The Cambridge International A-Level English Literature (9695)

The Cambridge International A-Level English Literature (9695) syllabus encourages students to develop an appreciation for the depth and complexity of literary works, fostering critical thinking and analytical skills. This course covers a range of genres, including prose, poetry, and drama, from various periods and cultures. It is ideal for students with a passion for literature and an interest in exploring the human condition through the written word.

Key Areas of Study:

1. Poetry:

  • Range of Periods and Cultures:
    • Study of poetry from different literary periods, including Renaissance, Romantic, Victorian, Modern, and Post-Modern poetry.
    • Focus on poets such as William Shakespeare, John Donne, Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath, Seamus Heaney, and more.
  • Poetic Forms and Techniques:
    • Analysis of form, meter, rhyme, imagery, symbolism, and tone.
    • Exploring themes such as love, nature, death, identity, and conflict in poetry.
  • Comparative Analysis:
    • Comparing and contrasting the use of literary devices and thematic concerns across different poems and poets.

2. Prose:

  • Novels and Short Stories:
    • Study of classic and modern prose fiction from various authors such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf, George Orwell, Toni Morrison, and Chinua Achebe.
    • Examination of narrative techniques, character development, themes, and the role of the narrator.
  • Thematic Exploration:
    • Themes include social and political issues, identity, love, family, morality, freedom, and the human condition.
    • Contextual studies, considering how historical, cultural, and social factors influence the texts.
  • Close Reading:
    • Detailed textual analysis focusing on language, structure, and style.
    • Exploration of symbolism, irony, and thematic subtext in prose works.

3. Drama:

  • Classical and Modern Plays:
    • Study of drama from playwrights such as William Shakespeare, Henrik Ibsen, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, and Caryl Churchill.
    • Examination of themes like power, morality, gender, tragedy, and the human psyche.
  • Dramatic Techniques:
    • Focus on staging, dialogue, character interaction, and the use of dramatic irony.
    • Exploration of the social, political, and cultural contexts of plays.
  • Performance and Interpretation:
    • Analysis of how plays are performed and how interpretations of texts can change depending on performance and directorial choices.

4. Comparative Literature:

  • Intertextuality:
    • Understanding how different literary works influence and reflect one another.
    • Exploring common themes across different genres, cultures, and historical periods.
  • Cultural and Historical Context:
    • Understanding the influence of historical, cultural, and social backgrounds on the literature studied.
    • Analysis of how themes like colonization, identity, class, gender, and politics are treated in literature from different regions.

5. Critical Theory and Literary Criticism:

  • Application of Critical Approaches:
    • Introducing students to key critical theories (feminism, Marxism, postcolonialism, psychoanalysis).
    • Applying these approaches to the analysis of literary texts.
  • Developing Interpretive Skills:
    • Encouraging original, well-supported interpretations of texts.
    • Writing clear, coherent literary essays with attention to argument structure and evidence.

Assessment:

1. Paper 1: Poetry and Prose (50%)

  • Section A: Poetry – Detailed questions on specific poems or poets from the syllabus.
  • Section B: Prose – Students answer on a particular novel or collection of short stories.

2. Paper 2: Drama (50%)

  • Section A: Shakespeare – Study of one Shakespeare play in depth.
  • Section B: Other Drama – Questions on another play from a different playwright or time period.

3. Paper 3: Shakespeare and Drama (25%) (A-Level only)

  • Focused on the close study of one Shakespeare play and one other play, allowing for detailed comparison.

4. Paper 4: Pre- and Post-1900 Prose and Poetry (25%) (A-Level only)

  • A comparative study of pre- and post-1900 literature, focusing on thematic and contextual analysis.

Skills Developed:

  • Critical Analysis: Ability to analyze language, themes, and literary techniques in a wide variety of texts.
  • Comparative Thinking: Understanding and comparing different genres, styles, and periods of literature.
  • Contextual Understanding: Developing insights into the historical and cultural influences on literature.
  • Communication Skills: Writing coherent, structured essays with a focus on argumentation, evidence, and clarity.
  • Creative Interpretation: Offering original interpretations of literary texts, supported by critical reading.

Career Pathways:

A-Level English Literature is an excellent foundation for careers in education, publishing, journalism, media, law, advertising, creative writing, and any field that values strong analytical and communication skills. It also prepares students for further study in English, humanities, and social sciences.

The A-Level syllabus encourages students to appreciate literature as both an artistic and intellectual pursuit. It challenges students to think critically about the relationship between texts and their contexts while cultivating a lifelong appreciation for the richness of literary works.

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