English Literature

Do you ever get lost in the world of a book and wonder ‘How was this world shaped?’, ‘What influenced the author to craft the setting in such a way?’, ‘Where did the idea for this character come from?’? If so, English Literature is a course you will find attractive.

About the course:

Do you enjoy reading and discussing great works of literature? Do you want to expand your ability to debate and argue a point? During your study of English Literature, you will explore eight texts ranging from poetry, drama and prose, across a range of periods. These texts encourage readers to consider the portrayal of some of the most universal human emotions and experiences. In exploring these texts, we think about writers’ methods, but significantly authorial craft and how they have been shaped to create meaning. Your own independent reading will be crucial throughout the course but particularly in the coursework unit when you will have the opportunity to choose your own texts to research and write about. As such, you need to be self-motivated, conscientious and, above all, a committed reader with interesting interpretations and the confidence to express them.

You will study the following texts:

Brighton Rock - Graham Greene

Atonement - Ian McEwan

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Death of a Salesman - Arthur Miller

Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

King Lear - William Shakespeare

You will also study two additional texts of your own choice.

You could take this course with other advanced level courses to prepare for higher education in English studies or more general higher education courses.

With further training, you could go into a job related to English Literature such as: writer, journalist, law, politics, careers of conscience such as working for a charity, public relations, teacher, academic, content provider, media, work in theatre and entertainment.

You will need a GCSE grade 6 in English.