English Literature

Course summary

This is a varied and demanding course that prepares students for undergraduate study in either Literature, the Arts, law, journalism, or the media. The overriding principles of the specification are the primacy of the written word and the importance of the Western literary canon, and there is a correspondingly serious emphasis placed upon reading, literary analysis, the awareness of different critical schools, and the centrality of private research: we expect all our Literature students to read widely, to plan and submit polished and professional written work, and to participate in class debate. As part of this course, the texts listed below are studied. Additional materials such as specification highlights, support packs, critical reading, and the Sixth Form English Guide are provided at the start of the academic year. Year 12 set texts: • Poems of the Decade: An Anthology of the Forward Books of Poetry 2002-11 (a selection of 20 poems are studied for the examination) • Frankenstein • The Handmaid’s Tale • Dr Faustus Year 13 set texts: Revision of the above, with the addition of: • Hamlet • Donne: Selected Poems • Two coursework texts: based on a taught module entitled ‘War of the Words’, but leading to the selection of two texts by the individual student (with support from the English Dept. and the Edexcel Coursework Advisory Service)