Fifth Business

Mary Dempster's first miracle in Robertson Davies' Fifth Business is saving Dunstan's brother, Willie, from death. While Dunstan believes Willie has died, Mary revives him, which Dunstan considers a...

Dunstan dates three different women: Agnes Day, Gloria Mundy, and Libby Doe. These names all aptly or accurately describe each woman’s character.

In Fifth Business, the "cabal" refers to five characters involved in Boy Staunton's death: Boy himself, his wife Denyse Hornick ("the woman he knew"), Leisl ("the woman he did not know"), Magnus...

The theme of sainthood in Fifth Business is significant through the characters of Dunstan Ramsay and Mary Dempster. Dunstan is obsessed with saints due to their supernatural aspects, not religious...

Mary Dempster serves as a mother figure to Dunstan Ramsay by stepping in as a responsible adult when she saves his brother, temporarily replacing his own mother. This act foreshadows her role in...

Dunstan's mother in Fifth Business impacts him by her domineering and controlling attitude. In his future relationships with women, he often seeks to find a different kind of person than his mother...

The quote refers to two women: "the woman he knew" is likely Boy Staunton's second wife, Denyse Hornick, whose ambition may have contributed to his despair. "The woman he did not know" could be...

In Fifth Business, major themes include guilt, redemption, and the complexity of human psychology. Symbols such as Mrs. Dempster's statue represent sainthood and transformation, while the stone...

Davies, author of Fifth Business, uses his definition of "fifth business" as the touchstone for the character of Dunstan Ramsay throughout the book. As narrator of the book, Dunstan is always "fifth...

Percy Boyd Staunton, also known as Boy Staunton, does not die in Fifth Business but in the third book of the series, World of Wonders. His death is linked to Magnus Eisengrim, who may have suggested...

Dunstan Ramsay changes his name from Dunstable to Dunstan after his nurse and girlfriend, Diana, suggests it. She finds "Dunstable" cumbersome and proposes "Dunstan," after St. Dunstan, who shared...

By introducing Reverend Leadbeater in Fifth Business, Davies provides social commentary on a capitalist worldview, the hypocrisy of the clergy, and the shallowness of Boy Staunton. The minister...

In Fifth Business, Davies employs irony in Boy’s enthusiastic description of the Reverend Leadbeater. According to Boy, Leadbeater’s conception of Jesus is not as a humble carpenter but as a skilled...

Diana Marfleet gives Ramsay his new name, Dunstan; she helps him refine his behavior as they spend time together; and ultimately, she christens him with port.

Dunstan's psychological need to validate his life by being a hagiographer (writer of saints' lives) was, in his mind, connected to the vision of Mary Dempster. This is why he has no sexual...

Dunstan acts as "fifth business" to Diana Marfleet by being a pivotal yet non-central figure in her life. Their engagement and relationship were significant but ultimately temporary, as Dunstan chose...

In Fifth Business, Dunstan Ramsay evolves from a guilt-ridden boy into a man who embraces his role as "Fifth Business" in others' lives. His journey includes significant discoveries about sainthood,...

Guilt profoundly alters Dunstan's life in Robertson Davies' Fifth Business. After Percy Staunton's snowball hits Mary Dempster, leading to her mental instability and premature labor, Dunstan feels...

In Robertson Davies' Fifth Business, characters change their names to signify new phases and leave past traumas behind. Ramsay, originally Dunstable, adopts "Dunstan" after a war injury, marking a...

Percy Boyd Staunton changes his name to Boy Staunton in "Fifth Business" to escape the ridicule he faced in the army due to his first name, Percy. The name change signifies his desire for a fresh...

Dunstan's mother significantly influences his character development by being a dominant and forceful presence in his life. Her demanding nature and insistence on him fulfilling responsibilities shape...

Dunstan Ramsay's character in Fifth Business corresponds to Carl Jung's archetypes. We see his personas as caretaker, soldier, and scholar. We note his anima/animus in how he cares for people and how...

Boy Staunton, who threw the snowball with a rock, shows little guilt for the incident, living a life of success masking potential self-hatred, and denies any responsibility. Dunny, less culpable, is...

Boy Staunton is depicted as a villain primarily due to his selfishness and lack of remorse. His careless actions, such as throwing a snowball with a hidden stone that injures Mary Dempster,...

Dunstan Ramsey's quest in Fifth Business involves exploring the nature of sainthood and understanding good, evil, guilt, and redemption. This journey is fueled by his experiences with Mary Dempster,...

Liesl is crucial to Dunstan Ramsay's personal development, teaching him to live in the present and be responsible to himself. She identifies his "Fifth Business" role, highlighting his outsider...

Dunstan Ramsay's relationship with Mary Dempster in "Fifth Business" is complex and lifelong. After a stray snowball intended for Dunstan hits Mary, leading to her premature labor, Dunstan feels...

Dunny's role as "Fifth Business" is that of a crucial supporting character who influences the lives of others without being the central hero. Throughout the novel, Dunstable Ramsay realizes that he...

Liesl's views on the "twice-born" concept in Robertson Davies' Fifth Business are critical. She challenges Dunstan Ramsey to truly transform his life, suggesting that despite his name change and "new...

Dunstan's feeling of rebirth is influenced by several factors following his wartime injuries. The care he receives from Diana, who suggests his new name, St. Dunstan, marks a pivotal moment in his...

Fifth Business explores the theme of drama and theatre by emphasizing the importance of identifying and embracing one's role in life. The protagonist, Dunstan, sees himself as "Fifth Business," a...

Society significantly impacts characters' life changes, particularly Paul Dempster, later known as Marcus Eisengrim, who is shaped by societal abuse and bullying. His childhood torment by Boy...