Topic: Analysis of Theatre as a Political Tool

Order Description
Your second paper, which is due on March 28, is a 1,000-1,200-word analysis of theatre as a political tool. I want you to find an example of something you consider to be political theatre, and analyze *how* it works. Don’t spend a lot of time and energy trying to prove that it *is* political theatre. Show me *how* it is political theatre; show me how it *works* and what it *does*. You can use more than one example – i.e. more than one show. What does this production do, how does it work, and what affect(s) did it have on its audience(s). Do not generalize: do not assume that everyone in the audience had the same response you did. Find some data.

YOU NEED A THESIS. A thesis is not “X is political theatre.” A thesis is a claim that has to be proved. In order to prove your thesis, you offer evidence.

SOME GENERAL FEEDBACK ON YOUR KATHARSIS/RASA PAPERS (A Previous paper, these tips should help you write the essay to meet the professors standards):

1. Have a strong thesis. If I am your reader, make a claim that I am likely to disagree with. And then prove yourself right. Description and analysis are two different things. Your paper needs to analyze, not describe.

2. Give your paper a title. The title should capture, should be a distillation of, your central argument. Write your paper first, then go back and give it a title, then read your paper with that title in mind: does that title describe what your paper is about? If not, rewrite one or the other or both.

3. Your paper should begin with a “hook” – something that makes the reader want to continue reading. Do not begin with a bland truism: “art has an effect on people,” or “theatre is performed for audiences.”

4. Your conclusion should not restate what you’ve already said. While my memory is not that great, I can remember on page 5 what you said on page 1:) Your conclusion should make larger claims for your thesis: your thesis makes an important claim about a particular example of political theatre; your conclusion should tie that claim to the larger world – if what you say is true, then we need to rethink political theatre to take X into account.

5. Use the active tense. “It was emphasized” is a phrase in which no one says anything, no one takes responsibility for what they have said, and no one has any agency. X said Y. I want to emphasize Y. Stand behind what you say. If you need to quote someone, do so. And then add that to your list of works cited.