English Literature

Course summary

Genre study and the study of critical theory is at the heart of this syllabus. Looking at texts as generic work involves connecting individual texts with others, as the whole idea of genre is a connective one. In Year 12 we use the genre of tragedy to examine text and in Year 13 we look at Political and Social Writing and complete a non-examined assessment which is worth 20% of the overall mark. To be successful in this course students must be avid readers of English Literature and have an open and questioning mind. The range of literature on offer is diverse, challenging, and extremely exciting but a great deal of focused independent work is required. We would recommend spending at least five hours a week on independent work. The texts for examination are as follows: ● Othello by William Shakespeare ● Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller ● Selected Poems by John Keats ● Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake ● The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood ● The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini