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Summary vs. Analysis |
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Example 1.
Summary
| The play Hamlet by William Shakespeare is one of betrayal and death {1}. In the beginning of the play Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, kills Hamlet’s {2} father with poison. He does this because he wants to be King, and he wants Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. Hamlet is very upset. He becomes even more upset when Claudius, his uncle and his mother, Gertrude, announce they are to be married {3}. Hamlet cannot believe that they would do this after such a short period of time. Hamlet then decides to kill his uncle to get revenge {4}. However, Hamlet waits to do this. In the meantime Hamlet’s girlfriend, Ophelia, goes crazy and drowns herself {5}. Hamlet is also haunted by his father’s ghost. At the end of the play Hamlet dies. |
- Thesis is too broad. When analyzing a topic narrow it down and explain specifically what is going to be discussed.
- Story is reviewed. Assume that the reader has already read the story, and try to interpret why what happened did.
- Sample is wordy. Do not add extra words about how characters are related to each other, etc. to fill up space. Always avoid wordiness. If you are going to provide descriptions explain what importance they serve in interpreting the text.
- Statements and claims have not been supported. Use quotes or other sources as proof for ideas.
- This paper bounces from one topic to another, making it messy and confusing.
Example 2. Analysis
| Hamlet explores betrayal and death caused by several levels of poison: physical, psychological and social {1}. All of these poisons are intertwined on a psychological level {2}. Hamlet was first affected by Claudius’ physical poison—the poison that he had poured into the King’s ear, killing him. After Claudius killed the King social poison spread throughout the kingdom like a disease. The rebels began to call Laertes Lord, disrupting Hamlet’s claim to the throne, “How cheerfully on the false trail they cry” (IV, V, 87) {3}. Hamlet’s suppressed desire, the Oedipus complex, for his mother led to his own psychological poisoning, “Go not to mine uncle’s bed” (III, III, 153). He was upset that he desired to kill his father, as his uncle did, in order to posses his mother. Hamlet desired to seek revenge on those who had hurt him, which was caused by his id, “Here thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane, Drink of this potion” (V, II, 330-333) {4}. However, Hamlet hesitated to kill his uncle because of his moral super ego, “How I stand then, That have a father killed, a mother stained, Excitements of my reason and my blood, And let all asleep” (IV, IV, 56-59)? These inner psychological conflicts prevented Hamlet from acting until it was too late, and death was already knocking on his door, “The potent poison quite o’er-crows my spirit” (V, II, 359). {5} |
- Thesis is concise. It explains exactly what aspect of the play is going to be analyzed.
- This sentence shows how the writer believed the play was unified. It demonstrates the writer’s interpretations about why the events took place.
- Specific details create a stronger argument. A bit of summary is sometimes needed to get your point across. A little bit of summary is adequate, and a lot of summary is not necessary.
- The claims are supported with evidence, which portray how the writer arrived at conclusions.
- Space is filled with the reader’s interpretations of the play rather than a summary of the play. This shows that the writer worked with the text and attempted to interpret the events in the play.
Kelly Stevens, 22 April 2004