British Literature surveys selected authors and work beginning in the Anglo-Saxon period and continuing through contemporary times, emphasizing the historical context of literary works as well as their influence on culture. Students read a minimum of four complete major works, such as Shakespeare's Macbeth and Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. Students will also read excerpts from Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales,  as well as from other classics from the British literary canon. Over the course of the year, students develop their vocabulary and sharpen their writing skills through a series of literary analyses and timed essays. 

Though summer reading is not required for this course, students will find that establishing a reading habit over the summer helps them get a head start on the reading experience they will have during the year. While we encourage them to read books of their own choosing, we also recommend the following titles as indicative of the type of literary rigor they may encounter in the British literature classroom: Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea, and Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. Parents may wish to have students read at least one of these titles, as doing so will help them enter the course better prepared for its pace and expectations.

Additional Expectations: The workload and expectations are designed to prepare students for college-level analysis and writing, emphasizing critical thinking and effective communication skills.

Note: Juniors and seniors may choose between American Literature, African American Literature, British Literature, Philosophy in Literature (Honors course), and Screenwriting. The courses are comparable in workload and requirements. If juniors wish to join the AP track, they select AP Language & Composition, followed by AP Literature & Composition their senior year if they remain in Advanced Placement classes. Philosophy in Literature (H) provides an honors-level course for students who are not pursing AP; the workload and rigor are commensurate to an AP course.