English Literature

Course summary

Throughout history, the great obsessions of humankind have been explored in the form of literature. Issues of love, death and the meaning of life are ingrained in the very fabric of the novels, poems and plays featured on the English Literature course. This course takes a historicist approach — working from the belief that no text exists in isolation but is the product of the time in which it was produced. You will explore works by a variety of writers including: Shakespeare, Mary Shelley, Kate Chopin, F Scott Fitzgerald, Tennessee Williams, Sylvia Plath, Kathryn Stockett and a range of poets. An essential requirement is your willingness to read widely beyond the texts studied and to debate ideas. You also need an enthusiasm for language and an interest in the contexts in which works of literature are produced. THE FUTURE: This course can lead to further study of this subject, careers in writing, publishing, the media, teaching and many others. It also opens doors to a wide range of university degrees. YEAR 12: • Love through the Ages: Shakespeare • Love through the Ages: Prose and Poetry • Unseen Poetry YEAR 13: • Modern Times: Literature from 1945 to the Present Day • Non-Exam Assessment: Independent Critical Study