) why Athenians violated/contradicted their ideal Clincher Sentence: Write a “conclusion” for your paragraph and transition into the next Conclusion: Restate your thesis in fresh language