Tutor profile: Sophia G.

How should a conclusion function?

A good conclusion should distill and echo the introduction, and perhaps both should even be written at the end of writing a whole essay, to ensure continuity and directness. A great way to revise is to rewrite the introduction with the conclusion in mind, taking a look to ensure that in that last section the question or thesis posed in the introduction is answered sufficiently. For a longer, research based paper a conclusion could also consider what makes this research question valuable, and what new avenues can be explored with these findings.

In Shakespeare's plays, what role does the clown play, if there is one present?

The clown, or fool, in Shakespeare's plays usually has different functions depending on the play, but can always be relied upon to be the comedic foil or wisened satirical figure opposite the more major characters. In Twelfth Night, Feste is both a breath of fresh air amidst ridiculous problems and a wise critic towards the major characters and their foibles. In King Lear, the clown is at once a dedicated servant and a wicked critique of the king's betrayers. The clown was also written differently depending on Shakespeare's actor, as one actor was better at playing more physical humor while another was capable of more intellectual jabs.

What is the importance of authorial intent?

Traditionally, authorial intent is an inherent key to understanding a text and aiding in comprehension: it is what demands we see the text for what was intended rather than what connections we make. In postmodern literary criticism there is a question of the importance of the author's intent, but at the core, comprehension must start with understanding the text as it was written, not as we interpret it.