How do I develop a point?

1.   Point

Building a point is like building an argument in court. We must gather our evidence, use examples, and unpack those examples for the jury. The first requirement, then, is to state our argument:

e.g. In this essay, I will argue that Shakespeare uses contrast and juxtaposition to reflect the wider theme of rivalry and tension in Romeo and Juliet.  

2. Example

We cannot make a convincing argument and win our court case without using examples. We must find the evidence within our text to back up the point that we are making. It is crucial that we have at least two examples per paragraph.

e.g. Even at the most romantic moments in the play, Shakespeare uses language that is both gentle and harsh, to reflect the tension and contrast between the lovers, and indeed the houses of Montague and Capulet. For example, when Romeo uses an extended metaphor of the rising sun to describe Juliet, he says: ‘But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?’. 

(This is only one example, we must find another!)

3. Analysis

We cannot simply state the example and move on. We must zoom in and show the court why this example is important, and how it supports our argument that tension and contrast is fundamental to the play.

e.g. The contrast between ‘soft’ and ‘breaks’ highlights the doomed nature of their relationship, and the fatal heartbreak that follows. Even in their most intimate moment, Shakespeare subtly uses the language of corruption - ‘breaks’ - to show how their relationship too will eventually ‘break’.



4. Zoom out

Once we have given our examples to build our case, we must step back and allow the court to see the broader picture. We therefore must place our point (our argument) and our examples into their wider context, saying something about the play as a whole.

e.g. I have shown how even at the most intimate moments in the play, Shakespeare finds ways to link seemingly innocent situations to the wider corruption and rivalry that lies at the heart of Romeo and Juliet. Just as Romeo and Juliet will eventually ‘break’, so too will their families.