The novel Zuleika Dobson by Max Beerbohm is a darkly satirical and hilarious piece of literature that parodies life at Oxford and the tendency of young men to become entranced with a beautiful girl. The character of Zuleika is an interesting one, as she is not classically beautiful but inordinately attractive, and she enjoys the attention she receives from men. However, she longs for a man who is impervious to her charms and falls in love with the Duke of Dorset. The Duke is a caricature of a young, serious university student who considers himself talented and above the mediocre scholars. His self-esteem leads him to his foolish death as he takes an ill omen to be a harbinger of his own demise and kills himself out of a sense of dramatic duty.
Beerbohm creates lovable yet deeply flawed characters, providing a profound moral lesson while entertaining. Zuleika Dobson is a well-crafted satire that highlights the flaws of young men and women, and the pitfalls of their egocentric coldness and self-esteem. While the characters are exaggerated, they offer useful insight into the nature of people, and the novel remains relevant today. The reader is left with a sense of amusement and a deeper understanding of the human condition.
