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Murray Edwards College
University of Cambridge

Q&A: English

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Dr Leo Mellor 

I'm the Director of Studies for English and I normally cover the first two years (Part I of the Tripos). I write on Literature and War, Anglo-Welsh writing, landscape and poetry - as well as various other interests such as night-trains, ruins and cats. 

What's special about English at Cambridge?

English is extraordinary as it lets students read and analyse exciting, challenging and enthralling works of literature - in poetry, prose, drama and a myriad of other forms - dating from 1300 to those published last week. Yet it also allows for a student's own personal interests - in politics, history, art, theology, music (or indeed many other things) - to become the context within which these works are understood. 

How does Murray Edwards College support its English students?

We have a large and diverse Fellowship who teach within College - and we all teach enthusiastically and without a centralised set formula. We have a history of organising events, especially in relation to the study of drama and performance. In recent years, all first year students have gone to London to see a Renaissance-period play and all third years have seen a Greek Tragedy and an opera.

What do you enjoy most about working at Murray Edwards College? 

Our students bring insights and passion about texts - and thus supervisions become real conversations with intellectual energy.