Discover a world of literary wonder in our English Literature study course, offered by Oxford Summer Courses. From inspiring poetry and fiction that dates back to medieval times to contemporary works, you'll learn the mechanisms and themes that enrich our literature at our English Literature summer school.

Taking general or intensive French courses in the form of summer courses offers many advantages for students who wish to learn French, whether they are beginners or already initiated. Lasting one month, this summer program is designed to meet the specific needs of students and help them achieve their linguistic and cultural goals.

How have expressions of sexuality and gender in British literature been shaped by the social constraints of different periods? How have female authors navigated systems of patriarchy, and what has been the role of literature in confirming and subverting gender norms? And how are the rapid changes in approaches, attitudes, and practices around gender and sexuality since the 20th century reflected in contemporary British writing? This course offers a unique and exciting opportunity to explore these questions and more, examining a wide range of British literature from various genres and periods through the lens of gender and sexuality.

The heroic and divine in the literature, mythology, and culture of archaic Greece. Interdisciplinary approach to the study of individuals and society. Illustrated lectures. Readings in translation of Homer, Hesiod, Herodotus, and the poets of lyric and tragedy.

Throughout time, authors have struggled to find their location and identities in often chaotic and unsettling worlds. From the 8th century classical Chinese poet Du Fu, to the Native American novelist Louise Erdrich, creative writers have tried to find company and community to guide them.

A critical introduction to Shakespeare through intensive analyses of six or seven plays. Possible attention to such topics as literary sources, early modern stagecraft, performance history, and contemporary film adaptation.

An online workshop course that explores the ways in which writers of fiction have used language to examine the world, create compelling characters, and move readers. We will begin by studying a selection of stories that demonstrate the many techniques writers use to create fictional worlds; we'll use these stories as models for writing exercises and short assignments, leading to a full story draft. We will study figurative language, character and setting development, and dramatic structure, among other elements of story craft. Then, each student will submit a full draft and receive feedback from the instructor and his/her classmates. This course is taught entirely online but retains the feel of a traditional classroom. Optional synchronous elements such as discussion and virtual office hours provide the student with direct interaction with both the instructor and his/her classmates.

In this module, we will study a series of major Victorian texts in detail, including a novel by Charles Dickens; some poetry by Tennyson and Browning; short stories by Robert Louis Stevenson, H G Wells and Mary Braddon; as well as art and architecture. We will place the literature and art in their historical, social, political and cultural contexts.

This course employs medieval and early modern authors, as well as contemporary scholars, as vehicles for understanding the dynamics of power, gender, violence, and politics in George Martin's novel, Game of Thrones.

This module aims to explore the processes by which Shakespeare’s plays came into existence, how they achieved their unique status in English literature and culture, and how the image of the genius ‘Bard’ problematizes understandings of Shakespeare’s plays as part of Shakespeare’s own world and our own. Following global commemorative celebrations of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death in 2016, the module will include examining issues that surround memorializing the dead, both in Shakespeare’s own time and our own. During the programme, you will also have two opportunities to see Shakespeare's works in person, both in the famous London Globe Theatre and in his hometown of Stratford upon Avon where you will also look at how he was influenced by his local area and how he has in turn influenced it up to today.

What inspired the emergence and flowering of the fantasy genre in the 20th and 21st centuries? Oxford and the Rise of Fantasy offers a unique opportunity to examine the fantasy genre from its earliest origins to the present day, exploring at each stage the influence of Oxford and its writers.

This course explores the rich literary heritage of Edinburgh, the first UNESCO City of Literature. Examine the work of some of the city's most celebrated local literary talents, as well as the work of writers who have found the city conducive and influential to their creativity. We shall read a wide variety of texts from the 18th Century to present day and consider the common themes which emerge as well as exploring these writers' presence in the city through manuscript collections and objects in the museums, collections and the local environment.