St. Edward's A Level Course Guide

English Literature Cambridge International Examinations

E N G L I S H L I T E R AT U R E

It is first and foremost the aim of the English Department to help pupils develop an appreciation for a wide range of literature, and to stimulate a passionate interest in discussing and exploring the various moral, philosophical and intellectual challenges which are made by literary texts of all kinds, all in a context of emphasising the enjoyment of this kind of study. Thus, a Sixth Form English classroom might resound with witty discussion, reasoned debate or even impassioned argument on subjects as wide-ranging as religion, politics, philosophy, history and others. English Literature is a course that touches on a huge variety of other subjects, and therefore complements almost any other A Level combination. You will need to be interested in reading some of the most remarkable and fascinating literature in the world, and investigating the ideas and society of the people who wrote it; you will need to be brave enough to contribute your own conclusions – even in the face of others’ ideas which conflict with your own – and explain how you arrived at them; you will need to have a natural sympathy with other people, the language they use and the importance of understanding them. In return, you will be given every opportunity to show that you can be original and scholarly in your work – both as a reader and as a writer; you will be taught by a terrific team of teachers who share both a passion for their subject and an outstanding record of attaining the very best results for their classes. Above all, you will discover an experience that is enriching, rewarding and fun.

COMPONENT

ASSESSMENT*

CONTENT

Drama and Poetry

2 hr examination (25%)

• All My Sons (Miller) • Poems by Gillian Clarke

Prose and Unseen

2 hr examination (25%)

• Howard’s End (Forster) • Unseen poetry/prose/drama text

Shakespeare and Drama

2 hr examination (25%)

• The Winter’s Tale (Shakespeare) • The Glass Menagerie (Williams)

Pre- and Post-1900 • Paradise Lost IX-X (Milton) • Mrs Dalloway (Woolf ) * Each assessment is made by a 2 hour examination, containing a choice of passage and whole-text questions. 2 hr examination (25%)

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