The Underdevelopment of Female Characters and Their Portrayal of Fifth Business
In the captivating, mysterious, and perplexing novel Fifth Business by Robertson Davies, the role of women is not only a vital but a pivotal aspect throughout the life and psychological journey of Dunstan Ramsay. Robertson Davies is famous for under-developing female characters in general; not fully creating female characters the audience can entirely understand, discover and engage, at least not to the same degree with which he develops male characters. Although the portrayal of female characters is limited, their true purpose may be much more significant than it initially appears:
Those roles which, being neither those of Hero nor Heroine, Confidante nor `Villain, but which were none the less essential to bring about the Recognition or the dénouement were called the Fifth Business in Drama and opera companies organized according to the old style; the player who acted these parts was often referred to as Fifth Business. (Overskou Q.t in Davies V).
Although it may not be obvious at first, the role of women in the novel, specifically throughout the life of Dunstan Ramsay, is to play the role of Fifth Business at various significant points in time.
Female characters in literature became more prominent at the turn of the last century as women's role in society changed. At the beginning of the 20th century, men were at the front lines fighting prolonged wars, while women were left to fulfill traditionally masculine roles back home. Women were performing the essential duties at the home front, without which everyday life would not have been sustainable. In Fifth Business, Davies employs an unorthodox approach creating anomalous female characters attemptin...
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...In Fifth Business, Davies constructs a central male character that undergoes an extensive psychological journey, with several female characters playing the role of Fifth Business touching his life in one way or another. Dunstan Ramsay is dissected before the readers' eyes and they are made aware of all his emotions, motivations and psychological convictions. All of the female characters that interact with Dunstan Ramsay play the role of Fifth Business because if not for his interactions with them, his story would surely not make an interesting novel. Dunstan Ramsay can be seen as a flagpole. He is the base to which the women in his life are the flags hung upon that pole decorating him and giving him meaning. Their obligate coexistence creates the relationship that transcends mere inadequate character development. The female characters themselves are Fifth Business.
The strong hold women have in society is often underestimated and disregarded especially in early years. In the novel Fifth Business the author makes a feminist criticism by providing women in the novel great influence on the plot, contrary to the society at the time. The influence of second wave feminism on the role of women is referenced through the fundamental impact of the female characters on their male counterparts in the nature of their relationships, beliefs and life decisions. Although the role of women in the development of the plot is seen through the eyes of Dunny. The author uses Dunny's development through the novel to further magnify the strong influence of women.
The novel complicates its own understanding of women
The main goal in life is to discover ourselves. Many psychologists have thought of ways to explain the process on how to achieve this goal, one of which is Carl Gustav Jung. Jung came up with breakthrough theories that dealt with knowing yourself, and in many people’s eyes surpassed the theories of others. His most famous theory was the process towards achieving self-awareness, also known as individuation. According to Carl Jung there are four main aspects to completing the journey of self-awareness, they are, the Persona, the Shadow, the Anima, and the Self. Each aspect, better known as an archetype is crucial to reaching self-awareness and each archetype relies on the one before it. This view on self-awareness was widely publicised and had an impact on many people, one of whom was Robertson Davies, the author of the fictional memoir “Fifth Business”. Davies used this concept of the journey towards self-awareness in his novel, and inflicted it upon the protagonist, Dunstan Ramsay. Dunstan undergoes this journey throughout the course of the novel, and is cast into the role of the outcast, the role of Fifth Business, in which the title suggests. When someone is Fifth Business, they are the outcast in their own lives, not being the person in control, and Dunstan fits into this role perfectly. Fifth Business “knows the secret of the hero’s birth, comes to the assistance of the heroine, when she thinks all is lost, keeps the hermitess in her cell, and may even be the cause for somebody’s death”(Davies,218). This explanation of Fifth Business fits into Dunstan’s life with a high degree of accuracy, vaguely yet precisely outlining the events of his life. Dunstan achieved self-awareness by embracing his role of Fifth Business....
The two main approaches to this type of criticism are very different, but help make distinctions in the text. Essentialists focus on the biologically determined sex of a character in literature, while others focus on constructivism or the qualities determined by society as strictly male or female. Constructivists argue that patriarchal gender roles harm women’s confidence and assertiveness, promoting stereotypes and false binaries. Gender constructivism favors the idea that gender and sexual categories are a societal construct that prefers men and restricts women. The application of this literary criticism to a text looks into the character and their relevance to the plot. Focusing on how the character promotes or rejects the imposed gender roles is a significant part in the use of this lens (Hildreth January
Margaret Atwood’s speech ‘Spotty-Handed Villainesses’ is an epideictic text, which explores the significance of having a multi-faceted depiction of female characters within literature as a means of achieving gender equity, centring on the fictional presentation of women as either virtuous or villainess. The title of the speech
Society continually places specific and often restrictive standards on the female gender. While modern women have overcome many unfair prejudices, late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century women were forced to deal with a less than understanding culture. Different people had various ways of voicing their opinions concerning gender inequalities, including expressing themselves through literature. By writing a fictional story, authors like Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Henry James were given the opportunity to let readers understand and develop their own ideas on such a serious topic.
