English Literature

Course summary

You will learn about the multifaceted nature of the human condition by reading some of the greatest works of literature ever written. Throughout history, the great obsessions of humankind have been explored in the form of literature, and issues of love, death and the meaning of life are ingrained in the very fabric of the novels, poems and plays featured in this course. Students study texts representing a range of periods, from the Elizabethan era, the Industrial Revolution and all the way to the 21st century, and learn the value of critical and analytical approaches. You will sit three written exams at the end of year 13, and this accounts for 80% of your overall grade. You will also write an independent non-exam assessment, worth the final 20%, in which you choose the texts to focus on and even create your own question.