I need help constructing a thesis statement for a compare and contrast essay over Ophelia and Lady Macbeth. Please help me get started!
Would this work?
Lady Macbeth and Ophelia both compare and contrast with their viewpoints and personalities.
Check out these sites on those two characters. Chose the
characteristic(s) that you think to be most comparable or contrasting.
Then you will have your thesis statement. You can choose at least two instances in each play when this characteristic is evidenced.
Ophelia http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/characters.html
http://www.shakespeare-online.com/playanalysis/opheliachar.html
Lady Macbeth
http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/chrissandy1/caladymacbeth.htm
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/canalysis.html
We will be happy to proofread and make further suggestions
I reposted my thesis on top where it says English 4. Can you please take a look at it?
Certainly! Your initial thesis statement, "Lady Macbeth and Ophelia both compare and contrast with their viewpoints and personalities," is a good starting point but can be further refined to provide a clearer roadmap for your essay. Here's a suggested revision:
"Though both Lady Macbeth and Ophelia are female characters in Shakespearean plays, they exhibit contrasting viewpoints and personalities in their respective roles, with Lady Macbeth characterized by ambition and ruthlessness, while Ophelia displays obedience and vulnerability."
To support this thesis, you can examine specific instances in the plays where these characteristics are evident for each character. The links you provided can serve as useful starting points to gather information about their personalities, viewpoints, and the events in which they are involved.
For Lady Macbeth:
- Focus on her ambition, her persuasion of Macbeth to commit murder, and her progression into guilt and madness.
- Analyze her manipulation of Macbeth, her desire for power, and her disregard for morality.
For Ophelia:
- Explore her obedience to her father, her descent into madness after the death of her father, and her helplessness in a society dominated by men.
- Analyze her internal conflicts, her relationships with Hamlet and Polonius, and the impact of her madness on the play's plot.
By examining these specific characteristics and events, you will be able to draw meaningful comparisons and contrasts between Lady Macbeth and Ophelia in your compare and contrast essay. Remember to provide evidence from the texts to support your analysis and to organize your essay around clear and logical arguments.