What's Bred in the Bone

by Robertson Davies

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The Characters

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One could reasonably argue that there is only one character in What’s Bred in the Bone: Francis Cornish himself. Indeed, Francis is the only character whose presentation is rounded and complex. Others, Zadok Hoyle or Tancred Saraceni, for example, may occupy the stage long enough to achieve a degree of complexity, but in general, the personages of the novel flit across the story only briefly, leaving a single imprint. Francis, on the other hand, is as fully achieved as a novelist can make a man—tender, tough-minded, generous, stingy, gullible, devious, wide-eyed, cynical, creative, critical, emotionally stunted, and open-hearted in various degrees and at various times. Although Francis is difficult for other people in the novel to read, he is a richly complex psyche for those, the two immortals and the reader, capable of looking deeply into him. Such an approach makes sense in a novel whose form is overtly that of a biography. As in actual biographies, secondary characters come in for comparatively scant development, while the main figure occupies virtually every paragraph.

The characters of the novel, aside from Francis, function as plot devices, that is, as comparatively static, even symbolic figures against which the main character can react and develop. In keeping with the author’s symbolic imagination and his interest in the psychology theories of C. G. Jung, many of the characters are archetypal figures, psychological types illustrative of the various enabling or crippling forces the one complete mind—Francis himself—in the novel might encounter. Ismay Glasson, though the protagonist would cast her as Guinevere, is the false heroine, the temptress and betrayer. Similarly, Saraceni, accused by some of having the power of the evil eye, represents the magus figure, the wizard who acts as father and mentor, to the young artist. It may be true that he shares that role, or inherits it, from Zadok Hoyle, whose introductory anatomy lessons are accompanied by moral lessons and the smell of embalming fluid. Aunt Mary-Ben, the maimed spinster, is the crone who sets Francis on his path. As in traditional romance, the true love-interest, Ruth Nibsmith, at first appears as the quiet, not inevitably attractive woman—not quite the loathely lady subsequently revealed as the princess, but certainly a variant on that paradigm. Each character fulfills a symbolic role that corresponds to functions out of the quest romance from the medieval literature Francis loves, as well as being Jungian psychological archetypes.

At the same time, all these characters behave in perfectly straightforward modern fashion, so that they make sense for the reader who interprets literally, the reader for whom, in Ezra Pound’s phrase, “a hawk is simply a hawk.” The combination of plausible, realistic behavior and archetypal significance on the part of the characters is a standard Davies touch.

The Characters

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Since the novel is an attempt to show the subtle yet pervasive shaping influences of many people and events on one character, many different and varied figures have significant roles in Francis Cornish’s life; Robertson Davies attempts to elaborate on the English proverb (from a medieval Latin original): “What’s bred in the bone will not out of the flesh.” In this sense, all the characters in the novel are reflections and amplifications of some aspect of Francis.

Early divided between the vague Protestantism of his mostly absent parents and the simple and provincial Catholicism of his Aunt Mary-Ben, Francis never develops a coherent theological view. He does maintain a pervasive religious sensibility but one which is uniquely his own, allowing him always to see both sides of any issue but never to commit himself strongly...

(This entire section contains 434 words.)

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to any one position. He finds a purpose and object for his life in aesthetics, not morality or ethics, from his early exposure to his aunt’s art collection, coupled with minor but genuine talent.

Francis comes to realize his more primal and bestial nature by exposure to the Looner, his defective elder brother, caged throughout his life in a hidden room in his grandfather’s house. His early contact with the family servants, principally Zadok, teaches him a reality of human contact and compassion lacking in his interactions with his eccentric and flighty family. Similarly, he comes to understand the feminine side of his own nature in his disastrous attachment to Ismay. The experience does teach him to love, however briefly, in his relationship with Ruth, and later, in his platonic friendship with Ross.

With this knowledge of self, Francis is the product of both his environment and experience, but he is still inchoate as a unique individual. His flowering into personhood comes from his apprenticeship under Saraceni, who gives him an aesthetic sensibility—and training. In Saraceni’s world of canvas, Francis finds a form for his life, one that confirms his view of the complexity of all moral and ethical decisions, and one that allows him to avoid them altogether.

