English Literature

Course summary

English Literature at Leventhorpe is a course suited to anyone who enjoys reading, questioning and analysing the world in which they live. The units are filled with a diverse range of texts, and the lessons are structured around developing skills which will aid students in any path that they choose. Our students leave with not only a superb understanding of some of the most important texts in English Literature, but also the ability to write clear and concise essays; analyse and evaluate a range of different material and to debate and articulate their answers at a very high level. Component 1: Drama and Poetry Pre-1900 • Students will study Shakespeare's tragic play, ‘Hamlet’, Ibsen's play ‘A Doll's House’, and poetry by Christina Rossetti. Component 2: Comparative and Contextual Study • This component provides students with the exciting opportunity to study the Gothic genre at length. From the literature this diverse movement produced, to the architecture, and even the presence of The Gothic within popular culture, no stone is left unturned. Students will study Mary Shelley's ‘Frankenstein’ and the collection of Angela Carter's short stories ‘The Bloody Chamber’. They will then be invited to read their own choice of Gothic novels and will also read and analyse some of the most prominent Gothic literature. Coursework • This component provides students with the opportunity to study three texts across the three main forms: prose, play and poetry. Students will read Philip Larkin's collection of poems, Arthur Miller’s 'All My Sons' and Khaled Hosseini's ‘The Kite Runner’. In consultation with their teacher, students will write their own questions, plan, draft and produce two essays.