English

OCR A-Level English Literature (H472) is assessed through two written papers and a coursework component. The first paper covers drama and poetry pre-1900, pairing a Shakespeare play with a second pre-1900 drama or poetry text. The second covers comparative and contextual study, organised around genres such as American literature 1880-1940, the Gothic, dystopia, women in literature, and the immigrant experience.

OCR's Shakespeare section requires close analysis of a passage alongside a wider essay, so students need both microscopic attention to language and a confident overview of the whole play. The comparative and contextual paper includes an unseen extract from within the chosen topic area, which rewards wide reading in the genre rather than intensive study of set texts alone.