Oxford Essayists

Two Upper Sixth students have been commended in prestigious essay competitions run by the University of Oxford.

Livia’s essay, jointly awarded second place in the Mary Renault Prize for Classics, was entitled: How and why do the characters of Jocasta, Antigone & Ismene differ between Children of Jocasta (Natalie Haynes) and the Oedipus myth by Sophocles? The annual prize is in memory of the author Mary Renault, best known for her historical novels set in ancient Greece. Renault read English at St Hugh’s College Oxford in the 1920s and subsequently taught herself ancient Greek.

Head Girl Charlotte was commended in the Julia Wood Prize History for her essay: Beyond ‘The Art of War’: Espionage Prior to the 18th Century. The prize was established in 1971, in memory of a St Hugh’s College historian; this year’s competition attracted over 350 entries.