The JAMB Literature in English syllabus is the topic you must study for the UTME examination.
Using the JAMB syllabus to study for your examination is the open secret to getting a high score.
The JAMB Literature in English syllabus also contains objectives for each topic. These objectives are what you must know for every topic you study.
This post contains the complete list of topics in the JAMB Literature in English syllabus.
Let me know in the comment section if you have any questions.
Table of contents
JAMB Syllabus for Literature in English
Drama
Objectives
Candidates should be able to:
- Identify the various types of drama.
- Analyze the contents of the various types of drama.
- Compare and contrast the features of different dramatic types.
- Demonstrate adequate knowledge of dramatic techniques used in each prescribed text.
- Differentiate between styles of selected playwrights.
- Determine the theme of any prescribed text.
- Identify the plot of the play.
- Apply the lessons of the play to everyday living.
- Identify the spatial and temporal setting of the play.
Content
- Types:
- Tragedy
- Comedy
- Tragicomedy
- Melodrama
- Farce
- Opera etc.
- Dramatic Techniques
- Characterization
- Dialogue
- Flashback
- Mime
- Costume
- Music/Dance
- DeÌcor/scenery
- Acts/Scenes
- Soliloquy/aside
- Lighting etc.
- Interpretation of the Prescribed Texts
- Theme
- Plot
- Socio-political context
- Setting.
General Literary Principles
Objectives
Candidates should be able to:
- Identify literary terms in drama, prose, and poetry.
- Identify the general principles of Literature.
- Differentiate between literary terms and principles.
- Use literary terms appropriately.
Content
- 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.
- Literary principles
- Direct imitation in play.
- Verification in drama and poetry.
- Narration of people’s experiences.
- Achievement of aesthetic value, etc.
- Relationship between literary terms and principles.
Literary Appreciation
Objectives
Candidates should be able to:
- Determine literary devices used in a given passage/extract.
- Provide a meaningful interpretation of the given passage/extract.
- Relate the extract to true life experiences.
Content
Unseen passages/extracts from Drama, Prose and Poetry.
Poetry
Objectives
Candidates should be able to:
- Identify different types of poetry.
- Compare and contrast the features of different poetic types.
- Determine the devices used by various poets.
- Show how poetic devices are used for aesthetic effect in each poem.
- Deduce the poet’s preoccupation from the poem.
- Appraise poetry as an art with moral values.
- Apply the lessons from the poem to real-life situations.
Content
- Types:
- Sonnet
- Ode
- Lyrics
- Elegy
- Ballad
- Panegyric
- Epic
- Blank Verse, etc.
- Poetic devices
- Structure
- Imagery
- Sound(Rhyme/Rhythm, repetition, pun, onomatopoeia, etc.
- Diction
- Persona
- Appreciation
- Thematic preoccupation
- Socio-political relevance
- Style.
Prose
Objectives
Candidates should be able to:
- Differentiate between types of prose.
- Identify the category to which each prescribed text belongs.
- Analyze the components of each type of prose.
- Identify the narrative techniques used in each of the prescribed texts.
- Determine an author’s narrative style.
- Distinguish between one type of character from another.
- Determine the thematic preoccupation of the author of the prescribed text.
- Indicate the plot of the novel; identify the temporal and spatial setting of the novel.
- identify the temporal and spatial setting of the novel.
- Relate the prescribed text to real-life situations.
Content
- Types:
- Fiction
- Novel
- Novella/Novelette
- Short story
- Non-fiction
- Biography
- Autobiography
- Memoir
- Faction: a combination of fact and fiction
- Narrative Techniques/Devices:
- Point of view
- Omniscient/Third Person
- First Person
- Characterization
- Round, flat, foil, hero, antihero, etc
- Language
- Textual Analysis
- Theme
- Plot
- Setting (Temporal/Spatial)
- Socio-political context
- Fiction
JAMB Literature in English Text
Here is the list of texts for the JAMB Literature in English;
Drama
- African: The Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka
- Non-African: Look Back in Anger by John Osborne
Prose
- African:
- Unexpected Joy at Dawn by Alex Agyei-Agyir
- Second Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta
- Non-African;
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Drame
- African:
- Black Woman by Leopold Sedar Senghor
- The Leader and the Led by Niyi Osundare
- The Grieved Lands by Agostinbo Neto
- The Song of the Woman of my Land by Oumar Farouk Sesay
- Raider of the Treasure Trove by Lade Wosornu
- A Government Driver on his Retirement by Onu Chibuike
- Non-African
- The Good Morrow by John Donne
- Caged Bird by Maya Angelou
- The Journey of the Magi by T.S. Elliot
- Bats by D.H. Lawrence
JAMB Recommended Textbooks for Literature
The following is the list of recommended textbooks for JAMB Literature in English;
Anthologies
- Obafemi. O. and Agoi (eds) Of Shadows and Rainbows – Musings in Times of Covid (An Anthology of Poems, Plays, and Short Stories) PEN Nigeria, Online
- 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
- Nduke Ofiono and Odoh Diego Okenyodo (eds) Camouflage: Best of Contemporary Writing from Nigeria, an Anthology of New Nigerian Writers, Mace Books Association, 2021, New edition.
- Parker, E.W. (ed.) (1980) A Peagent of Longer Poems 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
Critical Text
- Abrams, 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.
Let me know if you have any questions or need further clarification. I would love to assist you.
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Please which novel and poems are recommended for this 2023 and how can l download it
The novel and poems are in this post.
What is these anthologies and critical text under the jamb recommended literature text… Are they also for jamb exams?
JAMB anthologies are poems, writing pieces and texts you must purchase for exam preparation.
Please sir, what are the jamb syllables for government and English language??
Favour,
You can see the syllabus for those subjects here.
Sir can I use mathematics in place of CRS as a law student in addition to my remaining 3 subjects for jamb??
Yes, Favour,
You can use any three (3) Arts or Social Science subjects to apply for Law.
Is fances among jamb novels for this year
Samuel,
The novel for this year’s JAMB is in the post above.
Please sir can i get the anthologies and critical texts online??
You can find it in this post.
I meant do i have to buy them or how can i access them please?
You have to purchase them or search for someone who has them.
In God we trust
Good day sir, How will get the complete text book for literature
James,
You can purchase them at the bookshop.
Please sir, does JAMB change prescribed texts and poems annually because i checked their site for the syllabus and i am not sure if it has been updated or it’s the same one for last year. Are the recommended texts, poems and anthologies for last year the same as this year??
It is not the same every year.
The texts, poems, and anthologies are for this year.
Okay…thank very much you sir
You’re welcome
Please sir, does JAMB change prescribed texts and poems annually because i checked their site for the syllabus and i am not sure if it’s for last year or it has been updated. Are the recommended texts, poems and anthologies for this year the same as last year??
It is not the same every year.
The texts, poems, and anthologies are for this year.
l need to no shemce in literature on jamp
Check this post to see the Literature texts for the JAMB exam.
Please hv nt seen this text called a midsummer night dream in the syllabus by Williams Shakespeare
The text in this post is the JAMB text for Literature in English.
Are we using shakespeare novel in 2023/2024
The recommended novels are in this post.
Sir is this the real jamb syllabus for 2023/2024
Yes, of course.
Please for literature, are we not making use of novels and drama books like “Faceless “, “Harvest of Corruption “and so on for our 2023 JAMB exam? Because am confused. Different websites are showing different books and topics
The recommended text here is correct.
Jamb syllabus for English, literature, CRS, govt plz
Cynthia,
See the JAMB syllabus for English, literature, CRS, govt here.
Please sir I need the new literature text for jamb 2023.
Drama, prose and poetry
You can find it in this post.
Pls sir the jamb recommended textbooks for both drama ,prose and poetry are all old ,both African and non African, we need the new ones pls.
Did you sit for the previous JAMB exam?
Yh
Yes
Pls sir most of the poetry texts are
Old ,I only know about the leader and the led and songs of the women of our lands ,I have not come across the rest
Are we to learn about Shakespeare poem
Yes,
Use the outline in this post.
Please, I need current syllabus for 2023/ 2024 jamb.
Mostly, liturature, english, government and mathimatics
Hello Alvan,
The one for literature is already in this post.
You can get the syllables for Use of English, Mathematics and Government by clicking on each of them.
Please is this a subject combination for law
See the subject combination for Law here.
Please sir, there is a particular book that jamb gives to it’s candidate to buy every year, what is the one for 2022/2023
Hello Joy,
The textbooks listed here are for the 2022/2023 JAMB examination.
The UTME board has not made any changes.
Be rest assured that if any changes are made, they will reflect on this page.
I hope your JAMB preparations are going well.
Hi, please is this syllabus also for 2023 jamb??
Yes, Ottu
You will see an update here if there are any changes from JAMB.
It is a good thing you have started with your JAMB preparations.
Let me know if you have further questions.
My problem is, after spending ur enough time over this a professor will ask you a question using some English words u never met 😭😭
Pls are you sure that this is the new ones, if so am grateful.
Yes.
Plz sir help with the current literature syllabus to read
Yes, Ebube
The syllabus is current.
I wish you success with your JAMB preparations.
Pls sir help us with the following details of the jamb syllabus for art studies
See the JAMB syllabus for Art courses here.
I’m confused about this, l thought the question will be from new syllabus
This is the new correct syllabus.
Are these the New poems,prose
and drama for 2022
Yes, Gabriel
Am confuse about the poetry
U listed last year poetry instead of new year poetry
Are the poems the old ones or new ones
1. Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka
2. Look Back in Anger by John Osborne.
3. Second Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta.
4. Unexpected Joy at Dawn by Alex Agyei Agyiri.
5. Wuthering Heights by Emile Bronte.
JAMB Literature Poetry Texts for 2022
1. The Panic of Growing Older by Lenrie Peter.
2. Vanity by Birago Diop.
3. The Leader and the Led by Niyi Osundare.
4. Ambush by Gbemisola Adeoti.
5. The Song of the Woman of my Land by Oumar Farouk Sesay.
6. Piano and Drums by Gabriel Okara.
7. The Dining Table by Gbanabam Hallowell.
Are there new lit_in_eng texts for 2022 jamb Sir?
1. Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka
2. Look Back in Anger by John Osborne.
3. Second Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta.
4. Unexpected Joy at Dawn by Alex Agyei Agyiri.
5. Wuthering Heights by Emile Bronte.
Thank you
The pleasure is mine.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Please sir, does JAMB change the prescribed texts and poems annually because i checked their site for the syllabus and i am not sure if it has been updated or it’s the same for last year. Are the prescribed texts, poems and anthologies for last year the same as this year??
It is not the same every year.
The texts, poems, and anthologies are for this year.