Wednesday was our first day of Oxford Fantasists, and it went pretty well. The style of the course is discussion-based and the group of 6 from Bridgewater gathers around a table in a small classroom. Dr. Plaskitt meets us there on the scheduled days at 3, and we each start a small discussion based off some of the questions. First day we went over Tolkien's essay on Faerie stories and a few of the short stories such as Bluebeard and Rumpelstiltskin. It was interesting! Earlier in the day we had breakfast in hall, each of the grand tables lined with pots of tea and coffee, toast racks, and a line leading up to buffet breakfast: croissants, two types of eggs, baked beans (!), roasted tomatoes, fruit, yogurts, cereals....and as soon as you're finished eating someone is by to whisk your plate away and refill the toast trays.
Yesterday was a very full day, but great. It started off with the flea market on Gloucester Green which had tables of antiques, oddities and collections (such as U.S. nickels), artwork, clothing and so forth. Next we stopped for a quick lunch at Boots and took it back to the dormitories to get ready for the Bodleian Library. An honorable experience I could call it as we were to become admitted to the library as one of its readers, which is done by taking an oath. The initiation took place in a magnificent building which I learned was a Parliament room. The hall is lined with pews made of a dark wood, with the individual arm rests at the top row, leading up to a somewhat daunting post and chair (looking almost like a thrown) where the head of parliament would sit (which uses a more specific vocabulary word I'm sure). The director of admissions gave us a history of the Bodleian and described the several library buildings and the extensive works we now have at our finger tips- the library is reference only, meaning that you can only have access to the books if you are a reader and while you are inside the library walls. It was also a heads up to get a move on with our essay sources!
After the initiation ceremony the BSC group went outside, through an arch and the Radcliffe Camera was revealed to us- this is the architecturally well-known library building for its circular form and dome top. The Radcliffe was surrounded by the cobblestone, black iron gates, the St. Mary the Virgin Cathedral behind it (this will be climbed), as well as the walls and college buildings of the university. This was fun to see after reading the Golden Compass for our class, some of which was set at Oxford University, and then seeing it in the movie (which was not very good but it's always neat to visit such places)...a real place that an author took to another level with his imagination.
After this we strolled on Broad street a bit, and used our new Bodliean reader cards for a discount at the college store, we (the BSC group) purchased Oxford sweatshirts and tshirts and some souvenirs for the family, mine is a burgundy/plum-purple:) We also went to Ben's Cookies, a cookie stand in the covered market with a warm variety and delightful organic milk. For the evening, the same group (most of us are either seniors at BSC and some graduate students) went to The Eagle and Child pub, known for its meeting place of Tolkien and C.S.Lewis for fantasy discussions, many themes in which were disagreed upon. And each had a round of English beers of course. And finally, on return to Wadham we attended the college's performance of the Tempest, one of Shakespeare's last significant plays I think. I am not familiar with the plot and Shakespeare in general, but it was really an enjoyable performance. It took place outside on the grass and the chairs were lined in rows in the shape of a circle, so that the stage was in the middle and lit with torches. These were basically tiki torches that repel insects- or attempt to do so but it set the mood. There were a small number of actors- all very talented and funny who also sang, accompanied by just a few props and instruments. This lessened the distance between the performers and the viewers- in thought and actuality.
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