Robertson Davies’ novel “Fifth Business” outlines and describes the development of a lost and emotionally bare and void man, Dunstable (Dunstan) Ramsay. This is a man who carries the weight of Paul Dempster’s premature birth on his shoulders his entire life. It portrays his quest for self-knowledge, happiness, and ultimately fulfilling his role as ‘Fifth Business.’ This would not have been accomplished without a number of women he encounters throughout the novel. There are a number of women who play a significant role in influencing both Dunstan Ramsay's decisions and general life throughout the novel Fifth Business. They are also essential and fundamental to the character development and spiritual meaning that Dunstable seeks throughout the novel. Dunstan Ramsay is constantly looking for guidance in situation from the women who are most prominent in the book; Liesl Vitzliputzli, and Mary Dempster.
Liesl, an extremely graceful and intelligent woman imprisoned inside a deformed and gargantuan body. Liesl plays a vital role in Dunstan’s development and psychological rebirth, as she helps him rediscover his body, his emotions, and himself. Liesl is a character who is very prominent in Dunstan's life. She plays one of, if not the most significant role in Ramsay's life among the other women. She also portrays the devil, and brings out Dunstan's "shadow self"; the unconscious instincts that he has repressed from past experiences. Without Liesl, Dunstan would never had experienced happiness and ultimately a life well lived. Liesl’s surname is “Vitzliputzli”, which means ‘devil’. In Jungian terms, one’s ‘devil’ refers to the “suppressed part of the personality, the dark or more primitive side of the consciousness.” Thus, Liesl represent...
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...itual phase development. He finds himself looking at Mrs. Dempster; “He shot the beam of flashlight… we saw a tramp and a woman in act of copulation… the woman was Mrs. Dempster.” (pg. 45) This act consequently turns Mrs. Dempster into a fool saint, performing three miracles. Therefore, Mrs. Dempster becomes a spirit to Dunstan. According to Carl Jung, Dunstan spiritual development discovers him because he is incapable of finding it. Mrs. Dempster symbolizes the Virgin Mary, who also performed ‘miracles’.
In conclusion, Liesl Vitzliputzli, and Mary Dempster have played two of the most significant roles in shaping Dunstan Ramsay to be the person he is. Their respective positions in Dunstan’s life are essential his character development and spiritual meaning that he seeks throughout the novel. Without the two, Dunstan’s actions and attitude would never had progressed.
Dunstan Ramsay is one of the main characters in the novel Fifth Business. The novel is based on his point of view. Dunstan is from an honorable family. Dunstan was disciplined by his mother who shaped Dunstan’s anima.
Throughout the novel Liesel reaches new highs and new lows, overcoming her fears and succumbing to her anger. Liesel's sudden outburst at Ilsa Hermann after Ilsa asking to stop the laundry services caused her to finally accept her brother's death and even helped Ilsa accept her son's death as well. Ilsa's guilt consumed her and caused her to become a house ridden woman overcome by her grief while Liesel overcame her guilt and grief by learning how to read and write not allowing them to overcome her. "“It’s about time,” she [Liesel] informed her, “that you do your own stinking washing anyway. It’s about time you faced the fact that your son is dead. He got killed! He got strangled and cut up more than twenty years ago! Or did he freeze to death? Either way, he’s dead! He’s dead and it’s pathetic that you sit here shivering in your own house to suffer for it. You think you’re the only one?” Immediately. Her brother was next to her. He whispered for her to stop, but he, too, was dead, and not worth listening to. He died in a train. They buried him in the snow. […] “This book,” she went on. She shoved the boy down the steps, making him fall. “I don’t want it.” The words were quieter now, but still just as hot. She threw The Whistler at the woman’s slippered feet, hearing the clack of it as it landed on the cement. “I don’t want your miserable book. ”[…] her brother holding his
	Robertson Davies’ novel, Fifth Business, revolves around guilt, competition, and two men who are foils of each other. Although Dunstan Ramsay and Percy Boyd Staunton are parallels to each other, they contrast in a great number of ways. Their awkward relationship plays a significant role in the number of elements which make Fifth Business such an interesting story.
The novel Fifth Business by Robertson Davies does away with the stigma that Canadian literature is dull and boring. A master of his art, Davies creates a cast of vivid characters and skillfully weaves them into a story about love, guilt, myth and redemption. With the effective use of first-person narrative, Fifth Business is written as a fictional memoir of the character Dunstable Ramsey, who grows up in the small town of Deptford in Ontario, Canada. As a boy, Dunstable was unmistakably very intelligent, gifted with an uncanny ability to read others. He was raised in a Scottish household by strict Presbyterian parents, who into him hammered several religious canons and tenets. Thus, Dunstan understood the importance of respect and moral responsibility from a young age. There would seem to be no reason for such an exemplary youth, gifted with an intelligence exceeding of his small-town upbringing, to not go onto to lead a happy, satisfying life. Yet there is a single incident in Dustan’s boyhood that would define the rest his life. While in a quarrel with his friend and rival, Percy Boyd Staunton, Dustan evades a snowball in which Boyd had hidden a stone. The snowball misses Dunstan and strikes the pregnant wife of the town’s Baptist minister, Mary Dempster, causing her to give birth prematurely and subsequently slip into madness. This marks the beginning of Dustan Ramsey’s lifelong involvement with Mary Dempster, and the beginning of his lifelong struggle with guilt. As he is faced with the outcomes of his actions, Dustan’s core values are called into question. Throughout Fifth Business, Dunstan fails to understand both his true values and true self, which develops as a cons...
