The survival of superstition perhaps is an odd juxtaposition in a place such as Oxford. For a place founded on the importance of reason, much of its culture is steeped in rituals and events which are not based in reason. From the historical tradition of superstition in the history of the university, to events and practices of contemporary student life, these fallacies contribute to much of the Oxford experience. How does this tradition impact a student’s experience at Oxford now? Superstition is woven in the culture of the university, especially in exam season. Carnations worn for exams have a series of rules attached; if the student does not wear the correct flower, or indeed buys their own instead of it being gifted to them by a college family member or friend, they risk academic failure. This is similar to the ‘mortarboard curse’, the idea that one would jinx themselves and their academic performance if they were to wear it before ; There are many more examples of superstition, such as having a lucky seat in a specific library, or a certain study routine in hope that it will bring a good study session or produce an excellent essay. The same can be said before and during exams. Some students (me included) will have a specific pen which they will take into an exam, the same pen which coincidently was used in a collection that got a first. A certain song played walking to the exam room; a specific pair of socks worn; a small object, a good luck charm, all taken into the exam room. While these practices are not unique to Oxford, they become significant due to the academic rigor and the intensity of the university. Superstition has been a part of Oxford since its creation. Historically, much of the superstition surrounded contemporary anxieties in the form of bad omens, evil spirits and, especially in the early modern period, witches. During the medieval period, important books and manuscripts were chained to the desks, with curses put on them. These curses (usually written in the margins of books in the Bodleian) relied on divine superstition and the fear of damnation to protect such material. This was done in fear of losing intellectual material in an era where such publications were rare and difficult to create. Stealing, defacing or failing to return books were thought to be punished by a curse from God – leading to bad fortune, death or excommunication. Other chained libraries were commonplace in libraries such as Merton and Brasenose (which contained additional copies of books from the Bod), due to the fear that unchained books would vanish or lead to bad luck falling upon the university. This superstition meant that the system of chaining books contained long after books were cheaper to produce; Merton did not officially unchain its books until 1792. Evidently this is not the case anymore and these practices have disappeared but it shows that student’s relationship with such historical rituals has continued. When the Bodleian library was returned to the university in 1602, a fire oath was introduced, one which we still acknowledge and swear today. This ritual of the medieval period has become institutionalised in the culture of the university and has now become a symbol of academic belonging within the student body. Examples of historical superstition which do not directly impact the students’ experience of Oxford can still be found in and centering the buildings of the university. Apotropaic witch marks in the same of ‘V’ symbols can still be seen on college bricks, which were marked in an attempt to shield the university for the perceived effect of witches and bad omens. The very nature of Oxford’s superstitious atmosphere is continued through the evidence of past attempts to ward off threats to the university. More attempts to shield the university and its students from bad luck can also been seen in college folklore; the Ascension day escape, which is a long running rivalry between Brasenose and Lincoln due to the latter’s refusal to allow refuge to a student who was being hunted down by and angry mob, has led to myth surround a single hidden door. This door is rumoured to be diligently opened annually on ascension day in Lincoln, to ward off bad omens for the students in the academic year. This ritual perhaps is an act of penance to the spirit of the student who was denied entry, illustrating how stories passed down from generation to generation actively shape contemporary student life. In many ways, it is not surprising that Oxford is full of superstitious tradition and behavior. It is an evolutionary behaviour that humans attempt to find false positives in life, as assuming connections in nature led to survival. In an environment which generates deep anxieties and periods of high intensity, the illusion of control means that such rituals create a false yet comforting sense of agency. Students throughout Oxford’s history have found ways to cognitively shed the load of their anxiety, through rituals, events and routines. While this was done to find comfort and protection from spiritual and supernatural threats, nowadays students turn to lucky charms, carnations and carefully crafted routines to achieve psychological control over unpredictable circumstances. While the specific threat or fear that generated the superstition has changed, the desire to shield yourself from hardship has remained similar. It does not seem strange then, that with the stresses that this university puts upon its students, we continue to follow and act in the tradition of superstition in a way to create a sense of control and belonging within a system which can be highly unpredictable. The post The tradition of superstition at Oxford appeared first on The Oxford Student.
This is a digital representation, not a photograph.
