Fifth Business by Robertson Davies: Summary, Characters, Themes and Critical Analysis

Introduction

Fifth Business is a famous novel written by Canadian author Robertson Davies. It was published in 1970 and is the first novel in his well-known Deptford Trilogy. The other two novels in the trilogy are The Manticore (1972) and World of Wonders (1975).

The novel explores guilt, responsibility, religion, psychology, myth, identity, and the hidden influence of the past on human life. It tells the story of Dunstan Ramsay, a Canadian schoolteacher who looks back on his life and attempts to explain the events that have shaped his identity.

A childhood incident involving a snowball changes the lives of several people. Although the incident appears simple, its consequences continue throughout their lives. Through this event, Davies examines how guilt, secrets, ambition, and personal responsibility can influence human relationships.

The title refers to the theatrical idea of “fifth business,” a character who is not the hero or heroine but plays an essential role in the development of the story. Dunstan believes that his own life has placed him in a similar position.

Fifth Business is an important work of Canadian literature because it combines psychological realism, mythology, religious symbolism, and the exploration of small-town Canadian society.

About the Author: Robertson Davies

Robertson Davies was a Canadian novelist, playwright, critic, journalist, and academic. He was born on 28 August 1913 in Thamesville, Ontario, Canada, and died on 2 December 1995.

Davies became known for his intelligent, humorous, and psychologically complex novels. His writing frequently explores human ambition, religious belief, myth, theatre, education, and the hidden motives behind people's actions.

His important works include Tempest-Tost (1951), Fifth Business (1970), The Manticore (1972), World of Wonders (1975), and The Rebel Angels (1981).

Davies often presents ordinary people whose lives contain unexpected psychological and spiritual complexity. In Fifth Business, he combines the realistic setting of a Canadian town with questions about saints, miracles, guilt, and the unconscious mind.

Background of Fifth Business

The novel is set mainly in the fictional Canadian town of Deptford, Ontario. Its narrative follows Dunstan Ramsay from childhood into old age.

The story reflects the social and religious atmosphere of early twentieth-century Canada. Small-town life is shaped by family reputation, religious expectations, education, and community judgement.

Davies uses this setting to explore how apparently ordinary events can have lifelong consequences.

The novel also draws on mythology, Catholic traditions, psychology, and the history of saints. These elements encourage readers to look beyond the surface of everyday life and consider the deeper meanings that people attach to their experiences.

Summary of Fifth Business

1. The Snowball Incident

The novel begins with a childhood incident in Deptford. Dunstan Ramsay and his friend Percy Boyd Staunton are involved in a disagreement during the winter.

Percy throws a snowball at Dunstan, who moves out of the way. The snowball strikes Mrs Mary Dempster, a pregnant woman who is walking nearby.

The accident causes Mrs Dempster to go into premature labour. Her child, Paul Dempster, is born prematurely, and the family experiences serious difficulties.

Although the event is accidental, it becomes the starting point of a long chain of emotional and psychological consequences.

Dunstan feels guilty because he believes his actions contributed to what happened. Percy, however, does not accept responsibility in the same way.

The snowball incident becomes a symbol of how small actions can influence lives in ways that cannot be predicted.

2. Dunstan's Sense of Guilt

Dunstan Ramsay continues to feel responsible for Mrs Dempster's suffering. His guilt becomes one of the defining features of his personality.

He develops a strong interest in Mrs Dempster and attempts to understand her unusual behaviour and religious experiences.

Dunstan's sense of responsibility also influences his relationship with religion. He begins to question the difference between ordinary explanations and spiritual interpretations of events.

The novel shows that guilt is not always based on clear moral responsibility. Sometimes people feel responsible for events that they did not intend to cause.

Dunstan's lifelong struggle reveals how guilt can shape memory, identity, and personal choices.

3. Mrs Mary Dempster

Mrs Mary Dempster is one of the most important characters in the novel. After the snowball incident, she experiences profound changes in her life and behaviour.

Dunstan becomes fascinated by her spiritual experiences and believes that she may possess qualities associated with holiness.

