Zuleika Dobson Or An Oxford Love Story

Zuleika Dobson, or An Oxford Love Story by Max Beerbohm is a satirical and absurd comedy set in the prestigious world of Oxford University. The novel follows Zuleika Dobson, a stunningly beautiful young woman who arrives at Oxford and unwittingly becomes the center of a romantic frenzy among the male students. Her arrival causes an uproar, and nearly every young man in Oxford falls hopelessly in love with her, leading to a series of increasingly ridiculous and farcical events.
Through Zuleika’s beauty and her indifference to the attention she receives, Beerbohm explores themes of vanity, superficiality, and the absurdity of societal conventions around love and desire. The novel humorously critiques the notion of idealized beauty, unrequited love, and the trivial pursuits of the privileged youth in Edwardian society. It also delves into the existential boredom and emptiness that can accompany wealth, status, and unchallenged privilege. Zuleika Dobson is a biting satire of the romanticized ideals of love, power, and beauty, while also offering a sharp critique of the pretensions of the social elite. Beerbohm’s wit and observational humor make the novel both a comedy and a profound commentary on the absurdities of life in early 20th-century England.