English Literature

Course summary

A Level English Literature (Edexcel) A Level English Literature explores how writers use language to shape meaning, express ideas, and challenge readers’ views of the world. You’ll study a wide range of classic and modern texts across prose, drama, and poetry, developing your skills in critical reading, analysis, and independent thought. Course components: Prose: The Supernatural — exploring the gothic through Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. Drama: Study Shakespeare’s Othello and Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, analysing themes of love, power, jealousy, and identity. Poetry: Focus on Modernist poetry and a Post-2000 Poetry Anthology, comparing how poets use voice, form, and structure to reflect the world around them. Coursework: An independent comparative essay on two literary texts of your choice, supported by your own research and analysis. This course builds your ability to read deeply, write effectively, and express complex ideas with clarity — skills that are highly valued in university and future careers in areas such as law, journalism, education, publishing, and media.