Other members of the community often misunderstand or judge her. Her behaviour does not fit easily into conventional social expectations.

Through Mrs Dempster, Davies explores the relationship between mental suffering, religious faith, social judgement, and the possibility of spiritual greatness.

The novel does not offer a simple explanation for all her experiences. Instead, it encourages readers to consider the different ways people interpret extraordinary events.

4. Dunstan's Education and Military Service

As Dunstan grows older, he leaves Deptford and develops an interest in history, mythology, and religion.

He becomes a teacher and eventually an academic figure. His intellectual interests are closely connected to his desire to understand the world and his own experiences.

During the First World War, Dunstan serves as a soldier and experiences the physical and emotional realities of conflict. His wartime experiences further influence his understanding of suffering, death, and human responsibility.

After the war, he continues to study saints and religious traditions. His research becomes a way of exploring questions that ordinary explanations cannot fully resolve.

5. Dunstan and the Saints

One of the most important developments in Dunstan's life is his interest in the lives of saints.

He becomes particularly interested in saints who are associated with unusual experiences, miracles, and spiritual devotion.

His studies lead him to travel and investigate religious traditions. He attempts to understand whether holiness can be recognised through ordinary standards of behaviour.

Dunstan's interest in saints is connected to his feelings about Mrs Dempster. He believes that her experiences may reveal something about the nature of spiritual greatness.

Davies uses this interest to question the boundaries between reason, faith, psychology, and mystery.

6. Percy Boyd Staunton's Success

Percy Boyd Staunton, who later becomes known as Boy Staunton, follows a very different path from Dunstan.

Boy becomes wealthy, successful, and influential. He represents ambition, social power, material success, and public respectability.

Despite his achievements, his life remains connected to the childhood incident that affected Mrs Dempster and Paul.

Boy's confidence contrasts with Dunstan's self-questioning. While Dunstan spends much of his life examining the past, Boy tends to believe in his own success and control over events.

Their contrasting lives allow Davies to examine whether material achievement is a reliable measure of personal fulfilment.

7. Paul Dempster and the World of Magic

Paul Dempster, the son of Mrs Dempster, becomes an important figure in the novel.

As he grows older, Paul develops an interest in performance and magic. He eventually adopts the name Magnus Eisengrim and builds a successful career as a magician.

His career is significant because magic depends on illusion, mystery, and the ability to make audiences question what they see.

Paul's life contrasts with Dunstan's search for explanations. Dunstan attempts to understand the hidden meanings of events, while Paul makes a profession out of creating illusions.

Their relationship also connects the novel's exploration of childhood, trauma, performance, and identity.

8. The Mystery of Boy Staunton's Death

The novel's narrative eventually returns to Boy Staunton and the unresolved consequences of the childhood incident.

Boy's death becomes a mystery connected to the history shared by Dunstan, Paul, and the people of Deptford.

The circumstances surrounding his death encourage readers to reconsider the significance of the snowball incident and the responsibilities that have remained hidden for many years.

The novel does not simply present a conventional detective story. Instead, the mystery becomes a way of examining guilt, memory, moral responsibility, and the consequences of past actions.

9. Dunstan's Final Reflections

As Dunstan grows older, he attempts to make sense of his life and the roles he has played in the lives of others.

He recognises that his identity cannot be explained only through professional achievements or public recognition.

His life has been shaped by guilt, friendship, religious questions, personal sacrifices, and his fascination with the extraordinary.

The novel ends by reinforcing the importance of examining the hidden connections between people's lives. Dunstan's story suggests that even those who do not occupy the centre of public attention may play essential roles in the lives of others.

Major Characters in Fifth Business

1. Dunstan Ramsay

Dunstan Ramsay is the narrator and central character of the novel. He is a thoughtful and intelligent man whose life is deeply influenced by guilt over the snowball incident.

He becomes a teacher, scholar, and student of saints. His interests reveal his desire to understand the relationship between ordinary life and spiritual mystery.

