Writing a Literary Paper

1. A research paper about a literary topic will focus on the works used more than on
any other source.
A. For example, if you are writing a paper on rap music as poetry, your paper
will focus on the individual rap songs much more than on any source that will
explain modern music.
B. If you writer a paper on Wally Lamb's She Comes Undone, the paper will
use the novel to the extent that it may be the only source used in writing the
paper.
C. Notice how the sample paper Side Shows for Maisie uses only the Henry
James novel What Maisie Knew.
2. The first step in writing the paper is then to decide on what work that you want to
write and read that work so thoroughly that you understand it enough to write on it.
A. If you need to use other sources to help you understand the work and you
use those sources in writing the paper, remember that you have to cite those
sources as the writer of Quiet Moments of Kindness: Love in Neighbor
Rosicky does in her paper.
B. If you use only one source, as in Side Shows for Maisie, you will have
only one works cited entry.
3. Once you have read the works, decide what you want to do with the paper.
A. Come up with a topic that will give you enough material for a 5-7 page
paper.
B. For example, if you read Jamess The Beast in the Jungle, you may decide
that you want to write about Jamess description of the destructive nature of
materialism on personal relationships.
C. If you read Willa Cather's One of Ours, you may decide to write about how
WWI becomes a type of redemption for Claudes life.
4. Once you have a topic, arrive at a thesis that will make a point about your topic.
A. Make sure the thesis is specific enough that you can write 5-7 pages about
that thesis.
1. As you have learned in composition classes, the more specific your
thesis is the easier your paper is to write.
2. Mention the author and the work in the initial thesis.
B. Here are some sample thesis statements:

1) Mark Twain shows how racism can corrupt good people

in Huckleberry
Finn.
2) The climax of Stephen Kings The Stand represents the classic
struggle of good versus evil.
3) Theodore Roethkes Elegy for Jane illustrates how powerful the
single image of an act is in influencing the imagination.
4) In "The Swimmer," John Cheever uses the metaphor of the swimmer
to describe the escape of a modern man from his personal life.
5) In Hondo, Louis LAmours title character represents the idealized
hero in western literature.
6) Jack Ryan in Tom Clancys Debt of Honor is a classic modern hero.
7) The main character in To Build a Fire has the man versus nature
struggle that characterizes naturalist writings.
5. Gather evidence to support your thesis.
A. As you read the work, underline what will fit your point and write marginal
comments about how the evidence fits.
B. A second method is to take notes on the text.
1. Following each quotation (note) from the text, you will want to have
the page reference and your comment about the materials significance.
C. Your commentswhether as marginal notes or as comments on note cards
will help you remember how you may want to use the material when the time
comes. It may also provide explanation if you use that material in your paper.
D. If you cant find support for your thesis, you will have to change your thesis.
6. Follow the standard procedure for writing a paper using sources.
A. Have an introduction that gets the readers attention in your paper as well as
presents the thesis.
B. The body of the paper contains the textual evidence and explains to your
reader how your thesis applies to the work.
1. It is not enough to say that your evidence or quotation is an example
of a particular point.
2. You must explain how it is an example.
C. Have a conclusion that summarizes your main points and keeps the readers
interested.
7. Begin your paragraphs with good topic sentences that directly reflect the idea of
your thesis and repeat key ideas and words from the thesis.

