English Literature

Course summary

English Literature is a highly academic and challenging A Level. It encourages students to read widely and independently; engage critically and creatively with a substantial body of texts; develop and effectively apply their knowledge of literary analysis and evaluation; explore the contexts of the texts they are reading and others’ interpretations of them; and undertake independent and sustained studies to deepen their appreciation and understanding of English literature. Component 1 (Drama) explores the genre of Tragedy in Tennessee Williams’ ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ and William Shakespeare’s Othello. Component 2 (Prose) compares ‘Wuthering Heights’ by Emily Bronte with ‘Mrs Dalloway’ by Virginia Woolf, focusing on the theme of ‘Women in Society’. Component 3 (Poetry) students study pre1900 poetry (Keats or Romantics) and compare an anthology of modern poetry to an unseen text. Finally, their coursework asks them to compare a studied novel with a text of their choice.