About this day
For A-level English Literature students
This inspirational study event will provide insights, comprehensive support and new perspectives for A-level English Literature students. There will be a particular focus on Shakespeare’s Othello and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, in this its special centenary year. The day will explore a close analysis of these works, including their broader context, with a fascinating look at how Shakespeare’s plays were brought to the stage. The programme will include clear links to support Assessment Objectives 1-5 for all exam boards and there will be an additional exam session, together with an unmissable presentation from the UK Poet Laureate!
This inspiring and interactive event promises to give students the vital information, expert insights and new-found confidence to propel them to maximum examination success this year.
“Well organised, excellent speakers, extremely helpful for students.”
— Ipswich High School, Autumn 2024 —
“I loved hearing the passion the speakers had for literature.”
— Student, Autumn 2024 —
Programme & speakers
Poetry reading with Simon Armitage Simon Armitage, Poet Laureate
Poet Laureate Simon Armitage will introduce and read selected works from his collections of poetry. He will discuss the meaning and inspiration behind the words and answer questions from the audience.
About Simon Armitage
Simon Armitage is the UK Poet Laureate, Professor of Poetry at Leeds University and formerly Professor of Poetry at Oxford University. His numerous accolades include an Ivor Novello Award for songwriting in the BAFTA-winning film Feltham Sings and the 2018 Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry. He also writes extensively for television and radio, and is the author of two novels and two non-fiction bestsellers. His theatre works include The Last Days of Troy, performed at Shakespeare’s Globe, London, in 2014. (Image credit: Paul Stuart Photography Ltd)
The Great Gatsby - love story or American tragedy? Sarah Churchwell, University of London
This session will look at look at some of the key ideas which informed American Literature between the wars and discuss issues concerning wealth and poverty in The Great Gatsby. It will also consider what is meant by The American Dream and to what extent there is a sense of justice as the novel concludes. A key question will focus on whether the novel can in any way be seen as a love story.
About Professor Sarah Churchwell
Sarah Churchwell is Professor of American Literature and Public Understanding of the Humanities at the School of Advanced Study, University of London. Her research relates to 20th century American literature, culture and history with a particular focus on the writings of F. Scott Fitzgerald and the ‘American Dream’. She frequently appears on TV and radio and has created and presented numerous documentaries.
From page to performance: staging Shakespeare’s Othello Nick Hutchison, Theatre director, actor and educator
Nick Hutchison looks at how the play would have been staged in Shakespeare’s time, considering the effects of rehearsal constraints, cue scripts, and a visible audience; he will consider the text as a blueprint for performance, and how all these factors affect productions today.
About Nick Hutchison
Nick Hutchison is a theatre director, actor and educator who has directed Shakespeare’s plays across the globe. He lectures for Shakespeare’s Globe, LAMDA, RADA and universities worldwide on Elizabethan and Jacobean Theatre, specialising in original Shakespearean staging practice and theatre performance derived from close textual analysis. As an actor he has worked in film, TV, theatre and radio, including for the Royal Shakespeare Company and in films including About A Boy, Miss Potter, 102 Dalmatians, Fierce Creatures and Restoration.
Themes and perspectives in Shakespeare’s Othello Emma Smith, University of Oxford
Emma Smith explores aspects of love, hate, and tragedy in Shakespeare’s Othello, using up-to-date critical perspectives alongside close reading of specific passages. There will be an opportunity for questions.
About Professor Emma Smith
Professor Emma Smith is Lecturer in English at the University of Oxford, Professor of Shakespeare Studies and Fellow of Hertford College. Her research focuses on Shakespeare and early modern drama. She has worked with theatre companies including at the Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre and Donmar Warehouse, contributed to numerous radio programmes and served as a consultant for TV and film.
‘Full of money’: wealth and social class in The Great Gatsby Luke McBratney, Author and former Principal Examiner
Drawing on key moments from the opening and midpoint, Luke McBratney argues that while many readers want the novel to be all about love, it is actually much more about money. His main textual readings explore the midpoint, the Myrtle subplot and the presentation of Daisy.
About Luke McBratney
Luke McBratney is an examiner, author and editor. A former Principal Examiner and specification writer for a major examining board, he is a member of the English Review editorial board and co-series editor of the Hodder Study and Revise guides to set texts for A-level English Literature. He is co-author of a textbook for A-level English Literature (OUP) and author of guides to love poetry, including Skirrid Hill and New Selected Poems.