English 11- I Due: Wed., 9/25
Essay 1 (FWA 3) – Macbeth

Prompt: Trace the pattern of the “fair is foul” motif throughout the first two acts of William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth.

To trace a pattern, you must show how its effects become stronger or more noticeable. Simply proving that the motif occurs does not answer the prompt. Therefore, a rough outline of an essay – using 6 quotes – might look like this:

-- Introduction with thesis (which also TAGs) at the beginning or end of the paragraph -- Body Paragraph 1 (two quotes) – shows evidence of the motif just beginning to appear -- Body Paragraph 2 (two quotes) – shows evidence of the motif gaining strength -- Body Paragraph 3 (two quotes) – shows evidence of the motif at its strongest. -- Conclusion – where might this motif go from here?

Remember, within the support paragraphs, you should always try to aim for exposing the author’s intent; in other words, what is the author trying to say (do NOT use that phrase) about appearance vs. reality, for example.

Watch for the following!
1. Smooth style; correct grammar.
2. Collegiate vocabulary (avoid “shows,” “fair,” “foul,” “good,” “bad”).
3. Smooth integration of quotes (beware missing or extra commas!). The sentence, if read without noticing the quote marks, should seem like a normal sentence!
4. Correct citations for line numbers (Banquo remarks on how “the sun shineth like an American penny/ Of old” (I.i.12-13).
5. Topic sentences that are not details, do not contain quotes, and cover the entire paragraph’s content.
6. Meaningful introductions and conclusions.
7. Appropriate introductions (set-ups) of quotes.
8. Thorough explanation of quotes,