English Literature

Assessment

The course is assessed through: Two written exam papers—80% Non-Exam Assessment (Independent Critical Study) – 20% Paper 1: Love through the Ages (40% of A-Level) Three texts are studied: one poetry (AQA Poetry Anthology), one prose text (Wuthering Heights) and one Shakespeare play (Othello). Section A: Shakespeare: one passage-based question with linked essay Section B: Unseen poetry: essay question on two unseen poems Section C: Comparing texts: one essay question linking two texts Paper 2: Texts in Shared Context (Modern-day Literature: 1945 to the present day) (40% of A-Level) Three texts are studied; one prose (The Handmaid’s Tale), one poetry (Feminine Gospels) , and one drama (A Streetcar Named Desire). Section A: One essay question on set text Section B: Contextual linking: one compulsory question on an unseen extract and one essay question linking the other two texts studied Coursework: Non-exam assessment: Independent critical study (20% of A Level) This part of the course is a comparative essay of two texts of the student’s choice. One extended essay (2,500 words).