8. Make sure you do not summarize the plot of the work. References to plot should
only occur when you are backing up a topic sentence that makes a point about your
thesis.
9. The content of your essay should be complete.
A. Provide enough explanation so that your readers can understand your thesis.
B. Your paper should explain itself without making readers feel the need to ask
you for additional information to understand your point.
C. For example, in a paper based on Sinclair Rosss As For Me and My House,
the writer is examining how a characters attitudes toward the landscape, his
work, and his wife illustrate his inability to relate to people.
D. The thesis for the paper is Philip Bentleys inability to relate to people can
be seen in his attitude toward his environment, his congregations, or his own
wife.
E. A sample paragraph from that paper:
Philips drawings of the small towns represent his incapacity for seeing
beyond the building and to the people who occupy them. For example, when Philip is
making a drawing of Horizon, he shows it as bleak and lifeless:
A cold, hopeless little thing . . . The solitary street lamp, pitted feebly and
uselessly against the over-hanging darkness. A little false-fronted store, still and
blank and whiteanotheranotherin retreating, steplike sequencea
stairway into the night. The insolent patch of the store is unabashed by the
loom of darkness over it. The dark windows are like sockets of unlidded eyes,
letting more of the night gape through. (218)
The picture is what Philip sees with his mental eye, as well as his physical eye. He
weakens the light from the street lamp and accentuates the darkness because that is the
way he sees life in Horizon. He lacks the ability to connect with people to the extent
that he cant add life and warmth to the picture and to the town as a whole.
10. In the above paragraph, notice how the writer makes a point about the thesis in the
topic sentence.
A. Then she follows that topic sentence with a lead-in to a specific quote from
the book to illustrate how Philips drawings are bleak.
B. Finally, she explains that quote by describing how the drawings show that
Philip doesnt connect to people.
11. Use present tense when writing about literature.
A. In the above paragraph and in the sample papers, notice how writers use
present tense verbs when referring to the works.
B. However, do not change the tense in quotes.

12. Punctuate titles correctly.

A. Titles of novels or longer works are italicized.
B. Titles of short stories, poems, and essays are put in quotation marks.
13. Use direct quotations properly.
A. Remember that anything that appears in quotation marks in the work will
produce a quote within a quote in your paper.
B. Quotations longer than 4-typed lines should be set off as long direct
quotations.
1) Remember not to put quotation marks around long direct quotations
unless they represent a quote within a quote.
2) Remember to indent long, direct quotations 10 spaces from the left
margin only.
C. In a 5-7 page paper, try to use no more than two long, direct quotations
14. Cite all direct quotations and paraphrases with a parenthetical citation that
contains the page number from which the material came.
15. Have a works cited page that lists all sources used in writing the paper.
16. Some possible general topics for your 5-7 page paper:
1) Use one of the thesis statements from point 4 of this handout.
2) Explain how Twains or Howellss or Jamess works fit into the realistic definition
of literature.
3) Explain how a Native American writers works are distinctively related to the
Native American culture.
4) Using African-American writers, explain how their works reflect the experience of
African-Americans in the time period in which the writer is working.
5) Explain how authors or an author describe the influence of materialism on
American society.
6) Explain how a particular writer uses rhetorical devices to get readers to see a
subject as she or he sees it.
7) Describe Robert Frost's attitude toward death.

8) Describe how the Depression is reflected in the writings of John Steinbeck or

William Faulkner.
9) Using a particular author, explain how her or his life is reflected in her or his
writing.
10) Compare the works of any two authors.
11) Explain how loneliness is a major theme in twentieth century American literature.
12) Explain how nature becomes a character in Hamlin Garlands (or some other
naturalists) works.
Return to OWL.

Florante at Laura
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to
reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2014)

Florante at Laura

Author

Francisco Baltazar

Country

Philippines

Language

Tagalog

Genre

Fiction, epic poetry

Published

1838[1]

ISBN

9789715081797

Florante at Laura (full title: Pinagdaanang Buhay nina Florante at Laura sa Kahariang Albanya:
Kinuha sa madlang cuadro histrico o pinturang nagsasabi sa mga nangyayari nang unang
panahon sa Imperyo ng Gresya, at tinula ng isang matuwain sa bersong Tagalog; English The

History of Florante and Laura in the Kingdom of Albania: Adapted from some historical pictures or
paintings that tell of what happened in early times in the Greek Empire, and were set to rhyme by
one delighting in Tagalog verse) by Francisco Balagtas is considered as one of the masterpieces
of Philippine literature. Balagtas wrote the epic during his imprisonment. He dedicated to his
sweetheart Mara Asuncion Rivera, whom he nicknamed "M. A. R." and is referenced to as "Selya" in
the dedication "Kay Selya" ("For Celia").
[2]

Contents
[hide]

