You may choose any topic you like for this longer paper, provided it is connected in some way with something we have done or will do this semester. This leaves the field wide open: any of the works, drama, film, music, or other materials. The paper must be 8-11 pages and use at least 3 secondary sources.

But you can't write a paper called "Hamlet." Someone already wrote that, and we tend to believe Shakespeare did a pretty good job. What you want to write is something on some particular aspect of the work you'd like to study. The Oedipus complex in Hamlet would be a possibility. Some others are listed below. These are merely some suggested topics. If you can't come up with something, come and talk to me and I'll help you.

1) The idea of the journey (can be applied to almost all we are reading).

2) A Psychological Profile of Hamlet

3) The minor characters in Hamlet: who are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern?

4) Why is Shakespeare's Hamlet a tragedy?

5) Is Hamlet a mystic?

6) Shakespeare's First Folio: A History of its Publication

7) Good vs. Evil in Hamlet

8) What is a tragicomedy? Discussion of Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.

9) The Pilgrimage to San Tiago de Compostela--A Review of its History

10) Mozart's Religion: Conventional Christianity?

11) The Art and Mysticism of Hildegard of Bingen

12) The Spirituality of Mozart's Symphony No. 40

13) "Amadeus": Filmmaking as Biography

14) Nihilistic Spirituality: Is it an oxymoron? (A study of Stoppard)

15) Blind Willie Johnson: The Blues as Religion

These are just a few suggestions off the top of my head. I encourage you to be creative and interesting. Remember, I have to read these, but you have to spend a few weeks researching and writing them.

I would also encourage you to begin this paper early, at least the research and basic ideas. Don't wait until the last minute. You'll be in trouble because the end of the semester will bring other work from this and other classes. You will also find that books you would like to use will already have been taken out of the library by other students.

When you submit the proposed topic for this paper, I'll return it to you either approved (possibly with suggestions), or disapproved (probably because it's too broad or too narrow for this paper). If you would like me to send you via e-mail a twenty-five page document on writing papers and doing research, send an e-mail note requesting it.

Keep track of all due dates!

November 20: Submit topic via e-mail: davidsalomon@bhsu.edu

December 15: All papers due ** NO EXCEPTIONS

Any questions, just ask!

Use MLA citation format for your research papers.