Explore literature through the ages.

We've hand-picked a variety of English literature courses for you to choose from. Whether you are interested in twenty-first-century literature and culture, the tales of Babylon, or historical topics such as race and gender, we have a broad selection of literature that’s sure to suit a wide variety of tastes and interests.  

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You might be a newcomer to the world of literature and the great works of authors past and present, or perhaps you consider yourself somewhat of an expert. Whichever group you fall into, our friendly classes are the perfect environment to develop your skills and knowledge. Building on a curiosity or passion is what we do best! 

Enrol on a literature class near you  

Whether you prefer online learning from the comfort of your own home, or you want to attend an in-person class in your local community, we have a huge amount of flexibility to suit how you learn best. This means that you can pick the environment that’s right for you, giving you that piece of mind that you can learn in a place that you feel comfortable with. 

The support you’ll receive 

Our dedicated tutors will guide you through the different genres and time periods in English literature, helping you to develop your critical reading and analysis skills - perfect if you're a beginner.   

Our learning experience is one of the things that sets us apart, with many of our learners going on to achieve incredible things. You’ll learn at a pace that’s comfortable for you, with a friendly supportive tutor on hand to answer any questions you might have.  

Start your journey today and learn all about the works of Agatha Christie, Shakespeare and many, many more.  

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Literature: British Women’s Short Stories 1980 to the Present

This five week course will explore British Women’s Short stories from the twentieth century. The five stories are: Mysterious Kor - Elizabeth Bowen. The House of the Famous Poet - Muriel Spark. Flesh and the Mirror - Angela Carter. The Lotus - Jean Rhys. My Wife is a White Russian - Rose Tremain. All texts are found in the recommended course text: The Penguin Book of Modern British Short Stories, edited by Malcolm Bradbury. These stories will introduce you to the richness of women’s authors throughout the last century and will give rise to lively discussions and analysis.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 28/04/2025 -
Mon 02/06/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00021475
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Literature: The World of Ivor Gurney

This course will introduce one of the most fascinating of English poets from the period of the Great War. This is Ivor Gurney, poet and musician and friend of Edward Thomas. We will examine a range of his poetry, spanning his earliest work to those late poems that he wrote while committed to an asylum in the post-war years. We will discover his life, his friendships and his world, placing his poetry, music and madness in the context of his life and his world. The course will analyse his work in detail over five weeks and will provide ample scope for lively discussion.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 28/04/2025 -
Mon 02/06/2025
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00021487
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Literature: Literature Appreciation: 'Openings'

Openings present challenges. The beginning of a text is vital in terms of how it will intrigue a reader, 'set the scene' for them, play to, or subvert their expectations. Characters need to be established quickly, plot and its tensions set in motion, context established. We will be studying together how authors rise to these demands in the openings of novels, poetry and plays from Shakespeare to the modern day.  Through discussion and analysis together, we will assess the techniques writers use to shape our responses, and invite us into their work.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 29/04/2025 -
Tue 08/07/2025
Times:
1:30pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Clare Jackson
Course code:
Q00021453
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
9 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Literature: Five Korean Short Stories

This course will examine five Korean short stories and function as a taster-course to Korean literature in general, which has recently come to the fore with the award of the Nobel Prize to Han Kang. It will serve to broaden your appreciation of until recently a minority literature. We will analyse those elements which have contributed to Korea’s distinctive contribution to world literature in the last 100 years, and discuss the relationship between a politically troubled history and creativity, discovering as we do a range of male and female voices. There will be ample opportunities for discussion in what will be lively sessions.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 29/04/2025 -
Tue 27/05/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00021488
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Literature: British novels of the 1960s

There is an energy and vitatlity about 1960s British fiction, with new developments in postcolonial fiction, spy fiction, science fiction and children’s fantasy. We begin with Alan Garner’s The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and end with 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke. We’ll be able to share and debate interpretations, sharpen our critical and appreciative faculties, understand what fiction can tell us about the society and culture that produced it, and, hopefully, be inspired to read other works by the writers featured on the course.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 30/04/2025 -
Wed 11/06/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Wesley Hall (Barnet)
High Barnet Methodist Church
9 Stapylton Road
Barnet
EN5 4JJ
Tutor:
Brandon Robshaw
Course code:
Q00021722
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.40

Literature: The Literature of Uplift

In difficult times, literature can provide uplift and hope. Whether it is in descriptions of individual acts of kindness, a story of a quiet life which made a difference, a song, or a rallying cry to better our society, all sorts of texts can inspire us. In this course, we will be analysing and discussing together writings from a wide range of genres: novels, biography and autobiography, songs and poetry. We will be reflecting on humour, the portrayal of recovery, and works which give us an unsentimental hope for the future.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 02/05/2025 -
Fri 11/07/2025
Times:
1:30pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Newcastle Quaker Meeting House (Newcastl
West Avenue
Gosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 4ES
Tutor:
Clare Jackson
Course code:
Q00021452
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

Care 2: Books for the Soul: Reading for Wellbeing

This course is for carers, former carers and the cared for. Do you love the enchanted world of stories? Remember how hearing stories read aloud made you warm and happy? Yes? Then this is the course for you. A friendly, gentle reading and self-discovery circle. The power of shared reading is good for the soul. Come discover modern fiction and true stories on heart-warming themes like friendship, community, hope, love and food. Each week we’ll read and reflect on the story, on our own lives. We’ll share and tell our own tales, from books we read as children, from stories of our own lives.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 20/05/2025 -
Tue 17/06/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00021449
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

Literature: Exploring Shakespeare’s Sonnets

In this course we will discuss and analyse Shakespeare’s Sonnet Sequence. We will discuss the evolution of the Sonnet, the Elizabethan sonnet boom, and Shakespeare’s sonnet sonnet, placing them in the context of the Elizabeth Age, its etiquette, manners, philosophy and attitudes to love. We will discover how important a knowledge of Shakespeare’s sexuality is, and how this impacts on the enduring mysteries relating to the addressee of the sonnets and the figures within the sonnets. Come along and engage in practical criticism of the works and exchange views in what will be a lively to and fro of ideas

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 22/05/2025 -
Thu 26/06/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00021481
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Literature: Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter was born in 1866 in London. She had a natural talent for art and a passion for animals and nature. We will look at how this woman made her way as an artist in what was considered to be a mans world at the time . The course will be delivered by power point presentation and lecture , handouts will be given where appropriate. The session is tailored to allow learners the opportunity to consolidate their learning as the course is delivered by discussion of their learning outcomes and opinions in a friendly and engaging environment and there will be fun group activities during the course to check on understanding and learning.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 30/05/2025 -
Fri 30/05/2025
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kerry Van Der Schraft
Course code:
Q00022116
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £7.40

Literature: Portraits of Society, 1954 – 1961 The Angry Decade? Barbara Pym, No Fond Return of Love

Explore the literature of the "Angry Decade" with a focus on Barbara Pym's No Fond Return of Love in our Literature: Portraits of Society, 1954 – 1961 The Angry Decade? course. Analyze the social themes and character studies that define this period. Ideal for literature enthusiasts and students of modern British history.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 01/07/2025 -
Tue 08/07/2025
Times:
2:30pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
2 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Patrick O'Reilly
Course code:
Q00016890
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £16.80