1 Form

2 Synopsis

3 Plot
o

3.1 In the Albanian forest

3.2 Florante's tale

3.3 Aladin's fate

3.4 Reunion and peace

4 Characters

5 References

Form[edit]
Florante at Laura is written as an awit; the word in its present usage means "song" but is a poetic
form with the following characteristics:
1. four lines per stanza;
2. twelve syllables per line;
3. an assonantal rhyme scheme of AAAA (in the Filipino manner of rhyming described by Jos
Rizal in Tagalische Verskunst);
4. a slight pause (caesura) on the sixth syllable;
5. each stanza is usually a complete, grammatically correct sentence;
6. each stanza has figures of speech (according to Fernando Monlen, Balagtas used 28 types
in 395 instances throughout the poem);
7. the author remained anonymous (according to contemporary tradition);
8. the author offered the poem to Mara Asuncion Rivera (a tradition which Balagtas built upon
in Kay Celia); and

9. the author asked for the reader's pardon (which Balagtas does very confidently in Sa
Babasa Nito, "To Him That Reads This").

Synopsis[edit]
The story is about the love and determination of the Duke Florante and the Princess Laura of
Albania while being pursued by the usurper Count Adolfo.

Plot[edit]
In the Albanian forest[edit]
The story begins deep within a dark, gloomy forest. Florante, a duke of the Kingdom of Albania is
tied to a tree, lamenting the death of his father, Duke Briseo. He is driven mad by the thought that his
beloved, Princess Laura, has fallen into the arms of his enemy, Count Adolfo, son of Count Sileno.
Nearby, two starving lions keep watch and try to attack Florante. He is saved, just in time, by Aladin,
a Persian prince who happens to be at the forest at the same time. Weak and bewildered, Florante
faints.
The merciful soldier nurses Florante to health. Upon recovery, Florante is initially taken back by
Aladin who he considers as an enemy due to his Islamic faith. After a few explanations are made,
Florante is grateful and begins to tell his story.

Florante's tale[edit]
The son of a princess and a royal adviser, Florante grew up in happiness, showered with love. He
liked to play games when he was six years old, and was almost captured by a vulture that entered in
their mountain cottage, which was also followed by the attack of a falcon. He was saved by his
cousin Menalipo, an archer from Epirus.
When he turned eleven, his parents, Duke Briseo and Princess Floresca, sent him
to Athens, Greece to study under Antenor, a renowned teacher. There, he met Adolfo, a fellow
countryman, the brightest student in their school. After six years of study, Florante surpassed
Adolfo's capabilities, talents and intelligence, gaining popularity.
While acting during a school play, Adolfo attempted to kill Florante. Fortunately, Florantes friend,
Menandro, was quick enough to intervene. Adolfo headed home to Albania after his failed attempt.
One year later, Florante received a letter from his father, announcing the death of his mother.
Though filled with grief, Florante waited two years before he returned home. Menandro, unwilling to
be separated from him, accompanied him on his journey. Upon his arrival to Albania, an emissary of
the kingdom of Crotona requested his assistance in the incoming war against the Persians. Florante
had not the will to refuse, for the King of Crotone was his grandfather. During his stay in Albania,
Florante was invited to the royal palace and was glamoured of Laura, the daughter of King Linceo.
Coming to the aid of Crotone, Florante fought with the Persian general Osmalik for five hours, finally
slaying him in the end. He stayed in Crotone for five months before returning to Albania to see
Laura. He was surprised by the sight of a Persian flag waving atop the kingdom. He recaptured the
palace and saved his father, the King, and Konde Adolfo. He also saved Laura from
being beheaded from the hands of Emir and was declared Defender of Albania for his bravery,
deepening Adolfos envy and hatred.
Florante protected the kingdom once more from the Turkish forces under general Miramolin, an
acclaimed conqueror. This took place in Aetolia, where he later received a letter from his father
summoning him back to Albania. He left his troops in the care of his friend, Menandro, and upon
returning, he was ambushed by 30,000 soldiers under Adolfos orders and was imprisoned for 18

days. There, he learned of the tragic fate of his father and the king who were beheaded under
Adolfo. Florante was then exiled into the forest and tied to the tree.

