You are a journalist covering the recent debate regarding the relevance of humanities in the current age.  As part of your job, you have been asked to write an article (10 pages) from a particular literary theory (you may choose) in order to show the (continued) cultural significance of literature.  You should  use at least two different genres (one of which must be either Austen’s Persuasion or Shakespeare’s Othello)–do not pick more than three texts, however, or else you will not be able to ‘close read’ any of them sufficiently–and you must articulate a complex argument with attention to textual complexity.  You may wish to trace a particular topic–the status of women for instance–across time and genres; or you  may wish to discuss a  particular, reoccurring image/symbol.   It is up to  you how to frame this essay; however, literary analysis must be central.  If you wish to use both feminism and cultural materialism, for instance, that is fine–but do be sure that you engage clearly with at least one method of literary interpretation.  As always, use MLA citation guidelines.