Yet however much heredity and environment shape Francis’ life, Davies suggests larger, spiritual forces at work as well, for Francis has been singled out to be guided by the not-entirely-benevolent metaphysical creature, the Daimon Maimas, who uses the circumstances of Francis’ life to manipulate him toward success and distinction, often through pain, loss, and suffering. Like Francis, Maimas is not explicitly identified with a particular theological tradition. He is neither Christian nor pagan but simply the higher force that shapes an individual’s destiny.

Characters Discussed

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Francis Chegwidden Cornish

Francis Chegwidden Cornish, a Canadian art expert. The novel purports to tell what has been “bred in the bone” of Francis. Francis, who is from a wealthy but emotionally distant family, is a sensitive, intelligent boy. He teaches himself to observe carefully and to draw what he sees; he later discovers that his affinity in art is for the Old Masters and that he is false to himself when he tries to express himself in modern styles. His skill at observation makes him useful to the British intelligence service before and during World War II. He paints the myth of himself, an expression of what has made him what he is, in Old Master style. When the painting is discovered after the war, art experts dub it The Marriage at Cana and attribute it to the Alchemical Master.

The Daimon Maimas

The Daimon Maimas, Francis’ personal attendant spirit, the guiding force in his life. It is he who has arranged Francis’ life to make him what he is, though his control does not mean that Francis lacks freedom of choice.

The Lesser Zadkiel

The Lesser Zadkiel, the recording angel. His records provide the biography of Francis.

James Ignatius McRory

James Ignatius McRory (also called the Senator and Hamish), Francis’ maternal grandfather. A Scottish Catholic, McRory has made a fortune in the timber business. His desire to rise socially leads him to debut his daughter at court in London. He is interested in photography and teaches Francis the effects of different angles and types of light on a subject. In his will, he leaves Francis a substantial sum of money and exempts him from entering the family banking business.

Sir Francis Cornish

Sir Francis Cornish, Francis’ father. The younger son in an old family, he agrees to marry the pregnant Mary-Jacobine McRory after certain financial agreements are made. He is appointed president of his father-in-law’s bank, a figurehead position. His real work is in intelligence, and he recruits Francis to follow him in that field.

Mary-Jacobine (Mary-Jim or Jacko) Cornish

Mary-Jacobine (Mary-Jim or Jacko) Cornish, née McRory, Francis’ mother. Mary-Jacobine, a beautiful young woman, makes her debut at the court of King Edward VII in 1903; on that night, she becomes pregnant with the child of a footman who reminds her of a famous actor. She later becomes the perfect society wife but spends little time with her sons.

Mary-Benedetta (Mary-Ben) McRory

Mary-Benedetta (Mary-Ben) McRory, Francis’ great-aunt. Mary-Ben has the greatest hand in rearing Francis. She instills in Francis a romantic Catholicism and has him baptized a Catholic at the age of fourteen, even though he already has been baptized a Protestant. Her collection of prints inspires Francis’ interest in art.

Francis “the Looner” Cornish

Francis “the Looner” Cornish, Francis’ elder brother. The Looner is mentally and physically handicapped because of Mary-Jacobine’s attempts to end the unwanted pregnancy begun on her debut night. Francis’ mother and father believe the Looner to be dead; he is kept upstairs in his grandfather’s house. His existence instills in Francis a compassion for the unfortunate.

Zadok Hoyle

Zadok Hoyle, a groom for the McRory family. Unknown to him and to the McRory family, he is the Looner’s father. Zadok also assists the local undertaker by preparing bodies for burial. He allows Francis to watch him in the embalming process, teaching him a respect for individuals and the fragility of life.

Ismay Glasson Cornish

Ismay Glasson Cornish, Francis’ cousin and later his wife. Francis at first believes her to be his dream woman, the woman who will complement his masculine nature with her feminine nature to make him whole. She tricks him into marriage to cover her pregnancy by another man, then leaves the child with her parents and joins her lover in Spain. The child and Ismay’s family become a drain on Francis’ finances. Ismay is a great believer in idealistic, unrealistic causes.

