Monster or Hero? 
Larissa Juliet Taylor's Monster or Hero: The Case of Richard III was a one-semester writing course at Wellesley College. Taylor's course was constructed around four sections: the man and the mystery; drama; psychology; and history. Students were assigned five writing assignments: a two- to three-page paper for each section, and a ten- to twelve-page term paper. Taylor divided the class into editing groups. Students would read and distribute the smaller papers to members of their editing group; the members would then critique each others' papers, which were then revised and submitted to Taylor for final review. The Man and the Mystery (four weeks). The writing assignment was a two-page essay on the student's reaction to and analysis of Richard III's portrait. Readings for this section presented the revisionist perspective first: Josephine Tey, The Daughter of Time, Paul Murray Kendall, Richard the Third, and Horace Walpole, Historic Doubts on the Life and Reign of King Richard III. Students participated in a whodunit? debate. Drama (two weeks). The writing assignment was a critique of Sir Thomas More's History of King Richard III. Shakespeare's Richard III was also read, and students attended a screening of the Olivier film version. Students participated in dramatic presentations and a discussion of Shakespeare's use of history. Psychology (two weeks). The writing assignment was a short essay examining the personality and motivations of a character other than Richard. The class discussed Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville in two class periods. History (six weeks). This section included two writing assignments: brief analysis of a primary source, and the final term paper. Readings included Charles Ross, The Wars of the Roses, and portions of Hall, Holinshed, Vergil, and Mancini.
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