Guilt can take on many forms. It is a powerful force to overcome, and a majority of people collapse because of it. In “Fifth Business”, by Robertson Davies, guilt is the intended study that is portrayed throughout the novel and impacts a number of lives. Davies demonstrates this by having one character feeling guilt and tries to confront it, a second character ignoring it and a third who tries to run away from it. Davies introduces the reader with Dunstan Ramsay and Percy Boyd Staunton who are parallels in competition with each other. Percy throws a snowball containing a small rock at Ramsay. Who jumps aside, causing it to miss him and strike Mary Dempster, which then we are met with the premature birth of Paul Dempster. In this novel the study of guilt is shown through experiences of the characters as Dunny felt guilty for the premature birth of Paul, Boy appearing not as to be affected by the incident but later on feels guilt for the death of Leola, and Paul Dempster feeling guilt for his mother, Mary, which later made him run away from home. Guilt essentially is what drives the characters of Fifth Business and in the end determines the final conclusion. Lastly, although Boy and Dunstan are parallels of each other Davies uses their awkward relationship to create a major element in Fifth Business which is what makes it an interesting story. Thus, the story revolves around the idea of competition and guilt.
The book Fifth Business by Robertson Davies is written from the point of view of the narrator; a man named Dunstable Ramsay. From the readers’ perspective, we see him to be the main character, but as the novel progresses, he and those he encounters start to see him as fifth business. The novel shows and follows Dunstan Ramsay in his pursuit for self-knowledge, and ultimately fulfilling his role as ‘Fifth Business’ in the eyes of a number of people. It is evident that throughout the novel, he reminds himself and the reader that in fact his life and the lives of those who are close to him do not necessarily revolve around him however he still plays a large part in influencing their respective lives. The novel constantly shows instances where guilt and competition play roles in shaping character’s decisions.
Behind every great man lies a great women. In some cases the women herself may not always be good or ideal according to society. Nevertheless it seems to add character to
Fifth Business Part Three, Chapter Two. What Happened? In the chapter Dunstan gets a teaching position at Colborne College. He finds himself talking about his days teaching and old girlfriends. The idea of a new love seems like a viable option for him. Setting:..
novel, Dunstan’s public front that he portrays is the role of Fifth Business. He is characterized as such
Fifth Business is a novel that dives deep into the issues of the human condition. Guilt and inhumanity are apparent at most points in the novel, as the characters of the novel are effected by separate incidents in very different ways. The battle between illusion and reality surfaces in the main conflict of the novel between the two main characters, Dunstan Ramsay and Percy Boyd Staunton. Faith is relied upon by some of the main characters in an attempt to choose between what is right and what is wrong. In the end, the reader is exposed to a stable, but exciting novel with two characters that prove to be perfect foils to each other.
Fifth Business is a fictional memoir of Dunstan Ramsay, a small town boy from Deptford, Canada whom we get to see evolve into an intellectual man looking for meaning in life. Dunstan has an innate ability to read people upon first or second meeting, but never seems to get a true read on himself. He is relatively successful financially, and is proclaimed a war hero after receiving the most prestigious English award; the Victoria Cross. He was raised well, and has an intelligence that exceeds his small-town upbringing. All these things seem like they would lead Dunstan to a happy, satisfying life. However, at the beginning of the story Dunstan goes through a major life-changing event. His best friend and biggest rival Percy hits a pregnant woman with a snowball intended for Dunstan. This sends Dunstan into a life full of guilt, eventually leading him to a life without any significant other or true friendships.
...msay’s death, Lily is able to reject the ideals of marriage and family that Mrs. Ramsay represented and choosing to remain unmarried and pursue her art (Koppen 386).
Along with remarriage and the responsibility of a daughter, Henchard also adopts a work associate. Donald Farfrae, a young Scottish man, is appointed manager of Henchard’s dwindling corn business. In this point of the novel, the character development of Michael Henchard is proved through every outwardly observable aspect. Henchard holds postion of mayor, rekindles his marriage, and gains a friend. Alas this prosperity for Michael Henchard is not permanent. Although the managing skills of Donald Farfrae allow for a revival of Henchard’s corn business, Farfrae’s interest in becoming mayor drive the two apart. Henchard displays immense insecurity as he reverts to old habits and dismisses his colleague, Farfrae, despite the tremendous help he has provided Henchard with both his business as well as his well-being. This tendency is not odd though, Henchard also disowns his daughter, Elizabeth-Jane, for a similar reason. When Henchard is given the upsetting news of his daughter’s biological origins, he can no longer tolerate her presence in his household. Feeling as if he holds no importance in Elizabeth-Jane’s life, he lets insecurity and self-pity take control. Although Elizabeth-Jane was all Henchard had left after his wife’s death, the thought of caring for another man’s daughter was too much for Henchard to bear. Elizabeth-Jane eventually slipped out of Henchard’s life just as she had before that night at the furmity
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.
His role is necessary to the well being of the family; though he seems at times to suck life from others with his bitter pessimism, his role is as important as the role of his wife, the giver and the nurturer. Mr. Ramsey exists to balance his wife’s personality. His rage complements her love. Consciously, Mr. Ramsey aspires to intellectual enlightenment through his philosophy. His attitude in traveling to the Lighthouse mirrors his attitude towards attaining this goal.