A List Of Argumentative Essay Topics On British Literature


British Literature is a classic course found in nearly all high schools and colleges. When you take a course like this, you will be assigned argumentative essays about the literature you must read. In many cases, your instructor will give you a list of topics, but if you have the freedom to choose a topic, you have the opportunity to be truly creative and unique. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  1. What is the role of monsters in Beowulf?
  2. Was vengeance necessary in Beowulf?
  3. Is Beowulf a true hero, especially when looking at the qualities of an epic hero?
  4. After reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, look at Gawain’s games. Is he playing a game with the readers? Explain.
  5. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, is the hostess a strong or weak woman? Explain.
  6. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, what type of love is most often portrayed by the characters? Explain.
  7. After reading Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, choose one character and decide why you think that character’s story would win the contest. Defend your choice.
  8. After reading, Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, choose one character and decide why you think that character will certainly lose the contest. Defend your opinion.
  9. In The Canterbury Tales, is the Wife of Bath a strong female character? Why or why not?
  10. Look at love poems like “To His Coy Mistress” or “To the Virgins to Make Much of Time.” Do the classic British love poems by poets like Marvell, Herrick, Jonson, and Donne reflect a realistic view of love? Explain.
  11. What do British love poems show us about the way men viewed women? Explain your answer.
  12. After reading Paradise Lost by John Milton, do you sympathize with Satan? Explain.
  13. Many people believe that John Milton did not like women and that Paradise Lost shows his misogynistic side. Find evidence to argue for or against this claim.
  14. If you have to write about all of the literature, rather than just one poem or story, here are a few general ideas:

  15. What elements of British Literature show class distinctions?
  16. Look at class distinctions in British Literature. Who was oppressed, according to the poetry and stories that you read?
  17. According to the literature, what role does British Royalty have in the life of everyday citizens?
  18. What did Shakespeare borrow or steal from the poets who came before him?