Oxford is not just a backdrop but almost a character in Pullman’s work. The city and its universities heavily inspire the fictional setting of Jordan College in His Dark Materials. In the parallel world of Lyra Belacqua, the protagonist, Jordan College, is a place of mystery, learning, and adventure, mirroring the real-world colleges of Oxford.
Philip Pullman, the renowned author of the His Dark Materials đź”—Â trilogy, has a deep and multifaceted relationship with Oxford, a city that significantly influences his life and work. The city’s architecture, academic atmosphere, and history permeate the narrative, providing a richly detailed and immersive environment for the story.
Pullman studied English at Exeter College, Oxford, which played a formative role in his development as a writer. Although he has sometimes expressed mixed feelings about his university experience, citing it as both stimulating and alienating, Oxford undoubtedly left a lasting impact on him. He has lived in or near Oxford for much of his life, making it a central part of his personal and professional identity.
Who is Philip Pullman?
Philip Pullman is a highly acclaimed British author best known for his His Dark Materials trilogy, which includes the novels Northern Lights (published as The Golden Compass in the United States), The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. These works, which blend elements of fantasy, science fiction, and theology, have made Pullman one of the most prominent and influential contemporary writers in the genre (he was, in fact, given a knighthood in 2019 for services to literature).
Philip Pullman was born in Norwich, England on October 19, 1946. He spent much of his early childhood travelling, as his father was a Royal Air Force pilot who died in a plane crash when Pullman was seven. Afterwards, Pullman and his family moved frequently, including spending time in Australia before settling in Wales. He attended Ysgol Ardudwy, a secondary school in Harlech, Gwynedd, and later studied English at Exeter College. His time at Oxford was formative, although he has spoken about feeling somewhat out of place in the university’s elite environment.
Career and Major Works
After completing his education, Pullman became a teacher, spending many years teaching middle school children and eventually teaching part-time at Westminster College, Oxford. During this period, he began writing, initially focusing on children’s literature.
His early works, like Count Karlstein đź”—Â (1982) and The Ruby in the Smoke đź”— (1985), were well-received, but it was the His Dark Materials series that brought him international fame and critical acclaim. The trilogy, published between 1995 and 2000, explores complex themes such as the nature of consciousness, the struggle between authority and individual freedom, and the intersection of science and religion. The Amber Spyglass đź”—, the final book in the trilogy, won the 2001 Whitbread Book of the Year award, making Pullman the first children’s book author to receive this prestigious honour. The trilogy has been adapted into various media, including a successful stage play, a 2007 film adaptation of The Golden Compass, and a recent television series by the BBC and HBO.
In addition to His Dark Materials, Pullman has written other significant works, including The Book of Dust trilogy, a companion series to His Dark Materials. The first volume, La Belle Sauvage, was published in 2017, and the second, The Secret Commonwealth, in 2019.
Oxford in Philip Pullman's Writing
In Pullman’s work, Oxford serves as a symbol of knowledge, discovery, and the intersection of science and magic. The city’s architecture, academic atmosphere, and history permeate the narrative, providing a richly detailed and immersive environment for the story.
In recognition of his contributions to literature and his connection to the city, Pullman has been honoured in various ways by Oxford. For instance, he has received honorary degrees from the University of Oxford, reflecting the esteem in which he is held both locally and globally. Pullman’s work has also contributed to Oxford’s cultural landscape, attracting fans and scholars to the city to explore the locations that inspired his stories. What’s more, tours and events đź”—Â related to His Dark Materials often highlight Oxford as a key site, demonstrating the city’s ongoing significance to his literary legacy.
Jordan College (His Dark Materials)
Jordan College is vividly depicted as a bastion of learning, steeped in tradition and shrouded in an air of mystery. Its ancient libraries, filled with dusty, leather-bound volumes, and its echoing halls, lined with portraits of long-departed scholars, create an atmosphere of both intellectual rigour and historical depth. The college is portrayed as a place where knowledge is both revered and guarded, with scholars who have devoted their lives to research and the pursuit of wisdom. These scholars cloistered within the college’s aged walls, engage in secretive and often esoteric studies, contributing to the college’s aura of hidden knowledge and untold secrets.
Jordan College is not just a setting but a pivotal force in Lyra Belacqua’s early life and in the broader narrative of His Dark Materials. It is within the college’s protective environment that Lyra grows up, learning about the world through overheard conversations and clandestine explorations of its many nooks and crannies.
- Location: Jordan College, where the protagonist, Lyra Belacqua, grows up, is a fictional institution based on Oxford’s colleges. While Jordan College does not exist, it draws heavily from Pullman’s experiences and observations of Oxford. In particular, it resembles Exeter College, where Pullman himself studied, along with elements from other Oxford colleges.
The Botanic Garden (His Dark Materials)
The garden is the setting for the poignant final scene between Lyra and Will Parry, where they agree to meet every year in their respective worlds at the same time, despite being forever separated by the boundaries of their different dimensions.
The garden symbolizes a place of peace and reconciliation, tying the narrative back to the real world and emphasizing themes of love, loss, and the passage of time.
This serene and meticulously cultivated garden, nestled by the River Cherwell, becomes a poignant setting for one of the most emotionally charged scenes in the entire series. In the narrative, the Botanic Garden transcends its role as a mere physical location, transforming into a symbol of connection, memory, and the passage of time.
- Location: The Botanic Garden in Oxford is a real place that becomes significant in The Amber Spyglass, the final book of the His Dark Materials trilogy. The Botanic Garden in Oxford is one of the oldest and most significant botanical gardens in the United Kingdom, and indeed, the world. Established in 1621, it was originally founded as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants for the university’s medical students.
St. Scholastica's Day Riots (Lyra's Oxford)
Pullman skillfully weaves the historical tension between “town and gown,” exemplified by the St. Scholastica’s Day Riots, into the fabric of his storytelling, using it as a backdrop that adds layers of meaning to his narrative. The St. Scholastica’s Day Riots, which occurred in 1355, was a violent conflict between Oxford University students (“gown”) and the townspeople (“town”), highlighting the long-standing social and economic friction between these two groups.
By referencing or alluding to such historical events in his work, Pullman not only grounds his fantasy elements in a real and tangible historical context but also brings a sense of authenticity and depth to his fictional world.
- Reference: In the novella Lyra’s Oxford (2003), Pullman alludes to the real historical event known as the St. Scholastica’s Day riot, which took place in 1355 between students and townsfolk in Oxford.
Port Meadow (La Belle Sauvage)
Port Meadow becomes a striking and atmospheric setting in La Belle Sauvage, where it plays a crucial role in the unfolding drama of the story. As a vast, open expanse of common land in Oxfordshire, Port Meadow is transformed into a chaotic and perilous landscape when a devastating flood overtakes it, turning its familiar, pastoral beauty into a scene of wild, untamed danger.
The protagonist, Malcolm Polstead, finds himself navigating this treacherous terrain in his canoe, La Belle Sauvage, as he takes on the daunting task of protecting the infant Lyra from the rising waters and the various threats that emerge in the wake of the flood.
Pullman’s vivid descriptions of the floodwaters surging across Port Meadow, engulfing its grassy plains and ancient trees, convey a deep sense of immersion, pulling readers into the heart of the storm.
- Setting: In La Belle Sauvage (2017), the first book of The Book of Dust trilogy, Port Meadow, a large area of common land in Oxford, is prominently featured. The portrayal of the meadow, both before and during the flood, reflects Pullman’s profound familiarity with and affection for the Oxfordshire countryside.
The Bodleian Library (La Belle Sauvage)
In Philip Pullman’s works, particularly La Belle Sauvage, “Bodley’s Library” emerges as a central and symbolically charged location, serving as the repository for the Bodleian alethiometer, a crucial artefact that plays a significant role in the unfolding narrative. This fictionalized version of Oxford’s Bodleian Library is depicted as an ancient and hallowed institution steeped in centuries of tradition and scholarly rigour. The library is more than just a physical space; it represents the convergence of knowledge, power, and mystery, embodying the intellectual heart of the world Pullman has crafted.
