Jordan College, Oxford

From Multiversal Omnipedia
Jump to: navigation, search

Jordan College, Oxford is a college that features in His Dark Materials.

Contents

History

The earliest of the buildings were constructed in the Middle Ages, and the most recent in the mid-18th century.

Overview

The college is considered one of, if not the, most prestigious colleges in Brytain. Certainly, in the field of experimental theology, including the study of Dust, it is considered the top college in the world. It has been attended by several notable people, including Lord Asriel. The college itself owns other estates all over the isle, those paying it rent including farms, dye-works, brick-kilns, and atomcraft-works.

The college is situated next to St Michael's College and Brasenose College on Turl Street, and Gabriel College and Balliol College on Broad Street. Most visitors enter Jordan College via the Lodge. The layout of the college and the juxtaposition of many of its features are reminiscent of Exeter College. In particular both colleges are situated between Turl Street, the Sheldonian Theatre (known as the "Sheldon Building" in Pullman's work), and the Bodleian Library. A feature of both Exeter College and the fictional college is the Palmer's Tower (also known as Pilgrim's Tower in Northern Lights). As in the fictional milieu of Jordan College the Rector's Lodging of Exeter College communicates (slightly indirectly) with the Fellows Garden (cf Pullman's Library Garden) via French windows.

A prominent feature of the Fellows Garden at Exeter College is that it contains the college library and is overlooked by both the Bodleian Library, and the Radcliffe Camera (another library). The college's buildings are grouped around three irregular quadrangles, the most important of which—the Melrose Quadrangle—is the college Library. The Library on one side leads out to the Library Gardens, and on the other connects to the Scholar's Common Room, which leads to the grand Hall, which is laid out with a table to seat all the Scholars and Under-Scholars. At the back of the Hall is the Retiring Room of the Master and other privileged Scholars. The Yaxley Quadrangle, which also backs onto the Library Gardens, houses some of the oldest buildings in the college, including the Master's Lodging, and was where Lyra Belacqua had her bedroom during her time at the college. Amongst the college's buildings are the Pilgrim's Tower and the Chapel, which includes the Oratory and leads down to the crypts of esteemed deceased Scholars.

The college is attended by the Master, the titled Scholars, the other Scholars and the Under-Scholars, as well as various servants and other contributors.

Positions included:

  • Master : The Master of Jordan College is the highest-ranking Scholar, and oversees the college's affairs in all sectors.
  • Cassington Scholar : One of the younger and more energetic Scholars that was a post usually given to a "free-thinker".
  • Chaplain :
  • Dean :
  • Enquirer :
  • Intercessor : An emissary of the Church who leads all the college services, preaches and prays and hears confessions.
  • Librarian : In charge of the Library.
  • Palmerian Professor :
  • Precentor :
  • Sub-Rector :
  • Steward : Head of the servants of Jordan College.
  • Butler : Reports only to the Steward. There is an established rivalry between the positions.
  • Porter : Reports to the Butler.

Members

  • Lyra Silvertongue :

Notes

  • Jordan College, Oxford was created by Phillip Pullman where it featured in the setting of His Dark Material.
  • The location and layout of Jordan College in the parallel universe is analogous to the location of Exeter College, Philip Pullman's alma mater, in the real city of Oxford. However, unlike the fictional college, Exeter College is not the oldest (it is the fourth oldest), richest, or most prestigious college of the University of Oxford. As described by Pullman, the college is something of an exaggerated version of a real Oxford college, rambling above and below ground in a motley selection of buildings, cellars and tunnels constructed over several centuries:

Appearances

  • His Dark Material:

External Links

This article is a stub. You can help Multiversal Omnipedia by expanding it.

Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Toolbox