KS5 English Literature

The course takes a historicist approach to literature, firmly placing texts within their social, historical, political and critical contexts, including how their interpretations may change over time. It consists of two equally weighted exams and a coursework element which accounts for 20% of the overall grade.

unit a - Love through the Ages (40% of overall grade)

This unit consists of three texts (Shakespeare play, novel and poetry anthology) plus an unseen poetry comparison. One section focuses solely on the study of a Shakespeare play (current teaching choices are either “The Winter’s Tale” or “Othello”) and the second section compares poetry and prose and includes a poetry unseen question. One text must be pre-1900, which is covered by the teaching of pre-1900 poetry. Current prose choices include Jane Eyre, Rebecca, The Great Gatsby and The Go Between.

This is a 3 hour exam; the Shakespeare section is closed text (section A), there is an unseen poetry element (section B), and the comparative poetry and prose is open text (section C). Each question is worth 25 marks

unit b – Texts in Shared Contexts – Modern Times: Literature from 1945 (40% of overall grade)

Again, the unit consists of 3 set texts (a novel, a collection of poetry and a play), one of which must be written post 2000, as well as an unseen prose extract. This exam is 2 hours 30 minutes and is open text.

Current choices are as follows:-

· Poetry

Carol Ann Duffy – “Feminine Gospels” (post 2000)

Owen Sheers “Skirrid Hill” (post 2000)

· Drama

Tennessee Williams – “A Streetcar Named Desire”

Caryl Churchill - “Top Girls”

Brian Friel – “Translations”

· Prose

Margaret Atwood - “The Handmaid’s Tale”

Ken Kesey - “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest”

unit c – Independent Critical Study: Texts across Time (20% of overall grade)

This consists of a 2,500 word comparative essay exploring two texts by different authors, one of which must be written before 1900 and which cannot be on any other part of the exam specification. Currently, the pre-1900 text is teacher-led, with the second text choice being read independently from a selection advised by the teacher supervising coursework. Students have the opportunity to submit drafts and receive feedback before submitting their finished coursework in year 13.

Recent coursework titles have included:-

· An exploration of how morality is conveyed through the act of parenting in ‘Silas Marner’ by George Eliot and ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee

· An exploration of the power of redemption in George Eliot’s “Silas Marner” and Khaled Hosseini “The Kite Runner”

· An exploration of the deceptive difference between appearance and reality in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” and Vladimir Nabokov’s “Lolita”

· In ‘Great Expectations’ and ‘Isabella; or The Pot of Basil’ love cannot be without suffering. Compare and contrast the presentation of love in ‘Great Expectations’ and ‘Isabella’ in light of this view.

· An exploration of the presentation of class and snobbery in ‘Great Expectations’ and ‘Pride and Prejudice’

· An exploration of the presentation of the monstrous in ‘Dracula’ and ‘Carmilla’

· An Exploration of the importance of Human Relationships in George Eliot’s ‘Silas Marner’ and D.H Lawrence’s ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’