Aladin's fate[edit]
After Florante finishes his story, it was Aladin's turn to recount his life. He first introduces himself as
Prince Aladin of the Persian kingdom, son of Sultan Ali-Adab.
While walking through the forest, Aladin tells about his fiancee Flerida. Unbeknownst to him at that
time, his father also desired Flerida. After returning home from a battle (revealed to be the battle of
Florante and General Osmalic), Ali-Adab imprisoned the Prince, using his abandonment of his troops
as the reason, and the eventual loss made the latter order a decapacitation of Aladin.
In a turn of events, Aladin was released by a general on orders from his father, with the constraint
that he may never enter the kingdom again. Heartbroken, he unknowingly walks to the forest where
Florante was tied up.

Reunion and peace[edit]

Aladins speech is interrupted when they hear voices. A woman narrates her escape from a kingdom
and a marriage. She speaks of her search for her beloved, a search which lasted six years. She
shares that while deep in the forest, she heard cries for help, and upon finding a lady about to be
raped, she uses her bow and arrow to kill the assailant. The woman introduces herself as Flerida.
The lady saved by Flerida is revealed to be Laura, who begins to tell her story. While her love was
away at war, Konde Adolfo used deceit to gain popularity and turned the people of Albania against
their king. Konde Adolfo then rose to the throne, forcing Laura to be his queen. An army under
Menandro, Florante's childhood friend, was able to overthrow Adolfo from power. Seeing all was lost,
Adolfo fled into the woods with Laura as his hostage.
After hearing all this, Florante and Aladin reunite with their loved ones. Florante and Laura return to
Albania to rule as king and queen. Aladin and Flerida returned to Persia, where Aladin became the
new sultan as his father died of depression because Flerida had left him. Aladin and Flerida are then
baptized into the Catholic faith, and the two kingdoms lived in harmony and peace.

Characters[edit]

Florante a duke of Albania and the main protagonist of the novel.

Laura Daughter of King Linceo of Albania. She is the love interest of Florante and is later
married to him.

Count Adolfo Rival of Florante and the antagonist of the novel. Once a good friend to
Florante during their time inAthens. His jealousy and envy towards Florante sparked his
rebellion against the king. He was also responsible for the imprisonment of Florante. He was
killed by Flerida as he attempted to rape Laura in his escape against the forces loyal to the king.

Prince Aladin Son of Sultan Ali-Adab of Persia. He saved Florante from being eaten by
lions in the forest. Later, he marries his love interest Flerida.

Flerida Aladin's fiancee. She asked Sultan Ali-Adab to spare Prince Aladin's life on the
condition that she will be Ali-Adab's wife. She later escaped and killed Count Adolfo as he
attempted to rape Laura in the forest.

Duke Briseo Father of Florante and a nobleman of Albania. He was killed, along with King
Linceo, by Count Adolfo during his usurpation of power. He was a very good father to Florante.

Princess Floresca Mother of Florante and the Princess of Crotone. She died while
Florante was studying in Athens.

King Linceo King of Albania and the father of Princess Laura. A great ruler of Albania, he
and Duke Briseo were killed by Count Adolfo during the latter's takeover.

Sultan Ali-Adab Sultan of Persia and the father of Prince Aladin. He sentenced his son to
death because of cowardice in the battlefield. In exchange for Aladin's life, Flerida promised to
marry the Sultan. After her escape, the Sultan committed suicide.

Count Sileno Father of Count Adolfo.

Menalipo Cousin of Florante. He saved Florante from vultures when they were younger.

Menandro Friend and confidant of Florante. They first met while they were studying in
Athens and Menandro saved Florante from a young Adolfo's attempt to murder him. He and
Florante shared military expedition. He led the overthrow of Count Adolfo and restored peace in
Albania.

Antenor Professor of Florante, Menandro, and Adolfo in Athens. A good and wise teacher
to Florante.

General Osmalik A general of Persia. He was killed by Florante during a military

expedition.

General Miramolin A general of the Ottoman Empire. He was responsible for the invasion
of Albania to bring the kingdom under the imperial officers who sacked Albania together with
Aladin during the ongoing campaign of Florante and Menandro in Crotone. He nearly slew Laura
for her refusal to love him but was defeated.