Dunstan represents self-examination, memory, and the search for meaning. He is not a conventional hero, but his influence on other characters is considerable.

2. Percy Boyd Staunton / Boy Staunton

Percy Boyd Staunton is Dunstan's childhood friend and later a wealthy businessman. He represents ambition, social success, materialism, and confidence.

His refusal to confront the full significance of the childhood incident contrasts with Dunstan's lifelong guilt.

Boy's character raises questions about whether wealth and public respectability can hide unresolved moral problems.

3. Mrs Mary Dempster

Mary Dempster is Paul Dempster's mother and a central figure in Dunstan's spiritual development.

After the snowball incident, her life changes dramatically. Dunstan believes that her experiences may be connected to holiness and miracles.

Her character encourages readers to question conventional judgements about mental suffering, religious belief, and human dignity.

4. Paul Dempster / Magnus Eisengrim

Paul Dempster becomes a magician and performer under the name Magnus Eisengrim.

His life is shaped by childhood experiences and his later transformation into a professional performer.

He represents illusion, reinvention, and the power of performance. His career also connects the novel's realistic setting with its exploration of mystery.

5. Leola Staunton

Leola is Boy Staunton's wife and an important figure in his personal life.

Her experiences reveal the emotional costs of living within a society that places great value on wealth, beauty, and social respectability.

Through Leola, Davies explores the pressures placed on women and the difficulties of maintaining personal identity within a marriage shaped by ambition and social expectations.

Major Themes in Fifth Business

1. Guilt and Responsibility

Guilt is one of the central themes of the novel.

Dunstan feels responsible for the accident involving Mrs Dempster, even though he did not intend to cause harm. This feeling influences his relationships and decisions throughout his life.

Boy Staunton, by contrast, does not examine the event in the same way.

The novel suggests that people respond differently to responsibility. Some repeatedly question their actions, while others attempt to ignore uncomfortable memories.

Davies encourages readers to distinguish between causing harm intentionally and feeling responsible for events beyond one's control.

2. Fate and Chance

The snowball incident appears to be an ordinary accident, but its consequences influence several lives.

The novel explores the relationship between chance and fate. A single moment can change the direction of a person's life, even when no one understands its significance at the time.

Davies does not provide a simple answer about whether life is governed by fate or random events. Instead, he shows how people interpret accidents and build meaning around them.

3. Religion and Spirituality

Religion is an important part of Dunstan's intellectual and emotional life.

His study of saints leads him to question what makes someone holy and whether miracles can be explained through ordinary reasoning.

The novel presents religious belief as a complex subject involving faith, psychology, history, and personal experience.

It does not insist that readers accept one explanation for every extraordinary event. Instead, it explores the tension between religious interpretation and rational analysis.

4. Myth and the Unconscious

Davies uses myths, legends, and psychological ideas to explore the hidden aspects of human identity.

Dunstan's interest in saints and symbolic stories suggests that people often understand their lives through narratives that extend beyond everyday experience.

The novel also reflects the influence of depth psychology, especially the idea that unconscious fears and desires can shape behaviour.

Myth becomes a way of interpreting experiences that appear confusing or irrational.

5. Identity and Self-Discovery

Dunstan spends much of his life trying to understand who he is.

He defines himself through his memories, professional work, relationships, and interest in religious history. Yet he gradually recognises that no single description can explain his entire identity.

Paul's transformation into Magnus Eisengrim offers another example of identity as something that can change through performance and personal reinvention.

The novel suggests that self-understanding requires examining both public achievements and hidden emotional experiences.

6. Appearance and Reality

The difference between appearance and reality is a major concern in the novel.

Boy Staunton appears to be a successful and confident man, but his public image does not necessarily reveal the full complexity of his inner life.

Paul's career as a magician also depends on the gap between what audiences see and what actually happens.

Through these characters, Davies suggests that people and events often contain hidden meanings that cannot be understood through appearances alone.

7. Social Respectability and Hypocrisy

Deptford society places great value on reputation, religious conformity, and social status.

However, the behaviour of the characters reveals that respectability does not always correspond to moral goodness.

