English: Way to the literary world

The BA (H) English course in the Delhi University is a wide ranging comprehensive course that covers literatures in English from all over the world, including some in translation.

The BA (H) English course in the Delhi University, is a wide ranging comprehensive course that covers literatures in English from all over the world, including some in translation. Students of the course have to study Literature from India, the Caribbean, Latin America and Africa as well. So it is not a narrow course focused only on Literature originating in England, though naturally, that is a core component.

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The course comprises a total of nine papers spread over three years. Seven compulsory papers (such as Victorian Literature, 20th Century Indian Writing, English Literature from Chaucer to Shakespeare, Contemporary Literature) acquaint the student with the history, development and existence of different genres of English literature, through the study of the prescribed texts and authors. The two optional papers (one each in II and III year) allow students to explore new or alternative areas of interest that are more specialised, through papers in European Realism, Classical Literature, Popular Fiction, Literary Theory or European Drama.

The curriculum ensures that a student emerges from this course with a fairly thorough knowledge of literatures in English, and the various trends in literary studies. The continuous evaluation is based on written work, assignments and projects, and therefore the student develops the ability of self-expression, analytical skills and critical abilities, which are useful beyond the field of academics.

The students planning to pursue the course should love to read. It helps in writing too, since this course involves a lot of writing, and expressing what you have read and analysed.