Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
CHAPTER IV
PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS AND TRIPOS EXAMINATIONS

The Ordinances contained in this Chapter are Ordinances of the General Board

In this section

TRIPOS EXAMINATIONS

ENGLISH TRIPOS

Amended by Notices (Reporter, 2008–09, pp. 694 and 822)

General

Two Parts.

1. The English Tripos shall consist of two Parts.

2. The scheme of the examination shall be as defined in Regulations 15–18.

Notice of variable subjects, etc.

3. Public notice of all the variable subjects and of the texts or portions of subjects specified for special study shall be given by the Faculty Board of English before the end of the Easter Term in the year next but one preceding the examination to which they apply; provided that the Board shall have the power of subsequently issuing amendments if they have due reason for doing so and if they are satisfied that no student's preparation for the examination is adversely affected. The Board shall have power when they give notice of the variable subjects selected for a particular examination to announce any consequential restriction on the combination of papers that a candidate may choose to offer.

The Board shall have power to define or limit by supplementary regulations all or any of the subjects of examination, and to modify or alter such supplementary regulations as occasion may require.

Standing of candidates.

4. The following may present themselves for examination in Part I:

  1. (a)a student who has not obtained honours in an Honours Examination and has kept one term, provided that six complete terms have not passed after his or her first term of residence;
  2. (b)a student who has obtained honours in an Honours Examination, in the year next after or next but one after so obtaining honours; provided that twelve complete terms have not passed after his or her first term of residence.

5. A student who has obtained honours in Part I of the English Tripos or in another Honours Examination may be a candidate for Part II in the year after or next but one after so obtaining honours, provided that twelve complete terms have not passed after his or her first term of residence.44

6. No student shall be a candidate for both Parts, or for either Part and also for another Honours Examination, in the same term.

7. No student who has been a candidate for either Part shall again be a candidate for the same Part.

8. No student who has failed to attain the standard for honours in Part I shall be a candidate for Part II.

Examiners and Assessors.

9. (a) To conduct the examination in each Part of the Tripos the Faculty Board shall nominate such number of Examiners as they deem appropriate.

(b) The Faculty Board shall have power to nominate Assessors to assist the Examiners for each Part of the Tripos. Assessors may be summoned to meetings of the Examiners for the purpose of consultation and advice, but shall not be entitled to vote.

Meetings of Examiners.

10. Before the examination there shall be general meetings of the Examiners for Part I and of the Examiners for Part II, when the papers set by each Examiner or Assessor shall be submitted to the whole body of Examiners for their approval, and shall be settled by the Examiners for each Part in common.

11. In each Part the answers to the questions in each paper shall be read by two of the whole body of Examiners and Assessors for that Part.

12. The style and method of the candidates’ answers shall be taken into account.

Class-lists.

13. The Examiners for Part I and the Examiners for Part II shall hold separate meetings, at which the class-list for each Part shall be drawn up. In each of these lists the names of the candidates who deserve honours shall be placed in three classes, of which the second shall be divided into two divisions. The names in the first and third classes, and in each division of the second class, shall be arranged in alphabetical order.

14. For special excellence in either Part a mark of distinction may be awarded.

Part I

15. The papers in Part I shall be as follows:

 Paper  1.

English literature and its contexts, 1300–1550 (also serves as Paper 33 in Part II of the English Tripos).

 Paper  2.

English literature and its contexts, 1500–1700 (also serves as Paper 34 in Part II of the English Tripos).

 Paper  3.

English literature and its contexts, 1688–1847 (also serves as Paper 35 in Part II of the English Tripos).

 Paper  4.

English literature and its contexts, 1830 to the present (also serves as Paper 36 in Part II of the English Tripos).

 Paper  5.

Shakespeare (also serves as Paper 37 in Part II of the English Tripos).

 Paper  6.

Literary criticism.

 Paper  7.

European languages and literatures.

 Paper  8.

English language for literature, 1300 to the present.

 Paper  9.

English literature and its contexts, 1300 to the present (open dissertation).

 Paper 10.

Early medieval literature and its contexts (also serves as Paper 14 of Part II of the English Tripos, as Paper O9 of Part II of the Classical Tripos, and as Paper 11 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

 Paper 11.

Insular Latin language and literature (Paper 9 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

 Paper 12.

Old Norse language and literature (Paper 6 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

 Paper 13.

