New GCEs for 2008

GCE English Literature A (2740)

A2 outline

At A2, the specification synthesizes the skills and learning of the whole course. Candidates will prepare for a paper which will contain unprepared passages for close study, comparison and critical commentary on a theme (for the next five years this will be 'Love through the Ages'). In Unit 4, candidates will be encouraged to reflect on ways of reading and writing about texts.

The A2 specification has 2 units:

Unit 3: Reading for Meaning

Topic list

Students should read at least the equivalent of three texts on the theme of 'Love through the Ages', including:

reading in the literature of love including the three genres of prose, poetry and drama
literature written by both men and women
literature through time (from Chaucer to the present day).
some non-fiction texts.

Assessment

Written Exam:	2 hours and 30 mins Closed book
Weighting:	60% of total A2 / 30% of total A Level marks

The paper will comprise four unseen extracts for close study, comparison and critical commentary.

Two compulsory questions:

one comparing two extracts of the same genre, with close reading of the texts and reference to the wider reading of love poetry
one comparing two extracts (of the remaining two genres), using wider reading of love through literature to inform interpretations.

Unit 4: Extended Essay and Shakespeare Study

Topic list

the study of three texts with a shared theme, none of which will have been studied at AS and one of which will be a Shakespeare play
an extended essay which will compare two texts of the candidate's choice
an essay focusing on an extract of a Shakespeare play requiring a detailed commentary on the extract, assessing its significance in the whole play.