How do the images of Athenian women differ from the images of Amazons in Greco-Roman art?
What do these artistic images reveal about the relationship between ancient Greek concepts of gender and the heroic identity of the Amazons?
Your essay must not only reflect a good understanding of the readings and the lecture material, but it also should be well-written.
i. Format and Grammar
Every essay must follow basic rules of format and grammar. Every paper should have an introductory paragraph, several supporting paragraphs that comprise the body of arguments in the paper, and a concluding paragraph. Grammar is important to your essay composition. Sentence fragments, gross misspellings, and improper punctuation denote a carelessly written and poorly conceived essay. In regards to the names of Greek gods and heroes, you are welcome to use either Greek or Latinized spellings for Greek mythological figures (Gr. Hephaistos = L. Hephaestus).
ii.
The essay must provide a thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. A poor thesis is merely a restatement of the essay prompt.
A good thesis is a clear and coherent statement that attempts to answer the question by encapsulating the main argument(s) of the essay.
iii. Supporting Arguments
Your thesis should be effectively supported by a series of main arguments in paragraph (not “bullet” or list) form. Each of the main arguments should have three parts: 1) a claim, 2) the evidence in support of the claim, and 3) an explanation/analysis of how the evidence supports the claim. It is good practice to avoid blanket statements such as “the Greeks believed that…” and “All Romans thought that…”. Instead, you should try to be specific as to who stated or did ‘X’. This is done by citing your primary and secondary sources.
iv. Use of Primary and Secondary Sources
Rather than relying on your own opinions, you should make use of the appropriate primary and/or secondary sources.
Your primary sources are the assigned readings of ancient literature (e.g. Hesiod’s Theogony) or specific examples of ancient material culture (e.g. a vase painting on a 5th-century-BC amphora).
You don’t need to quote the passage in the ancient text, but your evidence must show an accurate understanding of what is stated in the source text. For example, “the story of the creation of the first woman found in Hesiod’s Theogony does not explicitly call her ‘Pandora’, and it describes how Hephaestus used clay to make her.”
Likewise, if you are using a secondary source (e.g. Buxton’s The Complete World of Greek Mythology) in your essay, you should reference your source. For example, “Buxton claims that Pandora’s name means All-gift.”
v. Conclusion
A poor conclusion is simply a restatement of the thesis and some of the arguments. A strong conclusion provides an explanation as to how the main arguments support the thesis. It shows your reader how the points you made fit together in a meaningful way.