Medieval Welsh language and literature (Paper 7 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

Every paper shall be set for three hours except Papers 6, 7, and 8 which shall be set for three and a half hours, and Paper 9 which shall comprise a dissertation, to be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 20, the topic of which must fall within the scope of Papers 1–5 but may range across the chronological boundaries of individual papers within this group.

16. Every candidate for Part I shall offer Papers 1 and 5 and

  1. either (a)Papers 2–4; and two papers from among Papers 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10;
  2. or (b)Papers 2–4; one paper from among Papers 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10; and one paper from among Papers 11–13;
  3. or (c)two papers from among Papers 2–4; two papers from among Papers 6–10; and one paper from among Papers 11–13.
  4. or (d)two papers from among Papers 2–4; three papers from among Papers 6, 7, 8, and 10;

provided that

  1. (i)in substitution for one of Papers 2–4, a candidate who has not offered Paper 9 may offer a dissertation, to be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 20, on a topic falling within the scope of that paper, except that (1) no candidate shall submit a dissertation of which the main emphasis is on literature written in a foreign language45 and (2) if a candidate submits a dissertation in substitution for Paper 2 it shall not be wholly or largely on Shakespeare;
  2. (ii)in substitution for one of Papers 2–4, a candidate may offer a portfolio of essays, to be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 17, on topics falling within the scope of that paper, except that (1) if a candidate submits a portfolio in substitution for Paper 2 it shall not be wholly or largely on Shakespeare, (2) a candidate who submits a portfolio may not also submit work under Paper 9 which falls within the scope of the paper substituted.
Portfolio.

17. (a) A candidate who intends to offer a portfolio under Regulation 16(ii) shall notify the Director of Undergraduate Studies through his or her Director of Studies, in accordance with detailed arrangements approved by the Board. Such notification shall be not later than a date in the Full Lent Term to be promulgated by the Board in the Michaelmas Term.

(b) A portfolio submitted under Regulation 16(ii) shall consist of three essays, each of not fewer than 1,500 words and not more than 2,000 words in length. Portfolio essays must be on subjects of literary interest which fall within the scope of the paper for which they are substituted. The portfolio of essays as a whole should exhibit a range and substance comparable with that required by the examination paper for which it is substituted. It should show knowledge of work before and after the date specified in the rubric for the paper for which it was substituted. Candidates will be required to declare that the essays are their own work and that they do not contain material already used to any substantial extent for a comparable purpose. Where appropriate full and proper acknowledgement must be given to the work of others.

(c) The essays shall be typewritten, in English, with proper attention to style and presentation; they shall be submitted through the candidate's Director of Studies to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, in accordance with detailed arrangements approved by the Board, so as to arrive not later than the last Thursday of the Full Lent Term next preceding the examination. Candidates may be called for viva voce examination in connection with their portfolios.

Part II

18. The papers in Part II shall be as follows:

Group A (compulsory papers)

 Paper  1.

Practical criticism.

 Paper  2.

Tragedy (also serves as Paper O3 of Part II of the Classical Tripos).46

Group B(i)

 Paper  3.

Chaucer.46

 Paper  4.

Medieval English literature, 1066–1500 (also serves as Paper 13 of Part II of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

 Paper  5.

Special period of English literature (taken from the period after 1500 and before 1700).

 Paper  6.

Special period of English literature (taken from the period after 1700).

 Paper  7.

Special subject I.

Group B(ii)

 Paper  8.

English moralists.

 Paper  9.

History and theory of literary criticism (also serves as Paper O4 of Part II of the Classical Tripos).

 Paper 10.

Postcolonial and related literatures.46

 Paper 11.

American literature.

 Paper 12.

Special subject II.46

Group C(i)

 Paper 13.

History of the English language (also serves as Paper 18 of the Linguistics Tripos (Old Regulations)).46,47

 Paper 14.

Early medieval literature and its contexts (Paper 10 of Part I of the English Tripos).

 Paper 15.

Old English language and literature (Paper 5 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

Group C(ii)

 Paper 16.

Insular Latin language and literature (Paper 9 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

 Paper 17.

Old Norse language and literature (Paper 6 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

 Paper 18a.

Medieval Welsh language and literature (Paper 7 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

 Paper 18b.

Advanced medieval Welsh language and literature (Paper 7 of Part II of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

 Paper 19a.

Medieval Irish language and literature (Paper 8 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

 Paper 19b.

Advanced medieval Irish language and literature (Paper 8 of Part II of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

 Paper 20.

French literature, thought, and history, from 1510 to 1622 (Paper Fr. 6 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos).48

 Paper 21.

French literature, thought, and history, from 1594 to 1700 (Paper Fr. 7 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos).

