O/L English Literature Syllabus

Explore the prescribed poetry, drama, prose and novels, organised for easy study and navigation.

Poetry (by themes)

a. Nature
1. To the Nile - John Keats
2. A Bird Came Down the Walk - Emily Dickinson
3. The Eagle - Alfred Lord Tennyson
4. To the Evening Star - William Blake

b. Conflict

1. War is Kind - Stephen Crane
2. The Terrorist, He’s Watching - Wislawa Syzmborska
3. Farewell to Barn and Stack and Tree - A.E. Housman
4. Breakfast - Jacques Prevert(translated by- Reggie Siriwardena)

c. Society

1. Once upon a Time - Gabriel Okara
2. I know Why the Caged Bird Sing - Maya Angelou
3. Richard Cory - Edwin Arlington Robinson
4. Big Match 1983 - Yasmin Goonerathne

d. Life

1. The Earthen Goblet - Harindranath Chattopadhyaya
2. Father and Son - Cat Stevens
3. Fear - Gabriela Mistral
4. Clown’s Wife - John Agard

e. Humour

1. The Camel’s Hump - Rudyard Kipling
2. Upside Down - Alexander Kushner
3. The Huntsman - Edward Lowbury
4. Two’s Company - Raymond Wilson

f. Prose

1. The Nightingale and the Rose - Oscar Wilde
2. The Lahore Attack - Kumar Sangakkara
3. Lumber Room - Saki
4. An extract from “Wave” - Sonali Deraniyagala

e. Drama

1. Twilight of a Crane - Yu Zuwa Junji Kinoshita
2. The Bear - Anton Chekov

f. Novels

1. The Prince and the Pauper - Mark Twain
2. Bringing Tony Home - Tissa Abeysekara
3. Vendor of Sweets - R.K Narayan