English Literature

Course summary

As part of the A-level course, students will study a wide range of texts exploring the themes of ‘Love through the Ages and ‘Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the present day’. There is also an independent element of the course where students will write a critical study based on the theme of ‘Texts Across Time’. All students will study a selection of pre-1900 poetry, Othello by William Shakespeare, Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy, Feminine Gospels by Carol Ann Duffy, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. In addition, students will develop skills in unseen reading by approaching a variety of different extracts from different periods and genres. Students will also independently read a selection of Gothic texts such as Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe, The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter, or Dracula by Bram Stoker in preparation for the non-exam assessment.