 Paper 22.

French literature, thought, and history, from 1690 to 1799 (Paper Fr. 8 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos).

 Paper 23.

French literature, thought, and history, from 1789 to 1898 (Paper Fr. 9 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos).

 Paper 24.

French literature, visual culture, thought, and history, from 1890 to 1958 (Paper Fr. 10 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos).

 Paper 25.

Literature, visual culture, thought, and history in the French-speaking world, since 1945 (Paper Fr. 11 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos).

 Paper 26.

Dante and the culture of his age (Paper It. 7 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos).

 Paper 27a.

Introduction to Neo-Latin literature, from 1350 to 1700 (Paper NL 1 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos).

 Paper 27b.

A special subject in Neo-Latin literature: Marullus, Poliziano, Bèze, and Buchanan (Paper NL 2 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos).

 Paper 28.

A special subject in comparative literature (i) and (ii) (Papers CS 447 and 5 of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos).

 Paper 29.

The structure of English (Paper 8 of the Linguistics Tripos).49

 Paper 30.

A prescribed Greek author or authors, and a prescribed Latin author or authors (Paper A1 of Part II of the Classical Tripos).

 Paper 31.

Prescribed Greek texts (Paper A2 of Part II of the Classical Tripos).50

 Paper 32.

Prescribed Latin texts (Paper A3 of Part II of the Classical Tripos).

Group D

 Paper 33.

English literature and its contexts, 1300–1550 (Paper 1 of Part I of the English Tripos).

 Paper 34.

English literature and its contexts, 1500–1700 (Paper 2 of Part I of the English Tripos).

 Paper 35.

English literature and its contexts, 1688–1847 (Paper 3 of Part I of the English Tripos).

 Paper 36.

English literature and its contexts, 1830 to the present (Paper 4 of Part I of the English Tripos).

 Paper 37.

Shakespeare (Paper 5 of Part I of the English Tripos).

Each paper shall be set for three hours except Paper 1 which shall be set for three and a half hours. The Faculty Board shall announce in every year, subject to the provisions of Regulation 3, not more than four special subjects for Paper 7, and may in addition announce not more than three special subjects for Paper 12; in each case a candidate may offer not more than one of these subjects. A question paper shall be set for each subject so announced and for which there is a candidate. Every candidate who offers a paper in which there is a choice of subjects shall take only one of these question papers; the candidate's examination entry shall state which subject he or she intends to offer.

19. Every candidate for Part II shall offer:

  1. (a)a dissertation on a subject in English literature;
  2. (b)both papers from Group A;
  3. (c) either (i)if the candidate takes the examination in the year next after obtaining honours in another Honours Examination, one of the following combinations:
  4. either two papers chosen from Groups B and C
  5. or one paper chosen from Groups B and C and a second dissertation on a topic in English literature;
  6. or (ii)if the candidate takes the examination in the year next but one after obtaining honours in another Honours Examination, or if the candidate is an Affiliated Student, one of the following combinations:
  7. either three papers chosen from Groups B and C
  8. or two papers chosen from Groups B and C and a second dissertation on a topic in English literature;

provided that:

  1. (i)a candidate shall not offer any paper that he or she has previously offered in another Honours Examination;
  2. (ii)a candidate shall not offer both Paper 9 and either Paper 24 or Paper 25; nor both Paper 9 and one of the special subjects for Paper 12 if the Faculty Board in announcing that special subject have specified that it may not be so combined; nor more than one of the papers from Group C(ii); nor both Papers 18a and 18b; nor both Papers 19a and 19b;
  3. (iii)a candidate who has obtained honours in Part I of the English Tripos or any allowance on that examination towards a degree shall not offer both Paper 5 and Paper 6;
  4. (iv)in choosing a topic for a dissertation to be offered under this regulation a candidate shall not be precluded from proposing a topic in the same field as that of any of the papers that he or she is offering in the examination, save that, if the dissertation required under sub-paragraph (a) above is in the field of one of the candidate's papers, the Faculty Board may at their discretion decline to allow the candidate to offer a second dissertation in the field of one of his or her papers;
  5. (v)a dissertation offered under this regulation shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Regulation 20;
  6. (vi)every candidate who has not previously obtained honours in Part I of the English Tripos shall offer either at least one paper from among Papers 3–7 or, subject to the approval of the Faculty Board, and in substitution for one such paper, one paper from among Papers 33–37, except that a candidate who offers a special subject which is a Shakespearian subject announced by the Faculty Board for Paper 7 shall not also offer Paper 37. An application for leave to offer one of Papers 33–37 shall be sent through the candidate's Director of Studies to the Director of Undergraduate Studies so as to arrive not later than the penultimate Friday of the Michaelmas Term next preceding the examination and shall state the scheme of papers that the candidate proposes to offer, together with the topic of the dissertation required under sub-paragraph (a) above and of any dissertation offered under sub-paragraph (c) above. In determining whether to approve such an application the Faculty Board shall take into consideration both the overall balance of the proposed scheme and the potential overlap between the papers to be offered under it. After the Faculty Board have approved such a candidate's proposed scheme, no change may be made in the scheme without the further approval of the Faculty Board.

