English Literature

Assessment

Component One: Shakespeare, Drama and Poetry pre-1800: 2 hours 30 minutes exam (40% of A level) Section A: Shakespeare Candidates are required to produce responses to two tasks: the first requires close analysis of a given extract of the play; the second asks learners to consider a proposition about the play as a whole. Section B: Drama and Poetry pre-1800 Candidates answer one question from a choice of six thematic tasks and write an essay that discusses both texts in response. Component Two: Comparative and Contextual Study: 2 hours 30 minutes examination (40% of A level) Task A: Candidates are required to write a close critical analysis of an unseen prose extract in the genre they have studied Task B: Candidates answer one question from a choice of three which requires discussion of at least two texts in the genre they have studied Component Three: Coursework (20% of A level) Candidates are required to submit two tasks: a close critical reading of an extract from one text (1000 words); an essay comparing two other texts (2000 words). All three texts must be thematically linked. Candidates must study one poetry, one prose and one drama text. At least one of these texts must have been first published or performed in 2000 or later. Texts in translation are not allowed.