Tancred Saraceni

Tancred Saraceni, an art expert. He takes Francis as an apprentice and teaches him the style, physical composition (ingredients of paints), and iconography of Old Master paintings. He is casuistic about restoring paintings to look somewhat better than they did originally. He leaves Francis his fortune and his possessions.

Ruth Nibsmith

Ruth Nibsmith, Francis’ friend and lover. She casts Francis’ horoscope seriously, wisely, and perceptively.

Aylwin Ross

Aylwin Ross, a Canadian art critic, Francis’ protégé. Ross becomes famous for his explication of The Marriage at Cana, unaware of its origin. He commits suicide after Francis refuses to buy the painting for the Canadian National Gallery.

Victoria Cameron

Victoria Cameron, the McRorys’ cook. She cares for the Looner and instills some hard, practical Calvinist values in Francis.

Dr. Joseph Ambrosius (J. A.) Jerome

Dr. Joseph Ambrosius (J. A.) Jerome, the McRory family physician. Dr. J. A. recommends the false burial of the Looner, believing that knowledge of his existence will harm Francis.

Colonel Jack Copplestone

Colonel Jack Copplestone, Francis’ contact in British Intelligence. He arranges Francis’ positions as a spy to coincide with his art activities.

The Reverend Simon Darcourt

The Reverend Simon Darcourt, Francis’ friend and biographer. In the frame fiction, he complains that he cannot find enough information to write Francis’ biography properly.

Arthur Cornish

Arthur Cornish, Francis’ nephew and executor, a banker. he is worried by the whiff of scandal about Francis that Simon has brought to him.

Characters

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Francis Cornish and His Mentor

Within a novel that meticulously crafts the tapestry of our protagonist's past, secondary figures often fade into the background, serving primarily as reflections of Francis's complex psyche. Among these, Manfred Saraceni stands as the most pivotal, a master restorer of paintings whose teachings become the bedrock of Francis's artistic philosophy. Saraceni's influence is profound, his perspectives on art weaving seamlessly into the fabric of Francis's own beliefs, and his life setting a precedent Francis aspires to emulate.

Saraceni resides in Rome, his abode a treasure trove of diverse and unusual artworks. His love for his wife is genuine, yet when faced with a choice between her and his beloved art collection, both understand the collection is his true passion. Upon his death, Saraceni bequeaths his estate to Francis, catapulting him into immense wealth, likely buoyed by art dealings forged on the brink of World War II. Francis, in turn, disperses Saraceni's acquisitions, only to curate his own expansive, eclectic collection housed on the top floor of a Toronto apartment building he owns.

The Story of Francis's Parents

Francis's parents, too, weave a tale that echoes themes from the protagonist's journey. Their union was far from a romantic ideal. Mary-Jacobine McCrory, having found herself pregnant in London by a striking footman, needed a respectable partner swiftly. Major Francis Cornish, an aristocratic younger son seeking a wealthy bride, was the perfect candidate. Their marriage, born of convenience, eventually matured into an effective partnership. It was the major who guided young Francis into his career path.

Rooted in the traditions of the British gentry, the major valued professions that connected one to influences of power and allowed for meaningful contributions, even if financially unrewarding. This outlook provided Francis with a rich and engaging life, offering a counterbalance to the McCrory family's relentless pursuit of financial acumen.

Mary-Jacobine's Elusive Presence

Throughout Francis's youth, Mary-Jacobine hovered as an enigmatic presence, her role overshadowed by Aunt Mary-Ben and Victoria Cameron. It wasn't until later years, as both aged, that Francis and his mother formed a genuine friendship. Mary-Jacobine's defining moment occurred with the conception of her first son, the Looner.

As an inexperienced young woman, recently presented at court, Mary-Jacobine dreamed more vividly than she lived. Her imagination was captivated by Lewis Waller, a dashing actor known for his role in Monsieur Beaucaire. Her life pivoted when Zadok Hoyle, a footman at a prestigious London hotel, delivered champagne to her room, a reminder of her theatrical idol. Their encounter marked a turning point for both. For Mary-Jacobine, it triggered a lifetime of dalliances, never seeking true love again. Meanwhile, Hoyle moved past the disgrace of his military discharge, migrating to Canada to join Victoria Cameron in raising the Looner, oblivious to his own paternity of the child.

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