Parts I and II

Dissertations.

20. (a) A candidate who intends to offer either a compulsory dissertation in Part II under Regulation 19(a), or Paper 9, or an optional dissertation in either Part under Regulation 16(i) or Regulation 19(c), shall submit the proposed topic of the dissertation through his or her Director of Studies to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, in accordance with detailed arrangements approved by the Board, so as to arrive not later than the penultimate Friday of the Full Michaelmas Term next preceding the examination.

(b) The Director of Undergraduate Studies shall communicate the Board's approval or rejection of the proposed topic to the candidate's Director of Studies. When the Board have approved a topic, no change shall be made in it or in a scheme of work approved by the Board without the further approval of the Board. A candidate may submit a revised topic so as to reach the Director of Undergraduate Studies not later than a date in the Full Lent Term to be promulgated by the Board in the Michaelmas Term; topics submitted after that date will be considered by the Board only in the most exceptional circumstances.

(c) The length of a dissertation shall be as follows:

for Part I, not more than 5,000 words in length;

for Part II, not fewer than 6,000 words and not more than 7,500 words in length.

In each case the prescribed length shall include notes and appendices, although appendices beyond the prescribed limit may be allowed in special circumstances, subject to the approval of the Faculty Board given not later than the division of the Lent Term next preceding the examination. Candidates will be required to declare that the dissertation is their own work and that it does not contain material already used to any substantial extent for a comparable purpose.

(d) Every dissertation shall be typewritten, in English, with proper attention to style and presentation in accordance with detailed guidelines issued by the Faculty Board; it shall be sent through the candidate's Director of Studies to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, accompanied by a brief synopsis of its contents and a list of the books and articles used in its preparation, and in accordance with detailed arrangements approved by the Board, so as to arrive not later than the second day of the Full Easter Term in which the examination is to be held.

(e) A candidate may be called for viva voce examination in connection with his or her dissertation.

Schemes of work.

21. At the same time as dissertation topics are submitted through candidates’ Directors of Studies to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, each candidate shall submit the whole scheme of work to be offered in the examination. The Director of Undergraduate Studies shall communicate the Board's approval or rejection of the proposed scheme of work to the candidate's Director of Studies.

Original compositions.

22. A candidate for either Part shall be allowed to submit an original composition in English, of not more than 5,000 words (exclusive of notes). Such a composition, if of sufficient merit, may be taken into account by the Examiners in classifying the candidate; they shall have power to examine the candidate upon it viva voce. The submission of non-written material shall not be allowed. Compositions shall be typewritten, and shall be sent through candidates’ Director of Studies to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, in accordance with detailed arrangements approved by the Board, so as to arrive not later than the second day of the Full Easter Term in which the examination is to be held. Candidates will be required to declare that the original composition is their own work and that it does not contain material used to any substantial extent for a comparable academic purpose.

SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS

Part I

For the purpose of the regulations and supplementary regulations for Part I of the English Tripos, ‘English literature’ shall be understood to mean the literature in English of the British Isles including Ireland. In Papers 1–5 candidates must answer primarily in relation to English literature thus defined, and questions will not be asked, nor may answers be primarily written, on authors other than those who were born, or have spent a substantial part of their lives working, in the British Isles. This will not however preclude the possibility of comparison, where appropriate, with other literature in English (such as American or Commonwealth), provided that greater weight falls on English literature than on other literature. These rules shall also govern the acceptability of topics for period dissertations substituted for Papers 2, 3, and 4, and the open dissertation under Paper 9. No more than one dissertation may be submitted. Candidates submitting a dissertation under Paper 9 are permitted to offer an examination paper which covers the same period as the topic for the dissertation. Candidates substituting a portfolio for Papers 2–4 may not offer a dissertation under Paper 9 on a topic which falls within the scope of the paper for which the portfolio is substituted. More detailed guidance about the acceptability of specific authors as the subjects of examination answers or as the topics of dissertations may be given in a document issued by the Faculty Board of English and revised as necessary from time to time.

