Writing Assignment on The Well of Loneliness

Class members will write an analytical paper placing Radclyffe Hall’s classic novel of lesbian fiction, The Well of Loneliness, within its historical context. Students should select topics that interest them but must get approval in advance. Students may want to begin reading the novel ahead of class deadlines and begin formulating ideas and researching sources early.

The assignment calls for students to draw upon their knowledge of European women’s history to explain the novel’s significance. Students should consult secondary sources for ideas, including the textbooks and related materials on reserve in the library. Possible grounds for paper topics include: comparisons between Hall’s life and the experiences of her characters, consideration of the social impact of the novel, analysis of the work’s intellectual debts or contributions, or consideration of the work’s accuracy in depicting European women or lesbian culture. Topics should be narrow enough to be fully researched and addressed in a short paper, yet should incorporate several secondary sources and at least one primary source.

The finished product should be a typed, double-spaced paper of 5-7 pages (about 1250 words). Longer papers will be accepted, but avoid wordiness. I will grade papers on the quality of their analysis, the effectiveness of their argumentation, and their use of primary and secondary evidence. Excellent papers will present and defend a clear thesis and demonstrate understanding of the novel’s meaning as well as its historical context. Papers are due in Week 12.