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As a lover, fan, and devout reader of English Literature, I thought Oxford would be the ideal destination to examine the local attitude towards the literary masterpieces of Britain. With eclectic libraries on every street corner and the title “Oxford Bookshop” drawing my eyes on my 7AM morning runs, my excitement to be in this mecca of literature grew exponentially.
Curious about the Brits’ perspectives on their own English classics, I was excited to ask locals in downtown Oxford for their opinions. I inquired along the lines of which novels in particular had made an impact on their personal lives; soon, I shifted to asking whether or not the norms and values delivered in the texts still play a viable role in their community’s culture. For example; are the rigid social hierarchy and strict marriage laws still prominent in regions of Britain?
I entered the interview process with the mindset that I would receive excess information and prodigious insight. Additionally, through understanding Oxford resident’s views on their native literature, I would be able to gain new perspectives on my favorite works. For one who finds endless beauty in Austen’s elegantly crafted language or in Hardy’s poignant and heartbreaking stories, this seemed perfect.
Surprisingly, I was disappointed with the answers I received.
One local after another, ranging in all ages, pondered endlessly to recall just one English novel. After an awkward minute of silence, waiting for their input, the most common remarks included something like Mrs. Jan Pettin’s response: “Like Jane Austen and Thomas Hardy? I don’t remember, really.”
A resident and shopper who refused to give his name, claimed as an “Oxford guy” by his girlfriend, mentioned “Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles” yet stated, “I don’t remember a novel having a particular impact on me.”
Shockingly, in Oxford, this presumed oasis of intellect and philosophy, English literary tradition did not seem to make the slightest dent on common residents’ identities. When I think of Britain, personally, the Brontë sisters and Charles Dickens, among other English writers, are the central fountains in the garden of British culture.
Don’t they teach these novels in schools? I thought. But I was wrong. An employee at the Greek Restaurant at Oxford’s Covered Market informed me “in schools in the UK, they don’t focus on it much. Just at Oxford (as in the university). Amongst the youth there is a lot less reading.” Shopper Mrs. Kimberly Clarke augmented this statement, noting: “Quite honestly, the language is difficult. It is easier to understand on television.”