Paper 1. English literature and its contexts, 1300–1550

Medieval texts shall be prescribed for special study; and passages shall be set from them for translation or comment, or both. The Faculty Board may give notice from time to time of a list of topics on which optional questions will be set. Questions shall be set both on the literature and on the life and thought of the period.

Paper 2. English literature and its contexts, 1500–1700

Questions shall be set both on the literature and on the life and thought of the period.51

Paper 3. English literature and its contexts, 1688–1847

Questions shall be set both on the literature and on the life and thought of the period.51

Paper 4. English literature and its contexts, 1830 to the present

Questions shall be set both on the literature and on the life and thought of the period.51

Paper 5. Shakespeare

Questions shall be set requiring explanation and discussion of a specified work or specified works. Questions shall also be set on other works of Shakespeare and matters of historical and critical interest relevant to his works.

Paper 6. Literary criticism

The paper will be set in two sections. Candidates will be required to answer three questions, including at least one question from each section; in Section B candidates may not answer two questions on the same topic. Section A (Practical criticism) will consist of questions offering passages of English prose or verse from various periods for critical comment. These questions will require close critical analysis of the given passage(s) but may also allow for the raising of general critical and theoretical issues appropriate to the reading of those passages. Approximately half of the questions in this section will invite candidates to consider the passages in the light of the topics specified in Section B; there will be at least one such question corresponding to each of the topics. Section B (Topics) will consist of essay questions on three specified topics. For 2003 the specified topics are: (i) The function of criticism; (ii) Theories of versification; (iii) Writing and the unconscious. The formal examination will last for three and a half hours, of which thirty minutes are assigned for reading-time.

Paper 7. European languages and literatures

The languages within the scope of this paper are: classical Greek; classical Latin; French; German; Italian; Old English. Candidates will not be required to show knowledge of more than one of these languages, though they may do so if they wish. In each language, except in the case of Old English, two texts (or collections of texts) will be prescribed for study. Candidates will be required to show knowledge of two such texts (except in the case of Old English, where only one text is set).

Paper 8. English language for literature, 1300 to the present

This paper requires candidates to recognize and describe in English writing from 1300 to the present day; linguistic features (such as syntax, lexis, register, elementary phonetics, rhetoric); the relations between spoken and written Englishes; the historical development and study of the language, in its literary and other varieties; contact between English and other languages. The Faculty Board shall, from time to time, prescribe specified topics, with lists of relevant reading. Candidates will be required to answer on at least one of the specified topics.

Paper 9. English literature and its contexts, 1300 to the present: Open dissertation

The topic of a dissertation to be submitted under this paper must fall within the scope of Papers 1–5. It may be comparative across the period boundaries of the individual papers. The dissertation shall be prepared and submitted in accordance with Regulation 20.

Paper 10. Early medieval literature and its contexts (also serves as Paper 14 of Part II, as Paper O9 of Part II of the Classical Tripos, and as Paper 11 of Part I of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos).

The period covered by this paper is 1066–c. 1350. English, French, and Latin texts shall be prescribed for special study, and passages set from them for translation or explanation or both. Questions shall also be set on English, French, and Latin texts of the period. Candidates will be required to show knowledge of one of these three languages, and of work in at least one other of them, which they may, if they wish, have studied in translation. Candidates are expected to show such knowledge of the life and thought of the period as is necessary for the understanding of its literature.

Part II

Paper 1. Practical criticism

Passages of English prose and verse for critical comment.

Paper 2. Tragedy (also serves as Paper O3 of Part II of the Classical Tripos)

Tragedy ancient and modern in connection and comparison with English Tragedy.

Paper 3. Chaucer

Candidates will be expected to show a full and detailed knowledge of the works of Chaucer. Questions shall be set on those works and on Chaucer's relationship to his contemporaries and to the life and thought of his age.

Paper 4. Medieval English literature, 1066–1500 (also serves as Paper 13 of Part II of the Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Tripos)

A specific literary subject shall be prescribed for special study. It shall be of a kind to require reading in early as well as in late medieval English literature and may involve the study of related texts from other languages.

Paper 5. Special period of English literature (taken from the period after 1500 and before 1700)

Candidates will be required to show a substantial knowledge of the literature of whatever period is prescribed together with its life and thought.

