Oxbridge Quality Personal Statement - Applicant for English Literature
8 views 0 purchase
Course
UCAS Personal Statement
Institution
UCAS Personal Statement
I applied to Cambridge for English Literature and gained an interview in the process. It is here to be used as a template/inspiration for writing an informative, in-depth and unique personal statement for those applying specifically for English, or anyone aiming for a high quality statement.
Literature to me, is the gateway to understanding the human condition and the unconscious mind.
Literary Texts are artefacts of personal experience, which help me shape my intellectual and
emotional perception of the world. Within each page line, works of fiction represent a journey
through time and experience and for me, beyond its pleasure, the art of reading analytically lies in
understanding authorial perceptions of vice and virtue.
My Alevels have encouraged me to explore academic texts in depth. History has allowed me to
appreciate why literary context is so valuable and how important independent research is in
determining personal opinions or prejudices. In English, studying ‘Frankenstein’ Mary Shelley’s
depiction of women and nature as exploited and oppressed, sharpened my critical appreciation of
early feminist thinking. Her vision of the destructive consequences of patriarchal transgression turns
out to be prophetic. Shelley is clearly influenced by her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, whose work ‘A
vindication of the rights of women’ resonated with me, especially the line “I do not wish women to
have power over men, but over themselves”. The idea that in today’s progressive society we are
gaining power over ourselves as Wollstonecraft wanted – makes me want to study how early
feminists like Margaret Fuller and Angela Davis have contributed to social change and how their
words can help me spread more forward-thinking ideas to my peers. I have also been studying
Chaucer’s ‘The Wife of Bath’, which led me into further inquiries over whether he wrote it as a
mockery of ‘promiscuous’ women or to be intended as ahead of its time in presenting early concepts
of feminism. Consequently because of Chaucer’s poetic style, I have developed a profound interest
in Sylvia Plath’s stylistically novel and inspiring poetry. For me, her poem ‘Mushrooms’ grasps on the
female struggle within a male dominated society. This symbolism of “perfectly voiceless” establishes
that the framework for women is to be powerless objects for the patriarchy. It is clearly a protest
against male oppression - encouraging women of to unite and form a common voice. In my
Literature NEA, I compare Wole Soyinka’s ‘Death of a King’s Horseman’ with Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things
Fall Apart’, examining the authors presentation of women and the ways in which the male
protagonists determine their treatment, in what Ola Ifatimehin calls the ‘Phallocentric Culture’ in
Soyinka’s play. I have danced, sung and acted from the age of 5 and my experience as a performer
has strengthened my analysis of drama. For example, when examining Shakespeare’s ‘As you like it’
in Act 2, Scene 3 – I discovered depths in the minor figure, ‘Phoebe’ through devising a performance
of her ‘Think not I love him’ monologue.
Beyond my academic studies I have contributed to school and community life in a variety of roles
including School house presidency; peer mentoring and tuition; volunteer work in the Gold DofE
Scheme; co-hosting a topical podcast; and exploring the uses of media for charity with the Director
of the MTV Staying Alive foundation. I look forward, as an undergraduate, to pursuing my interest in
literature through the exploration of a range of questions regarding, for example, the relationships
between medieval and modern literature and renaissance authors’ fascination with female
disloyalties. Post-Graduation, I aspire to work as a journalist, and to be a reliable source of truth for
readers.
I will forever be entangled by the intellectual stimulation English provides and am keen to broaden
my knowledge of the evolution of humanities deepest mysteries.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller sahrarae. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.14. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
