English Literature

Course summary

You will complete a course of study focused on in-depth readings and interpretations of modern and classic texts, take part in active discussion and complete written responses to poetry, prose and drama. You will be given the opportunity to see and hear live performances streamed from theaters to cinema screens, attend a seminar on a core text, most likely ‘Hamlet’, and to visit sites of literary and cultural interest. A Level: 1. The Shakespeare play section requires learners to demonstrate their detailed knowledge and understanding of ‘Hamlet’ and engage critically and creatively with ways of responding to it. They should be able to develop and effectively apply their knowledge of literary analysis and evaluation and communicate fluently. 2. Students are expected to demonstrate their knowledge of a poetry collection (likely to be by Rossetti), exploring the writer’s use of language and poetic effects, and be able to explore connections across the poems and to the themes in Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’. Students will be able to reference to one poem, or extract from a poem printed in the examination paper, and will comment on the rest from memory. 3. The Drama post-1900 component requires learners to study one modern play, Tennessee Williams’ ‘A Streetcar named Desire’, which they will be examined on and then write a 1000 word essay on as coursework in term 1. 4. Students read the modern prose text, Mohsin Hamid’s ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’ and link it to ‘Small Island’ discussing the theme of immigration. Learners are required to study the whole text in detail, as texts will not be allowed in the exam. Learners are expected to be able to demonstrate their appreciation of the significance of cultural and contextual influences on writers and readers. They read widely and independently, focusing on texts about the immigrant experience. This prose section requires learners to read texts in a variety of ways and be able to respond critically and creatively both to their set text and to an unseen prose passage which will be thematically linked to their set text. Career & Further Study: An A Level English Literature qualification gives you vital transferable skills in planning, presenting, discussing and articulating (in speech and writing). English graduates are well qualified to become writers and journalists; to work in media, advertising and promotions; to teach or lecture in education and to convert to law.