Tropes Appearing in Florante At Laura

Action Girl: In the few chapters we see her in, Flerida.
Attempted Rape: Laura gets this. Twice.
Author Avatar: Florante is Balagtas.
Author Tract: Basically the whole thing, but special mention goes to the
chapter "Pag-Ibig Anakin", which is dedicated to bashing parents
who spoil their kids.
Badass Bookworm: Florante.

 Beginner's Luck: Florante bests Osmalic, a known and fearsome

general. It's Florante's first real fight.
Bedsheet Ladder: How Flerida got out of the castle.
Beneath the Mask: In his younger days, Adolfo pretended to be sweet,
elegant, and smart, never picking a fight. This was not the case.
Big Bad: Adolfo.
Bound and Gagged: When Florante comes back after battle because he
received a letter from King Linceo thought that's actually Adolfo, he gets
ambushed and this happens.
Chained To A Tree: How we find Florante in the beginning.
Contrived Coincidence: Just after Aladin rescues Florante who tells him
the events of the story, they walked around the forest and bumped into
Flerida and Laura. Either that's coincidence or the forest is very small.
Creator Breakdown: "Gubat na Mapanglaw" = Balagtas' state in the
prison.
Deceased Parents Are the Best: Florante's mom and dad, Floresca and
Briseo. Floresca was loving, if overprotective, and Briseo was kind,
caring, and a paragon of virtue.
Deus Angst Machina: Florante. He nearly gets killed in a School Play.
Just before he returns home, his mom dies. He suddenly becomes
general of Albania's army and must separate from Laura to fight. He
receives a letter from Albania to return home where he is ambushed by
Adolfo and thrown into jail. While there, he finds out that Briseo and
Linceo have been killed, finds out that Adolfo is now in charge of the
kingdom and has Laura, after which he is banished and chained to a
tree in Mordor forest. Wow.
Distressed Damsel: Laura. So much.
Evil Always Triumphs In The Middle: Adolfo takes over Albania, has
Briseo and Linceo killed, kidnaps Laura and has Florante banished and
tied to a tree.

 Getting Crap Past the Radar: During the time, Christianity abhorred
Muslims. Aladin is a Muslim prince and one of the good guys. To get this
past the censors, Balagtas took two lines to mention that Aladin and
Flerida were baptized as Christians at the end.
o

He also used tons of metaphors and symbols to gveTake

Thats against Spain rule. For example, Florante being tied to the tree
in the beginning is an allegory to Filipinos being captive under Spain.

Glory Seeker: Hinted to be the reason Adolfo wore his mask back at
school.
Good Samaritan: Aladin, a Muslim prince, helps Florante, a Christian,
despite the fierce rivalry between Christians and Muslims back then. He
slays the tiger that was about to eat Florante, and stays up all night to
tend to Florante and defend both of them from the animals lurking in the
forest.
Greed: Adolfo's avarice for power and money is his motivation.
How We Got Here: How the story is told.
I Have You Now, My Pretty: Adolfo to Laura. Florante first thinks it's
consensual, though.
In Medias Res: The story starts with our hero, Florante, tied to a tree.
Long Title: The full title, in archaic Tagalog, is "Pinagdaanang Buhay
nina Florante at Laura sa Kahariang Albanya: Kinuha sa madlang
"cuadro histrico" o pinturang nagsasabi sa mga nangyayari nang
unang panahon sa Imperyo ng Gresya, at tinula ng isang matuwain sa
bersong Tagalog." note
Love at First Sight: Florante and Laura.
Mordor: "Gubat na Mapanglaw" ("Melancholy Forest").
Manipulative Bastard: Adolfo. He convinced Albania that King Linceo
was going to starve them, staged a coup with the support of the
enraged citizens, had the court massacred, and declared himself king.

