AS and A Level: English Literature: Criticism & Comparison Coursework

Criticism and Comparison Defined

This part of the English Literature AS Level and A Level will encourage you to show an understanding of particular texts by analysing, criticising and comparing works of prose, poetry and drama. This would include commenting on shared themes and significant differences between the works.

Criticism and Comparison: Why Study This?

In producing your essays and coursework, you would spend time independently evaluating and interpreting prominent works of writing. Through this, you would develop your skills of judgement in relation to written English, while gaining an advanced knowledge of literary works.

What Will I Study?

You'll write essays and assignments such as 'a comparison of Huxley's Brave New World and Orwell's 1984', or 'A critical analysis of poetry 1800-1945'. There'll be further essays on, e.g. 'Critical analysis of structure, form and meaning in Shakespeare', and a critical analysis of your chosen text or poem post-1900.

Further Study After Criticism and Comparison

The thought processes and evaluative skills you use and develop in this part of English Literature A Level will be hugely important in any Degree-level study of subjects including English Literature, Classics and Linguistics.

Where Can I Find Out More?

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)

http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_4081.aspx

Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations (OCR)

http://www.ocr.org.uk/Data/publications/key_documents/GCE_English_Lit_Spec.pdf