Examine the passages in which Milton discusses the nature of women as compared to men in Paradise Lost. Do you think it is correct to label Milton a misogynist?
Examine the passages in which Milton discusses the nature of women as compared to men in Paradise Lost. Do you think it is correct to label Milton a misogynist?
Text:
Paradise Lost by John Milton
Tips:
– Avoid trying to address too much at once.
– Avoid sweeping generalizations about men, women, human nature, or the way things were back then. It’s an easy way to stumble into making claims that your can’t back up, and nothing
undermines a paper so effectively as unsupportable claims.
– Directly cite the text to support your points. Weave its language into your arguments. Pay close attention to particular words, images, meter, register, etc.
– Secondary sources, whether from the syllabus or elsewhere, are not required, but use them if you like. Whenever you directly quote or paraphrase another text you will need to include a
citation.
– What you are not doing is simply summarizing the text. Your paper will be organized around a specific, original, and arguable claim: a thesis. Your thesis can take the form of an argument you
are making about how your chosen text should be read,
a claim about how the ideas in the text could be applied or expanded toward an area the text does not explicitly address, or an
argument in support of or in opposition to the text’s arguments. A good thesis does not necessarily have to address the whole text, but finds some small and specific aspect of it and uses that
aspect to make an interesting argument.