conceptualizations of gender in literature are situated in a culture and historical context ; the
Interwoven with light and shadows, Robertson Davies’s Fifth Business is penetrated with fantastical elements that rub uneasily against feelings of guilt. A snowball thrown by young "Boy" Staunton misses Dunstan and hits Mary Dempster, causing the premature birth of Paul and the insanity of Mary. Guilt ensues and threatens to envelop Dunstable, Dunny, and Dunstan. One is his name by birth; the other a pet name; and the third, his true name upon being born again. With so many identities, Dunstan struggles to understand his role as fifth business and to learn to untie himself from his burden of guilt. Conventional religion may confine Dunstan Ramsay’s spiritual growth, but it lays a firm foundation for him to mature. Myth finds a place in the heart of Dunstan and teaches him to grow. Magic is the escape of yore that Dunstan seeks and successfully rediscovers. Religion, myth, and magic are intertwined in Dunstan Ramsay’s life, crucial for the completion of Ramsay as a person through the wonder they inspire.
Women in Literature: Reading Through the Lens of Gender. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2003. Print. The. Bailey, Carol. "
“Girls wear jeans and cut their hair short and wear shirts and boots because it is okay to be a boy; for a girl it is like promotion. But for a boy to look like a girl is degrading, according to you, because secretly you believe that being a girl is degrading” (McEwan 55-56). Throughout the history of literature women have been viewed as inferior to men, but as time has progressed the idealistic views of how women perceive themselves has changed. In earlier literature women took the role of being the “housewife” or the household caretaker for the family while the men provided for the family. Women were hardly mentioned in the workforce and always held a spot under their husband’s wing. Women were viewed as a calm and caring character in many stories, poems, and novels in the early time period of literature. During the early time period of literature, women who opposed the common role were often times put to shame or viewed as rebels. As literature progresses through the decades and centuries, very little, but noticeable change begins to appear in perspective to the common role of women. Women were more often seen as a main character in a story setting as the literary period advanced. Around the nineteenth century women were beginning to break away from the social norms of society. Society had created a subservient role for women, which did not allow women to stand up for what they believe in. As the role of women in literature evolves, so does their views on the workforce environment and their own independence. Throughout the history of the world, British, and American literature, women have evolved to become more independent, self-reliant, and have learned to emphasize their self-worth.
In the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries, the idea of patriarchy ruled the many societies all over the world. Particularly in Britain, its “overarching patriarchal model” (Marsh) had “reserved power and privilege for men” (Marsh). Also during this time period feminist literature began to arise and was invaded by, “the complex social, ethical, and economic roots of sexual politics… as testimony to gender bias and the double standard” (“Sexual Politics and Feminist Literature”). In Jane Austen’s writing, readers have been aware of her constant themes of female independence and gender equality. However, many have criticized the author for the fact that many of her “individualistic” female characters have ended up
Throughout literature’s history, female authors have been hardly recognized for their groundbreaking and eye-opening accounts of what it means to be a woman of society. In most cases of early literature, women are portrayed as weak and unintelligent characters who rely solely on their male counterparts. Also during this time period, it would be shocking to have women character in some stories, especially since their purpose is only secondary to that of the male protagonist. But, in the late 17th to early 18th century, a crop of courageous women began publishing their works, beginning the literary feminist movement. Together, Aphra Behn, Charlotte Smith, Fanny Burney, and Mary Wollstonecraft challenge the status quo of what it means to be a
It is the aim of this piece to consider how two elements are developed in the opening chapters of three classic novels written by 19th century English women: Emma, Wuthering Heights, and Jane Eyre, respectively. The elements to be considered are a) character; and b) character relationships. Consideration will be given to see how each opening chapter develops these two aspects, and the various approaches will be compared and contrasted as well.
The novel explores gender roles through the characters of Mrs. Ramsay, Mr. Ramsay, and Lily. Each of these characters embodies different views in regards to gender roles. The readers are taken into their minds and thoughts and are allowed to see what each character views is the role of his/her gender.
In conclusion, David Lodge managed to embody the concrete term of feminism. Through the character of Robyn Penrose, he creates the breakup of the traditional Victorian image of woman.“ `There are lots of things I wouldn 't do. I wouldn 't work in a factory. I wouldn 't work in a bank. I wouldn 't be a housewife. When I think of most people 's lives, especially women 's lives, I don 't know how they bear it. ' `Someone has to do those jobs, ' said Vic. `That 's what 's so depressing. ' ”(Lodge