 Near Villain Victory: Adolfo's got the throne, he's got Florante and all the
good in Albania banished and he's got Laura. Then he gets killed by an
arrow to the head from Flerida who just happened to be passing by
when she witnessed Adolfo trying to rape Laura.
Posthumous Character: Briseo, Floresca.
Revenge: Adolfo's main motivator in the latter part of the book.
School Play: Back in Athens, they performed Oedipus Rex.
Shown Their Work: Balagtas was a pretty educated guy. You can see
that in all the references to Greek mythology he throws in.
Stepford Smiler: Adolfo, Type 3.
Take That: Basically a huge one against the Spanish government and
the corrupt Church.
The Good Chancellor: Duke Briseo.
The Good Guys Always Win: Don't say you weren't expecting it.
Yandere: Aladin shows signs. He gets two verses where he first
contemplates The Power of Love and how it can tear apart even the
closest True Companions... then says that since that is so, he doesn't
need goodness or kindness and will crush those who come between
him and Flerida.

The metrical romance Florante at Laura by Francisco Baltazar (17881862) is a unique case in the history of
Philippine literature and publishing. It holds the distinction of being the only poem published in the country that has
not gone out of print since its first publication, that has been translated into various local and foreign languages,
and that continues to be read to this day. Baltazar, popularly known as Balagtas, has been hailed as the greatest of
Tagalog poets and his Florante at Laura acclaimed as a masterpiece. But beyond literary merit, what has ensured
the survival of both poet and poem through the years is the great historical, social, and cultural value they have
been granted.
The poem was written while Balagtas was serving time in a Manila prison, beginning around 1835 or 1836, and
published in 1838 after his release. It comprises 399 monorhyming dodecasyllabic quatrains in Tagalog, and its
original full title is Pinagdaanang Buhay ni Florante at ni Laura sa kahariang Albania, kinuha sa madlang "cuadro
historico" o pinturang nagsasabi sa mga nangyayari nang unang panahon sa imperio ng Grecia at tinula ng isang
matuwain sa bersong Tagalog (The History of Florante and Laura in the Kingdom of Albania, based on various
"historical scenes" or portraits relating events in ancient times in the Greek Empire and written by one who delights
in Tagalog verse). The poem is, as one critic put it, "romantic and lyrical in inspiration, social in intent, and
allegorical in conception."
At one level, and as its title suggests, Florante at Laura is a love story. Balagtas drew from the literary tradition of
courtly love in fashioning Florante as the suffering lover, Laura as the beautiful beloved, and their love impeded by
powerful forces. At the time of the poem's writing, Balagtas was himself an unfortunate suitor, imprisoned on false
charges by a rich and influential rival. However, he apparently set out to do more with the poem than merely give

expression to his misfortunes in romance. He indicated other levels of meaning in his preface, "Sa Babasa Nito"
(To the Reader):
Kung sa biglang tingi'y bubot at masaklap
palibhasa'y hilaw at mura ang balat,
nguni't kung namnamin ang sa lamang lasap,
masasarapan din ang babasang pantas.
(At a glance, this may look unripe and sour,
because its rind is still green and immature,
but when savoured, the taste of its meat
will be enjoyed even by the discriminating reader.)
Balagtas was thought to have employed elements far removed from nineteenth-century Philippine society to get
his poem past the strict censorship of the government and the Church. Thus his fantastic characters and settings
have been regarded as symbolic, and Florante at Laura has come to be read consequently as a stirring piece of
patriotisma depiction of the sufferings of the Filipino people under the oppressive Spanish colonial regime.
Balagtas is now a Filipino hero and Florante at Laura one of the country's sacred texts. It was the longing for and
imagining of a Philippine nation that engendered the secular canonization of the poet and his poem. This is evident
not only in the historical developments that established, celebrated, and preserved Balagtas and Florante at
Laura as part of the national heritage of the Philippines, but also in the printed versions of the poem themselves,
which display this nationalist sentiment at work. Many volumes have already been written on the poet and the
poem; however, very little attention has been paid to Florante at Laura's history as a book. This study seeks to
address such a gap in scholarship. Premised on the concept of the book as a cultural artifact and its life cycle
publishing, manufacture, distribution, reception, and survivalinfluenced by political, social, intellectual, and
commercial factors, it explores how Florante at Laura has survived in its printed form.
This study surveys the publishing history of Florante at Laura from its first appearance in the nineteenth century to
recent editions in the twenty-first century. It pays special attention to the twentieth-century editions and examines
how the poem itself was made to remain...