LITERATURE IN ENGLISH

The aim of this 2019 JAMB Literature in English Syllabus for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), is to prepare the candidates for the Board's examination. It is designed to test their achievement of the course objectives, which are to:

- stimulate and sustain their interest in Literature in English;

- create an awareness of the general principles of Literature and functions of language;

- appreciate literary works of all genres and across all cultures;

- apply the knowledge of Literature in English to the analysis of social, political and economic events in the society.

 

1. DRAMA 

Topics:
 
a. Types:

i. Tragedy

ii. Comedy

iii. Tragicomedy

iv. Melodrama

v. Farce

vi. Opera etc.

b. Dramatic Techniques

i. Characterisation

ii. Dialogue

iii. Flashback

iv. Mime

v. Costume

vi. Music/Dance

vii. Decor/scenery

viii. Acts/Scenes

ix. Soliloquy/aside

x. Lighting etc.

 

c. Interpretation of the Prescribed Textsi. Themeii. Plotiii. Socio-political contextiv. Setting
 
Objectives:

Candidates should be able to:

i. identify the various types of drama;

ii. analyse the contents of the various types of drama;

iii. compare and contrast the features of different dramatic types;

iv. demonstrate adequate knowledge of dramatic techniques used in each prescribed text;

v. differentiate between styles of selected playwrights;

vi. determine the theme of any prescribed text;

vii. identify the plot of the play;

viii. apply the lessons of the play to everyday living

ix. identify the spatial and temporal setting of the play.
 

2. PROSE 

Topics:

 
a. Types:

i. Fiction- Novel- Novella/Novelette- Short story

ii. Non-fiction- Biography- Autobiography- Memoir

iii. Faction: combination of fact and fiction

 

b. Narrative Techniques/Devices:

i. Point of view- Omniscent/Third Person- First Person

ii. Characterisation- Round, flat, foil, hero, antihero, etc

iii. Language

 

c. Textual Analysis

i. Theme

ii. Plot

iii. Setting (Temporal/Spatial)

iv. Socio-political context
 

Objectives: 

Candidates should be able to:

i. differentiate between types of prose;

ii. identify the category that each prescribed text belongs to;

iii. analyse the components of each type of prose;

iv. identify the narrative techniques used in each of the prescribed texts;

v. determine an author's narrative style;

vi. distinguish between one type of character from another;

vii. determine the thematic pre-occupation of the author of the prescribed text;

viii. indicate the plot of the novel; identify the temporal and spatial setting of the novel.

ix. identify the temporal and spatial setting of the novel

x. relate the prescribed text to real life situations.
 

3. POETRY 

Topics:
 
a. Types:

i. Sonnet

ii. Ode

iii. Lyrics

iv. Elegy

v. Ballad

vi. Panegyric

vii. Epic

viii. Blank Verse, etc.

 

b. Poetic devices

i. Structure

ii. Imagery

iii. Sound(Rhyme/Rhythm, repetition, pun, onomatopoeia, etc.)

iv. Dictionv. Persona

 

c. Appreciation

i. Thematic preoccupation

ii. Socio-political relevance

iii. Style.
 

Objectives:

Candidates should be able to:

i. identify different types of poetry;

ii. compare and contrast the features of different poetic types:

iii. determine the devices used by various poets;

iv. show how poetic devices are used for aesthetic effect in each poem;

v. deduce the poet's preoccupation from the poem;

vi. appraise poetry as an art with moral values;

vii. apply the lessons from the poem to real life situations.4. GENERAL LITERARY PRINCIPLES 

 

Topics:
 
a. Literary terms:foreshadowing, suspense, theatre, monologue, dialogue, soliloquy, symbolism, protagonist, antagonist, figures of speech, satire, stream of consciousness, synecdoche, metonymy, etc, in addition to those listed above under the different genres.

b. Literary principles

i. Direct imitation in play;

ii. Versification in drama and poetry;

iii. Narration of people's experiences;

iv. Achievement of aesthetic value, etc.

 

c. Relationship between literary terms and principles.
 

Objectives:

Candidates should be able to:

i. identify literary terms in drama, prose and poetry;

ii. identify the general principles of Literature;

iii. differentiate between literary terms and principles;

iv. use literary terms appropriately.
 

5. LITERARY APPRECIATION 

Topics:
 
Unseen passages/extracts from Drama, Prose and Poetry.
 
Objectives:

Candidates should be able to:

i. determine literary devices used in a given passage/extract;

ii. provide a meaningful inter-pretation of the given passage/extract;

iii. relate the extract to true life experiences.

 

 UTME HARMONIZED PRESCRIBED TEXT BOOKS (LITERATURE IN ENGLISH) 2016-2019Drama:
African:

i. Frank Ogodo Ogbeche : Harvest of Corruption Non African:

i. William Shakespeare : Othello

 

Prose:

African:

i. Amma Darko : Faceless

ii. Bayo Adebowale : Lonely Days
Non-African:

i. Richard Wright : Native Son

 

Poetry:

African:

i. Birago Diop : Vanity

ii. Gbemisola Adeoti : Ambush

iii. Gabriel Okara : Piano and Drums

iv. Gbanabam Hallowell : The Dining Table

v. Lenrie Peter : The Panic of Growing Older

vi. Kofi Awoonor : The Anvil and the Hammer

 

Non African:

i. Alfred Tennyson : Crossing the Bar

ii. George Herbert : The Pulley

iii. William Blake : The School Boy

iv. William Morris : The Proud King

RECOMMENDED TEXTS

 

1. ANTHOLOGIES Gbemisola, A. (2005) Naked Soles, Ibadan: Kraft

Hayward, J. (ed.) (1968) The Penguin Book of English Verse, London: Penguin

Johnson, R. et al (eds.) (1996) New Poetry from Africa, Ibadan: UP Plc

Kermode, F. et al (1964) Oxford Anthology of English Literature, Vol. II, London: OUP

Nwoga D. (ed.) (1967) West African Verse, London: Longman

Senanu, K. E. and Vincent, T. (eds.) (1993) A Selection of African Poetry, Lagos: Longman

Soyinka, W. (ed.) (1987) Poems of Black Africa, Ibadan: Heinemann

 

2. CRITICAL TEXTSAbrams, M. H. (1981) A Glossary of Literary Terms, (4th Edition) New York, Holt Rinehalt and Winston

Emeaba, O. E. (1982) A Dictionary of Literature, Aba: Inteks Press

Murphy, M. J. (1972) Understanding Unseen, An Introduction to English Poetry and English Novel for Overseas Students, George Allen and Unwin Ltd.