The English Literature course covers a range of forms of literature from a range of different time periods. Across the two years, there are two pieces of coursework to complete: a self evaluated re creative piece and a comparative essay that explores the presentation of a specific theme across two different texts. There are two exams at the end of the course. The first is on drama and poetry written before 1900 and includes a question o n a Shakespeare play. The second exam is a comparative and contextual study in which the students demonstrate their understanding of a specific genre. Students are also expected to read widely around the topic areas in order to fully understand the key tex ts. The course allows students to develop an understanding of relationships between texts and also enables them to become aware of the significance of cultural and contextual influence on readers and writers.