April 8, 2004

Parody of Oxford and Undergraduate Life, Zuleika Dobson

The character of Zuleika Dobson is almost unbearable: transformed into a recent character, she would be the popular and beautiful head cheerleader that every guy fawns over.  In turn, the aristocratic and dandy Duke of Dorset would play the rich prep boy and perhaps the star quarterback.  Noaks would play the poor, cowardly, hard-working nerd and Mr. Abimilech V. Oover would play the ESOL student who can’t understand University culture.

            Zuleika’s character is unbearable and nauseating for it seems that all males fall for her looks.  Even the once independent Duke of Dorset now grovels at her feet: “He had never been conscious of public spirit.  He had lived for himself alone.  Love had come to him yesternight, and to-day had waked in him a sympathy with man-kind” (105).  The Duke of Dorset not only grovels, but is willing to die for the lady who cares not a bit for him or any other male that admires her.  The Duke “[is] glad that his death would be a public service to the University” (105).  The absurdity of the Duke’s actions reflects the heavy influence Zuleika has over her admirers.  Furthermore, the Duke is so desperate for Zuleika’s attention, even if it means death: through the extensive planning of his death, reader’s can discern his desperation.  Though the Duke can swimming, he plans to drown himself by “swim[ming] till he found weeds to cling to, weird strong weed that he would coil round him” (91) before he faints to his heroic death. 

            So the nerd and the jock bond over love for the beautiful head cheerleader.  Noaks “for the first time in his life, he was resentful of the Duke’s great elegance and average stature, his high lineage and incomputable wealth” (48).  The Duke had everything, even the attention of the landlord’s daughter!

            The characters of Zuleika Dobson are typical of undergraduate life.  Moreover, the themes such as love in Zuleika is also typical of undergraduate life.  At the point in time when one is thinking of their future partner, love can be blown out of proportion as it is accurately represented in Zuleika.