Year 12 English has prescribed texts - books which all students MUST read.
These are supposed to be books of merit, and pose a challenge.
In my own day, when a student, they were: Henry V (Shakespeare), Pope Joan
(GB Shaw), and Kipps (HG Wells). I waded through these without great
enthusiasm; my only gratitude is that HG Wells' quasi-autobiography
introduced me to The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, and his many SF short
stories.
Charles Dickens may also have been included, and certainly his novels did
appeal to me.
My recommendation here is - that options be permitted, from an author's
works, or among authors. This might pose a problem, in that the examiner
must also have rehd the same books, but, to me, there are few greater
tortures than being forced to read a book you dislike. It can turn you off
the author - or books - for life.
On the matter of viewing a book from a racist, sexist, or feminist angle,
this should not pose any real problem, provided such analysis is ADDED to
existing eternal verities (as Shakespeare's works are supposed to possess).
Another aspect. Some of Shakespeare's plays have been converted into
modern (movie) form - the latest being "She's the Man" (a make-over of
"Twelfth Night"). I see a useful exercise in comparing the two. Again, a
choice should be possible.

Archived from group: aus>education