Synopsis of Duns Scotus' Oxford

Location

Hopkins wrote this sonnet in 1879, whilst he was preacher at the Catholic church of St.Aloysius in Oxford. It was the first time he had returned to the city of his undergraduate days. In this sonnet, he praises the medieval philosopher who most influenced him, Duns Scotus, who taught at Oxford circa 1300; and takes the opportunity to praise the medieval part of the city. More on Oxford?

More on Oxford: Whilst back in Oxford, Hopkins wrote a number of poems, including Binsey Poplars and Henry Purcell. Another Victorian poet who praises the old university city is Matthew Arnold in his narrative poem ‘The Scholar Gipsy' (1853). Much of the old city is now surrounded by modern suburbs that hide the beauty of its medieval origins.