Some individuals who are treated as outsiders may possess qualities that others fail to recognise. Meanwhile, socially successful people may avoid confronting uncomfortable truths.

The novel questions the tendency to judge individuals only by their public image.

8. Friendship and Rivalry

The relationship between Dunstan and Boy is central to the novel.

Their lives develop in different directions, but they remain connected through their childhood experiences.

Dunstan's reflective personality contrasts with Boy's ambition and confidence. Their relationship demonstrates how childhood events can continue to influence adult friendships and rivalries.

Significance of the Title

The title Fifth Business comes from the world of theatre and opera.

In traditional dramatic terminology, “fifth business” refers to a supporting character who is not the hero, heroine, villain, or another principal figure but whose role is necessary for the action to develop.

Such a character may appear secondary, yet the story cannot function properly without them.

Dunstan Ramsay believes that he occupies this position in life. He is not always the centre of events, but he plays an important role in the lives of Boy Staunton, Mary Dempster, and Paul Dempster.

The title also suggests that people may misunderstand the importance of their own lives. A person who appears to be a minor figure may influence major events in unexpected ways.

Therefore, the title reflects Dunstan's position as an observer, participant, and interpreter of other people's stories.

Literary Techniques in Fifth Business

1. First-Person Narration

The novel is narrated by Dunstan Ramsay, who looks back on his life and explains the events that shaped him.

This perspective gives readers direct access to his memories, beliefs, and doubts.

However, because the story is filtered through Dunstan's understanding, readers must also consider the limitations of his perspective.

2. Retrospective Narrative

Dunstan narrates events from a later stage of his life.

This technique allows him to reconsider childhood experiences in light of what he learns as an adult.

The retrospective structure highlights the way memory changes as people gain new knowledge and understanding.

3. Symbolism

The snowball is a central symbol of chance, guilt, and the unexpected consequences of human actions.

Magic symbolises illusion and the difference between appearance and reality.

Saints symbolise the search for holiness, moral goodness, and spiritual meaning.

4. Irony

Davies frequently uses irony to expose the gap between what characters believe about themselves and what their behaviour reveals.

Boy's confidence and public success contrast with the unresolved questions surrounding his past.

The irony encourages readers to question conventional definitions of success and importance.

5. Allusion

The novel contains references to religious traditions, mythology, literature, and psychology.

These allusions connect the characters' personal experiences to wider cultural stories and ideas.

They also support the novel's exploration of the relationship between ordinary life and deeper symbolic meanings.

6. Mystery

The unresolved questions surrounding the snowball incident and Boy's death give the novel a mystery-like structure.

However, the mystery is not only about discovering what happened. It also concerns understanding why events matter and how people interpret responsibility.

Psychological Interpretation of Fifth Business

A psychological reading focuses on the influence of guilt, childhood experiences, and unconscious motivations.

Dunstan's lifelong feelings of responsibility demonstrate how an early event can become central to a person's understanding of themselves.

His interest in saints and unusual religious experiences may also be understood as part of his effort to make sense of suffering and uncertainty.

Boy's contrasting behaviour reveals another psychological response: the tendency to avoid uncomfortable questions and maintain a positive public image.

Paul's career as a magician adds another dimension because performance allows him to create a new identity.

Through these different characters, Davies explores how people develop personal narratives to explain their lives.

Religious Symbolism in Fifth Business

Religious symbolism is central to the novel's exploration of morality and mystery.

Dunstan's study of saints encourages him to question the difference between public reputation and genuine spiritual qualities.

Mrs Dempster becomes particularly important because Dunstan believes her experiences may reveal a form of holiness that other people fail to recognise.

The novel also examines how communities judge individuals who behave differently from social expectations.

Davies does not offer a simple definition of holiness. Instead, he invites readers to consider whether spiritual greatness can exist in people whose lives do not fit conventional ideas of respectability.

The Snowball as a Symbol

The snowball is the most important symbol in the novel.

