English Literature
Your Guide to AS and A-level English Literature at Astor College
This website has been designed to help all students that are studying Literature at an advanced level at Astor College.
I created this website to offer instant access to relevant materials so that all Sixth Form pupils can work independently.
— Mr Silk from Astor College
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I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. Let your users get to know you.
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— Rose from New York, NY
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. Let your users get to know you.
— Rose from New York, NY
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— Rose from New York, NY
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AS Level Exam Texts
Frankenstein
Robert Browning Poetry
In Year 12 you will study both Frankenstein and a selection of poetry by the Victorian poet Robert Browning. These are exam texts.
Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley and first published in 1818. It is considered to be one of the first Gothic novels.
Robert Browning is famous for writing a number of poems. He is particuarly well known for his Dramatic Monologues.
In The News
In year 13 you will study three texts from the past.
A Midsummer Night's Dream was written by William Shakespeare in the mid 1590's. It is a comedy that involves love, fairies and actors.
Tis Pity She's a Whore was written by John Ford and was first performed between 1629 and 1633. It centres around an incestuous love affair.
The Wife of Bath was written in the Middle Ages by Geoffrey Chaucer. It focuses on the desires of women.
Coursework in Year 13 focuses around feminist texts.
Wide Sargasso Sea was written by Jean Rhys and serves as an unofficial prequel to Charlotte Brontes' Jane Eyre.
A Doll's House was written by Henrik Ibsen and premiered in 1879. It focuses on the marriage of a couple that both hide secrets.
Sylvia Plath was an American poet who suffered severely with depression. Her work often comments upon these issues.
Two pieces of coursework will be completed in year 12. This includes a comparative essay based on The Kite Runner and The Bookseller of Kabul and a recreation and commentary based on Saturday.
The Kite Runner was written by Khaled Hosseini and The Bookseller of Kabul was written by Asne Seierstad. Both novels explore life in Afghanistan.
Saturday was written by Ian McEwan and explores the life of Henry Perowne, a doctor.
A Level Exam Texts
A Midsummes Night's Dream
Tis Pity She's a Whore
The Wife of Bath
AS Level Coursework Texts
Saturday
The Kite Runner
The Bookseller of Kabul
A Level Coursework Texts
Wide Sargasso Sea
A Doll's House
Silvia Plath Poetry
Frankenstein
Frankenstein (with Jonny Lee Miller as the Creature) - NT 50th Anniversary encore
On 21st November 2013 a number of cinemas across the country will be screening the hugely popular play version. Click on the link above for more information.
September 2013
A Doll's House
Book online
Henrik Ibsen's A Dolls House is currently running at The Royal Exchange in London. To book tickets click on the link above.
September 2013
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Book Tickets
There are currently a number of tickets available to watch the play at the Noel Coward Theatre in London. Click on the link above to buy your tickets.
September 2013
How to use this website
At Astor College we follow the OCR Examination Board for our AS and A-Level English Literature. This popular qualification is enjoyed by a large section of our sixth form.
In Year 12 our pupils study AS English Literature H071.
In Year 13 our pupils study A-Level English Literature H471.
Both of these courses offer an ideal route into studying English Literature at degree level. It is also enjoyed by those who simply have a passion for literature. We study a combination of prose, poetry and plays; a range of contemporary and classic literature is studied in close detail.