What novels and poems are studied at AS level English Literature?

I'll be studying AS level English Literature AQA at college in September. I want a bit of a head start over the summer holidays and was wondering if anyone knew what novels and poems might be studied? Or do you have to read english classics and that hope they are studied? I know it determines what the teachers select and everything, but even a wide variety would help out too.

Hi!

I've just completed my English literature AS exams with AQA. If you're doing the same thing as me, Victorian literature (and your college should tell you on their website) then you'll either be studying Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy or North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (I did Tess, and it was so much better!) For your play, you'll be doing A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde (which is marvellous) and then for the second half of the year you'll be studying the poetry of one poet. A list of possible poets is given to your teacher by the exam board, but the ultimate decision of which one you study will lie with your teacher. I studied John Clare, but your teacher may choose to make you learn Alfred Lord Tennyson, or any other poet they fancy from the given list.

It would be a good idea to read either Tess or N/S over summer to give you a good grasp of the novels, and maybe do some research on A Woman of No Importance, see if you can watch a performance of it on YouTube - or, better still, read it!

For wider reading (of which they make you do considerable amounts from a long, long list) maybe try Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad; Dombey and Son or Oliver Twist or Hard Times - Charles Dickens; A Picture of Dorian Grey - Oscar Wilde; War of the Worlds - HG Wells and any other books you can find from the Victorian era. Poems to try include Dover Beach - Matthew Arnold and Angel in the House - Coventry Patmore (which is the worst poem you'll ever read!) This may seem extensive but it'll prove invaluable, and even if you aren't doing the same course as me (but I think you are) they're fabulous books nonetheless.

Good luck with your English course, I hope it all goes well for you!!!

Hi!

I've just completed my English literature AS exams with AQA. If you're doing the same thing as me, Victorian literature (and your college should tell you on their website) then you'll either be studying Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy or North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (I did Tess, and it was so much better!) For your play, you'll be doing A Woman of No Importance by Oscar Wilde (which is marvellous) and then for the second half of the year you'll be studying the poetry of one poet. A list of possible poets is given to your teacher by the exam board, but the ultimate decision of which one you study will lie with your teacher. I studied John Clare, but your teacher may choose to make you learn Alfred Lord Tennyson, or any other poet they fancy from the given list.

It would be a good idea to read either Tess or N/S over summer to give you a good grasp of the novels, and maybe do some research on A Woman of No Importance, see if you can watch a performance of it on YouTube - or, better still, read it!

For wider reading (of which they make you do considerable amounts from a long, long list) maybe try Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad; Dombey and Son or Oliver Twist or Hard Times - Charles Dickens; A Picture of Dorian Grey - Oscar Wilde; War of the Worlds - HG Wells and any other books you can find from the Victorian era. Poems to try include Dover Beach - Matthew Arnold and Angel in the House - Coventry Patmore (which is the worst poem you'll ever read!) This may seem extensive but it'll prove invaluable, and even if you aren't doing the same course as me (but I think you are) they're fabulous books nonetheless.

Good luck with your English course, I hope it all goes well for you!!!

This is not true... Just because you studied these texts, doesn't mean the poster will... Very likely he/she won't study them at all.

It all depends on the the teachers' and what they have studied and use to teaching

Wow! This is perfect, thank you so much for helping out (by far!) I must start reading now by the looks of it, i've already read a considerable amount of these, but i'll go over them! Thank you again, you seem like you have an excellent future ahead of you! all the best for you!

Actually no, at sixth form college, it depends very much on the exam board. At university it depends on the teachers more. Besides, I was just sharing my experiences.

Erm yes it does. An exam board will not just have one book to pick. They have a selection so the teacher who picks the books can pick what they want because they are familiar with them. I wasn't going on about university, just about sixth form.

You might well be sharing your experiences, but you should have said "you might" not "you will study".

OK, well, I apologise that my terminology has affected you so much. As I recall, however, in my post I did say that there was a lot of choice involved, both in the books and in the poet that is chosen BY THE TEACHER. I also recommended checking the college website for further confirmation. Besides, a slightly misguided answer is better than no answer at all, and I was simply trying to help so I'd appreciate you not making me feel like I wasted my time writing such a long response.

I feel sorry for the poor person who posted this now, so if you have any more issues with what I said or how I said it, please just message me directly.

I didn't mean to come across as hostile or belittling, but an incorrect answer is good as no answer to be honest!

But at least you did answer, I suppose...