English Literature

What is English Literature?

English Literature is the study of novels, plays and poetry, exploring how writers use language, form and structure to present ideas about the world around them. You will examine texts in their historical and cultural contexts, consider different critical interpretations and develop your own informed responses to literature.

What will I study?

You will study a diverse range of texts across drama, prose and poetry, developing your understanding of literary methods, contexts and critical interpretations.

Our current texts are:

• Othello – William Shakespeare
• A Streetcar Named Desire – Tennessee Williams
• Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë
• A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khaled Hosseini
• The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
• A selection of contemporary poems from the Poems of the Decade anthology
• A range of poetry from the Romantic movement

Throughout the course, you will learn how to analyse writers’ methods, explore connections between texts, consider different critical viewpoints and evaluate the ways literature reflects and challenges the societies in which it was written.

Assessments

You will complete three examinations and one coursework component:

30% Paper 1: Drama
20% Paper 2: Prose
30% Paper 3: Poetry
20% Non-Examination Assessment (Coursework)

All examined components are open-book examinations, allowing you to take clean copies of your set texts into the exam.

Coursework

The coursework component is worth 20% of the final A Level. Students select two literary texts and produce an extended comparative essay of approximately 2,500–3,000 words. This independent study allows students to pursue their own literary interests while developing advanced research, analytical and academic writing skills.

Trips, visits and enrichments

• Theatre visits linked to set texts
• University lectures and masterclasses
• Opportunities to attend literary festivals and academic conferences
• Guest speakers and workshops
• Extension sessions for students applying to competitive universities
• Opportunities to complete an EPQ linked to literary study

What can it lead to?

English Literature is highly respected by universities because it develops analytical thinking, critical reading, research, communication and essay-writing skills. Students learn to evaluate evidence, construct sophisticated arguments and engage confidently with complex ideas.

Former English Literature students have gone on to study:

• English Literature
• English Language
• Creative Writing
• Law
• History
• Journalism
• Media and Communications
• Teaching and Education
• Politics
• Philosophy

The course also provides excellent preparation for careers in publishing, journalism, law, marketing, public relations, advertising, the civil service, teaching and many other professions where strong communication and analytical skills are valued.