Exploring the Depths of Drama and Poetry

A Level English Literature students attended a Study Day at The Commandery in Worcester, designed to support them with the knowledge and skills required for ‘Paper 01: Drama & Poetry Pre-1900’. Teacher of English, Mrs Laura Bond shared the following report:

“Students set up for the day in The Commandery’s ‘Littlebury Room’ with its beautiful, exposed beams and spent the day in workshops and lectures exploring their set texts. The day started with a session on space and boundaries in Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’, they were then introduced to one of our guest lecturers, Alex Round. Alex delivered two excellent sessions on the poetry of Christina Rossetti, looking specifically at the relevant biographical and social contexts needed for the examination.

 Alex lectures at both Birmingham City University and Warwick University and is in the final stages of her PhD thesis: ‘Sisters in Art: Reassessing the Pre-Raphaelite Sisterhood’. Students then had time to explore The Commandery: set in the heart of historic Worcester and most famous for being the Royalist Headquarters during the deciding battle of the English Civil War – the Battle of Worcester 1651.

 The afternoon session welcomed our second guest lecturer Dr Thomas MacFaul from Oxford University. Tom has taught at various colleges at Oxford for twenty years and is currently a Fellow by special election at Teddy Hall. Tom’s research interests look at the Renaissance and early modern period and he delivered an interesting lecture on Hamlet’s first soliloquy, looking at Hamlet’s preoccupation with the body and flesh, as well as the disdain he feels towards his mother’s hasty marriage. Students enjoyed discussing their texts with the lecturers, asking insightful questions whilst being able to experience seminar and lecture-style sessions common at university.”

Mrs Laura Bond, 2nd I/C English Department and Assistant Head of Sixth Form