English Literature

The key texts studied for paper one are Othello by William Shakespeare, Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and The Poetry of John Keats. This paper is explored through the lens of Tragedy. By this, we explore the key elements of tragedy including key themes, characters, and ideas. We also explore classical and modern tragedy and how it has developed in its interpretation over time. We explore how the tragedy is built using staging, setting and thematic links alongside how it reaches a conclusion and to what extent it conforms to the genre. There is a strong focus on the writer’s methods to convey meaning throughout.

This is mirrored in the protest texts of paper two, these being A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini and the poetry of William Blake. Through these texts, there is an exploration of key themes and types of power and protest such as social and contextual variations, gender roles and how the struggle presented through characters is a micro chasm of larger political land social upheaval.

Yes. If you want to study English, you can study Language alongside Literature. However, you cannot take either single subject alongside the combined Lang/Lit course.

Absolutely. Either is a viable option. Sheffield do a great course where many language and literature students have studied. It is also as valid for anyone wishing to study English at undergraduate level.

Usually, Literature students study Law, Psychology, Sociology, History or Modern Foreign Languages. However, due to the academic nature and ability to synthesise information, English Literature matches well with most subjects.

Absolutely (within reason). We are not allowed to choose any texts on the specification. However, this is tiny in comparison to the literary Canon. We recommend students apply a Literary Critique for poetry and prose in which they are interested. We have had texts from Fahrenheit 451 to Heart of Darkness and Poets such as Charles Bukowski and Tennyson. Your teacher will advise you, but this is where the real independent study come into play.

For primary teaching, English Language is the best as it covers child language acquisition, alongside creative writing and a variety of written styles. As we do not study full novels, it also fits the variety of texts studied in the primary curriculum. For secondary English, either of the three courses will suffice.