“Bodley’s Library” is portrayed as a labyrinth of dusty tomes, hidden alcoves, and towering shelves filled with rare and precious manuscripts. It is a place where the pursuit of knowledge is not only an academic endeavour but also a deeply spiritual and almost mystical journey. The scholars who inhabit this space are depicted as guardians of arcane wisdom, their lives dedicated to uncovering and preserving truths that are often beyond the grasp of ordinary understanding.
- Location: The real Bodleian Library, often referred to as “Bodley’s Library,” is one of the oldest and most prestigious libraries in Europe, founded in 1602 as a continuation of an Oxford library dating back to the early 1300s. The library’s reputation was solidified in the 1430s by a major donation of manuscripts from Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and further enhanced by the extensive support of Thomas Bodley in the early 17th century, which also led to its iconic Gothic buildings.Â
The Covered Market (His Dark Materials)
The Covered Market in Oxford, a historic and bustling marketplace, served as a vivid source of inspiration for Philip Pullman in his creation of the world within His Dark Materials and other related works. Established in the 1770s, the Covered Market has long been a central hub of commerce in Oxford, characterized by its narrow alleys, a variety of independent shops, and the lively atmosphere that comes with a mix of both locals and visitors. This vibrant setting, with its rich sensory details and sense of hidden corners, undoubtedly influenced Pullman’s depiction of market scenes in his stories.
In Pullman’s narrative, markets are often depicted as places where the ordinary and the extraordinary meet—where everyday life brushes up against the mysterious and the magical. The Covered Market, with its labyrinthine layout and eclectic mix of vendors, mirrors this dynamic. The market’s atmosphere, filled with the scents of fresh produce, the sounds of haggling customers, and the sights of colourful stalls, is reflected in Pullman’s detailed descriptions of marketplaces within his fictional worlds.
- Inspiration: The Covered Market in Oxford is a bustling place that inspired the market scenes in His Dark Materials. Its historical charm and enduring presence in Oxford contribute to a sense of continuity and tradition, themes that resonate throughout Pullman’s work.Â
The Pitt Rivers Museum (His Dark Materials)
Although not directly named, the mysterious and exotic artefacts found in various institutions within Pullman’s world, such as the alethiometer in His Dark Materials, are reminiscent of the kinds of objects housed in the Pitt Rivers Museum. The sense of wonder and discovery that the museum evokes is mirrored in Pullman’s writing.
- Inspiration: The Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, known for its eclectic collection of anthropological artefacts, is echoed in the books. Founded in 1884, the museum was established with the donation of General Augustus Pitt Rivers’ personal collection to the University of Oxford. What makes the Pitt Rivers Museum particularly unique is its unconventional approach to display and organization, which emphasizes cultural comparison and the thematic arrangement of objects.
Godstow Abbey (La Belle Sauvage)
Godstow Abbey plays a significant role in Philip Pullman’s La Belle Sauvage, the first book of The Book of Dust trilogy. In the novel, Godstow Abbey is depicted as a mysterious and evocative setting that is central to the unfolding drama and adventure. The abbey, located near Oxford on the banks of the River Thames, is portrayed as a place steeped in history and cloaked in an aura of otherworldly significance, reflecting Pullman’s skill in blending real locations with his richly imagined world.
In the story, the ruins of Godstow Abbey serve as a refuge and a place of sanctuary for Malcolm Polstead, the protagonist, and the infant Lyra Belacqua as they flee from dangerous forces during a catastrophic flood. The abbey’s ancient and crumbling walls, combined with the rising floodwaters, create a haunting and atmospheric backdrop that heightens the tension and sense of peril in the narrative. It becomes a site where Malcolm’s courage and resourcefulness are put to the test, and where the boundary between the ordinary and the magical seems to blur.
- Inspiration: The abbey was founded in the 12th century as a Benedictine nunnery and became well-known due to its association with Rosamund Clifford, the famed mistress of King Henry II, who was buried there. Over the centuries, the abbey fell into ruin, and today, only remnants of its structure remain.
