Tradition vs. Modernity

Oxford's ancient, medieval setting clashes with Zuleika's modern, flashy presence, and the narrative satirizes the tension between timeless academic traditions and contemporary frivolity.

The narrator contrasts the timeless, gentle spirit of Oxford with the urgent, tragic events unfolding among the undergraduates.

The dons' adherence to routine (grace, bump-supper) contrasts with the unprecedented tragedy, and the false quantities in the Latin grace highlight the tension between tradition and the absurd.

The reconstitution of the Junta with a broken apostolic line suggests a loss of continuity and tradition.