Paper 6. Special period of English literature (taken from the period after 1700)

Candidates will be required to show a substantial knowledge of the literature of whatever period is prescribed together with its life and thought.

Paper 7. Special subject I

The work of an author or of a group of authors, or a literary topic or genre, or a period not already prescribed for Paper 5 or Paper 6, within the field of English literature, shall be prescribed for special study. Relevant texts may be recommended for study from time to time. In accordance with Regulation 18 the Faculty Board may from time to time prescribe a number of such special subjects of which one may be offered by candidates for this paper.

Paper 8. English moralists

Questions will be set on the history and nature of moral thought, broadly interpreted. Candidates will be invited to show knowledge of a range of literary, philosophical, social, and political writings by authors from Plato to the present, but the paper will normally permit concentration on a particular chronological period or selection of authors. Candidates will also be given opportunities to relate the themes of this paper to their existing interests in poetry, drama, and the novel. From time to time a special topic may be specified for study.

Paper 9. History and theory of literary criticism (also serves as Paper O4 of Part II of the Classical Tripos)

The paper shall comprise historical, critical, and comparative questions on works and problems in the history of literary criticism and also of literary theory from the fourth century bc to the present day. A sufficient number of questions will be set to enable candidates to choose questions on a limited chronological period (including the modern period).

Paper 10. Commonwealth and international literature in English

The scope of the paper is, subject to the following qualifications, literature in English outside the British Isles and the United States of America. It includes expatriate nationals publishing in those countries (e.g. Rushdie, d’Aguiar, Lessing). Comparative and incidental reference to British, Irish, American, and foreign language texts is welcome but should not form the greater part of any single answer. Answering on texts in translation is permitted but should not constitute the greater part of answers to the paper as a whole.

The paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will consist of passages for comment from the set texts. A list of set texts will be available from the Faculty Office. Section B will consist of essay questions, enabling comparison between texts from different regions.

Paper 11. American literature

The subject covered by this paper is American literature, life, and thought, with special reference to the period from 1820 to the present day. A list of books may be recommended from time to time for special study. All candidates will be expected to show such knowledge of the life and thought of the period as is necessary for understanding its literature.

Paper 12. Special subject II

For a year for which a subject is announced for this paper under Regulation 18, the work of an author or of a group of authors, or a literary topic or genre, or a period not already prescribed for Paper 5, or 6, or 7, shall be prescribed for special study. Relevant foreign texts as well as English texts may be recommended for study from time to time. In accordance with Regulation 18 the Faculty Board may from time to time prescribe a number of such special subjects of which one may be offered by candidates for this paper.

Paper 13. History of the English language

This paper will be concerned with the historical development and structure of the English language and of its internal and extra-territorial varieties. A specified topic will be prescribed for special study.

The paper will be divided into two sections. Section A will contain questions pertaining to the specified topic; Section B will contain essay questions of a more general nature. Candidates will be required to answer one question from Section A and two questions from Section B.

Dissertations

For the purpose of Regulations 19(a) and 19(c) governing the submission of dissertations in Part II of the Tripos, ‘English literature’ shall be understood to mean literature written in the English language (including Old English), works written by authors of the British Isles in other languages, such as Latin or French, and works written in Old Norse and the Medieval Celtic languages. It shall be understood to embrace the English language and such philosophical, historical, and other writing as normally comes within the scope of the English Tripos.

Where a topic is chosen involving comparison with a foreign literature, the dissertation should be primarily on an English literary topic, though there is no objection to comparison with other literature where this is relevant. Where a topic involves comparison between literature and another medium such as music or the visual arts, the weight of the dissertation should likewise fall on literature (which may, for example, include libretti). Discussion of work produced in a medium other than literature is not admissible as the exclusive topic of a dissertation.

More detailed guidance about the acceptability of specific writings as the topic of a dissertation may be given in a document issued by the Faculty Board of English and revised as necessary from time to time.

Footnotes

  1. 44. See also the regulations for Affiliated Students.a
  2. 45. See further the supplementary regulations, p. 328.a
  3. 46. This paper is also available to candidates for Part II of the Modern and Medieval Languages Tripos; see p. 377.a b c d e
  4. 47. This paper is suspended until further notice.a b
  5. 48. This paper is suspended until 1 October 2010.a
  6. 49. This paper will be suspended from 1 October 2010 and abolished with effect from 1 October 2011.a
  7. 50. This paper is not available until further notice.a
  8. 51. The Faculty Board may from time to time give notice of a prescribed text or texts or of a specified topic for special study in this paper.a b c