At first, it appears to be an ordinary object used in a childhood prank. However, the incident involving the snowball changes the lives of Dunstan, Mrs Dempster, Paul, and Boy.

The snowball represents the unpredictable consequences of human actions. It also symbolises the relationship between intention and responsibility.

Dunstan feels guilty because he believes that his actions contributed to the accident. Boy's different response reveals how people may interpret the same event in contrasting ways.

The snowball therefore becomes a symbol of chance, guilt, memory, and the lasting influence of childhood experiences.

Literary Significance of Fifth Business

Fifth Business is important in Canadian literature for several reasons.

First, it presents a complex portrait of a Canadian community and examines how local history influences individual lives.

Second, it combines realism with mythology, religious symbolism, and psychological interpretation.

Third, its central character challenges the traditional idea that a meaningful life must involve public achievement or heroic action.

Fourth, the novel explores the lasting consequences of guilt and the different ways people respond to responsibility.

Finally, the novel's unusual combination of mystery, autobiography, and philosophical reflection makes it valuable for students studying modern fiction.

As the opening novel of the Deptford Trilogy, Fifth Business also introduces themes and characters that develop further in The Manticore and World of Wonders.

Conclusion

Robertson Davies's Fifth Business is a rich and thought-provoking novel about guilt, chance, identity, religion, and human responsibility.

Through Dunstan Ramsay's life story, Davies shows how an apparently minor childhood event can influence several lives for decades. The snowball incident becomes a symbol of the hidden connections between people and the unpredictable consequences of their actions.

The novel also examines the difference between public success and personal fulfilment. Boy Staunton's wealth contrasts with Dunstan's search for meaning, while Paul Dempster's transformation into a magician explores the relationship between identity and illusion.

The title expresses the importance of supporting roles in human life. People who appear to stand outside the centre of events may still influence the direction of other people's stories.

Ultimately, Fifth Business encourages readers to look beyond appearances and examine the deeper psychological, moral, and spiritual forces that shape human experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who wrote Fifth Business?

Fifth Business was written by Canadian novelist Robertson Davies.

2. When was Fifth Business published?

The novel was published in 1970.

3. Who is the protagonist of Fifth Business?

Dunstan Ramsay is the narrator and central character.

4. What is the Deptford Trilogy?

It is a series of three novels by Robertson Davies: Fifth Business (1970), The Manticore (1972), and World of Wonders (1975).

5. What is the snowball incident?

Percy Boyd Staunton throws a snowball during a childhood disagreement. Dunstan moves out of its path, and it strikes Mary Dempster, leading to a premature birth and lifelong consequences for several characters.

6. Who is Boy Staunton?

Boy Staunton is the adult name of Percy Boyd Staunton, Dunstan's childhood friend who becomes a wealthy and influential businessman.

7. Who is Magnus Eisengrim?

Magnus Eisengrim is the stage name adopted by Paul Dempster, who becomes a successful magician.

8. What does the title Fifth Business mean?

It refers to a supporting character whose role is essential to a story. Dunstan sees himself as someone who is not always central to events but plays an important part in the lives of others.

9. What are the major themes of Fifth Business?

The major themes include guilt, fate, responsibility, religion, identity, myth, appearance and reality, and social respectability.

10. What is the importance of Mrs Mary Dempster?

Mary Dempster influences Dunstan's interest in saints and spirituality. Her character raises questions about holiness, social judgement, and the interpretation of unusual experiences.

11. What is the significance of the snowball?

The snowball symbolises chance, guilt, and the unexpected consequences of seemingly minor actions.

12. Why is Fifth Business important in Canadian literature?

The novel combines Canadian social history with psychological depth, religious symbolism, mythology, and an exploration of personal responsibility.

References

1. Davies, Robertson. Fifth Business. Macmillan of Canada, 1970.

2. Davies, Robertson. The Manticore. Macmillan of Canada, 1972.

3. Davies, Robertson. World of Wonders. Macmillan of Canada, 1975.

4. For further research, consult scholarly criticism on Robertson Davies, the Deptford Trilogy, Canadian fiction, and myth in modern literature.

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