The passion of Perpetua and Felicity Book Report

Part I. Basic Instructions

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Step 1: Respond to the following prompt with a typed, well-organized, evidence based essay. Use quotations or citations (references to specific stories/descriptions/ideas in the text) when helpful. In order to cite the text please include an in-line page number. Check out the example below to get an idea how this is done if you are unclear.

Citation Example: Perpetua’s father asked her to recant and offer the proper sacrifices to the emperor because, as head of his house, he might be blamed for her actions regardless of his non-involvement. As Rea explains in the section on context, “the concept of being an independent adult… did not exist in the same way it does today” so legally Perpetua was not an independent woman, but a part of a male lead family unit (146).

In this example the citation is at the end of the sentence and the (146) refers to the page on which this story can be found. Since we are only responding to one book at a time, there is no need for a more substantial citation, just the page number when appropriate.

Step 2: Write your response in Part III below.

Please stick to font size 11 or 12 and use either the default Open Sans font or switch to Times/Times New Roman.

The response should be roughly 750 words long (about 3 pages double spaced, it is okay to be a bit under or over, but please do no more than 1000 words or 4 pages). Remember you are graded primarily on content, be thoughtful in the essay and the length will come. Use specific examples taken from the text, there should be no outside sources necessary.

Part II. The Prompt

1. What can the story of Perpetua and Felicity tell us about governance, entertainment, or gender in the Roman Empire?

You may want to consider some of the following as you respond to the prompt :
How did Perpetua threaten order in the Empire? How might her death be part of a strategy to maintain order in the Empire? How did her death fit in with the idea of public entertainment in Rome? Were deaths such as hers a normal occurrence or a special event? What sort of relationship did the Roman spectators have with those who entertained them?

Additionally you may want to comment in your conclusion as to whether the graphic novel was a useful form for the study of history– whether it helped reveal things we might not otherwise see, made material more digestible, or if it had certain limitations.

Part III. The Essay

Answer thoughtfully. Consider creating an outline before you begin so that you know what key points or arguments you want to make and what examples can help illustrate them.