Hey,
Our class has been tasked with creating an essay introduction for a question regarding "The Tempest" and "Hag-seed". However, because so far we haven't analysed the texts in class I am struggling to create one. Any help in regards to how to tackle this question and any suggestions as for an answer would be amazing, thank you!
“What he couldn't have in life he might still catch sight of through his art: just a glimpse, from the corner of his eye.”- Margaret Atwood, Hag-Seed
To what extent does legacy inform the textual conversation between William Shakespeare and Margaret Atwood? Make close reference to the provided extract and 'The Tempest' and 'Hag-seed'.
Hey, LachlanD42!
Welcome to the forums! Firstly, it's totally okay to be struggling with creating an essay introduction this early on in the term, especially if you haven't analysed the texts yet
Once you have engaged with the texts more, you'll find yourself forming a stronger judgement over the nature of "textual conversations" and knowing how to respond to given questions in this module.
Funnily enough, I think your teacher might have sourced the essay question from this very forum because I wrote it and put it in
this compilation thread! I knew the question looked familiar
With this question, you would need to present an argument about legacy and how Shakespeare and Atwood engage in a conversation about it through their texts. A potential judgement you could put forward is that Shakespeare's
The Tempest explores thematic concerns surrounding the nature of legacy with themes such as reputation (how an individual is viewed in their time and beyond), freedom/confinement (which could be interpreted as the freedom/imprisonment artists experience in creating their works) and compassion (the role of others, and audiences, in determining an individual's legacy and how they are remembered through empathy). You could discuss how Atwood's
Hag-Seed is an attempt within itself to preserve the legacy of the play (and Shakespeare as a composer more broadly) and how it shows the relevance of his literature today by continuing discussions on the themes raised in
The Tempest.
If you want a comprehensive but concise overview of
The Tempest, I would highly recommend
this TED-ED video on it. For
Hag-Seed, it is worth having a read of
this article written by Atwood herself explaining her creative process and purpose for adapting
The Tempest Hope this helps and feel free to follow up with more questions if you have any!
Angelina