English Literature

Course summary

"Drama: students study one modern dramatic tragedy (A Streetcar Named Desire), as well as a Shakespearean tragedy (Othello) alongside critical essays from an anthology related to their selected Shakespeare play. Poetry: students study a selection of contemporary poetry from a post-2000 anthology Poems of A Decade, and a range of pre-21st century poetry from a range of poets in the anthology Victorian Verse. Prose: students study two novels on the chosen theme of the ‘Supernatural’, covering The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and Beloved by Toni Morrison. English Literature is a widely recognised as an academic subject and complements other areas of study at A level. The analytical writing and research skills you acquire through this course are valued by employers; English Literature is a “facilitating” A level when applying to top universities and is useful for careers such as journalism, teaching, public relations, advertising and research. Studying Literature gives you the opportunity to read into different cultures and perspectives, appreciating how literature is reflective of key historical, social, psychological and cultural touchstones."