English Literature

Course summary

Skills you need to do well in this subject: • enjoyment of literature and a willingness to read challenging and stimulating texts; • the skill of inferring meaning; • an ability to write clear and fluent essays and to structure coherent arguments; • a keenness to discuss ideas in a small group; • an open-minded approach to different interpretations; • a willingness to accept that there is no ‘right answer’. Literature is the greatest exploration of the human experience: it reflects how those before us have seen, shaped and understood the world. Through reading, you can live lives you never dreamed possible, and see worlds that have been closed to you. Through studying English Literature, you will gain knowledge of the ‘big questions’ and ideas of the past, understand the craft of novels, drama and poetry, and develop an appreciation of the techniques writers use to present silenced voices, engage readers emotionally, explore the human condition or expose social taboos. Most importantly, you will gain deeper insights into how metaphoric language can make and unmake meanings in innovative ways. • You will read widely, encountering a range of texts from 1300 to the present day. • You will discuss and understand the human condition through a consideration of the themes touched on in literature and develop an appreciation of the beauty of the literary heritage of the Anglophone world. • You will develop analytical skills, both in writing and speaking. • You will be able to compare texts from different periods and authors and appreciate how writers use literature to respond to their own life and times. • You will become a skilful and stylish writer and speaker, able to structure a coherent and well-supported argument.