Zuleika Dobson · Theme

Tradition vs. Modernity

How Zuleika Dobson develops 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.

Where it surfaces

XII
The narrator contrasts the timeless, gentle spirit of Oxford with the urgent, tragic events unfolding among the undergraduates.
XXI
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.
Endnotes
The reconstitution of the Junta with a broken apostolic line suggests a loss of continuity and tradition.