This is a course that will allow you to experience some of the greatest writing in the English language. It will help you to develop your interest in and enjoyment of literature; enable you to make informed judgements about texts; and gain an understanding of the social, cultural and historical factors that influence writers. During the course, you will study a variety of set texts and wider reading that spans the last 500 years, ranging from William Shakespeare to F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Webster to Steven Berkoff. You will be encouraged to read a broad range of fiction and non-fiction texts in support of your studies. Your classroom will be an arena of discussion and debate in which your opinions and interpretations will be valued by your teachers and peers.