Irish Drama and Comedy Essay
The Beauty Queen Of Leenane Plays, Irish Short Film(s), and Waking Ned Devine
Irish Literature Fall 2021
You will have a revision opportunity on this essay if you complete your initial draft on time.
Essay Assignment Details:
Thesis driven – original, arguable assertion (v. an observation)
2-3 pages, most likely 4 paragraphs (intro, 2 body, conclusion)
Required: You must use at least 2 quotes / pieces of evidence from at least one of the plays.
Additional evidence may come from Waking Ned Devine and/or The Crush. You can also use song lyrics and videos from The Pogues or The Clash.
Here are some optional additions if you’d like to read and/or view more on your own. The short films are pretty grim, but I can direct you to one or both if you’re interested.
Six Shooter (a short, violently funny film by Martin McDonagh)
Noreen (a short film much like Six Shooter in content and style).
“The Lonesome West” (the third play in the trilogy)
Quotes blended and cited appropriately
Specific analysis of quotes
Assessed with the English Department Argument Rubric
Avoid using outside sources, especially without citations
You can use any of the work we’ve done in class as a source of inspiration.
Tips for Writing:
Introduction: Start with a hook or a general main idea statement. Then, introduce your specific idea, the play and/or movie, and the feature/pattern. Give an overview of the texts that you will include in the essay. Be sure the ideas in your introduction build up to your thesis. They should be directly related. State your thesis as an arguable assertion at the end of this paragraph. (Through the use of “x,” the drama suggests a vision of Ireland [or the world] in which…)
Body Paragraphs: Start with a strong topic sentence that identifies the main idea. Give some context for your evidence. Then blend your evidence into the paragraph and cite it. Make sure your evidence connects to the point you are making. Spend time in analysis of the quote instead of paraphrasing or summarizing. End with a powerful concluding sentence that ties your evidence back to the main point.
Conclusion: End on a strong note. While you should return to your thesis and points, avoid simply restating them. Think about the significance of the exploration of your topic and why it matters, or connect it to an aspect of your life or the world around you.
OPTION A: Consider the purpose of a feature / pattern in the Irish dramas we have studied and examine its impact on meaning in the text(s). A helpful question to consider is: how does the use of “x” convey a particular meaning or contribute to character, mood, or tone? It’s okay to consider a feature not on the chart such as the depiction of hypocritical priests or the violent killing of a parent, etc.
Thinking about the drama’s views on the following subjects may help:
Catholicism / the Catholic Church / priests
Identity
Morality, ethics, social codes
Violence / murder / gory detail
Death / life/ mortality
Dark humor
Family
Dreams
Setting / the land and impact on people
Truth
Justice
Authority and other institutions
These sentence starters might help as well:
By capturing the characters’ idiosyncratic rhythms of speech, McDonagh (or the filmmaker) depicts _________.
By placing characters in the bleak, nihilistic landscape of Leenane, McDonagh emphasizes __________.
The engagement of characters in naturalistic settings highlights ______________.
By capturing the characters’ frequent use of alcohol , the filmmaker depicts _________.
By placing characters in the tiny, isolated village of Tullymore, the filmmaker emphasizes __________.
OPTION B: Examine the influence of The Pogues and/or The Clash on the content and/or style and language of McDonagh’s plays. You might need to do a little research here – listening to more music, learning about the bands, etc. Where in the plays do you see or hear the influence of the band, and how does that influence contribute to meaning or purpose in the play?
OPTION C: Examine another influence on Irish drama and/or comedy. A few possibilities are the influence of American western films, the influence of America itself, the history between Ireland and England, etc. You might need to do some research for this option on your own.
OPTION D: Design a topic and prompt of your own and have it approved by me.
