Fifth Business

Summary

The novel «Fifth Business» by Robertson Davies tells the life story of Dunstan Ramsay, a history teacher and biographer who experiences numerous events starting from his childhood in the small Canadian town of Deptford. The pivotal event that shapes his life occurs when he accidentally hits a pregnant woman with a snowball, leading to the birth of a boy named Paul Dempster. As the story unfolds, Dunstan becomes a witness to and participant in many events involving Paul, who becomes the famous magician Magnus Eisengrim, and Boy Staunton, his school friend who becomes a successful businessman and politician. The novel explores themes of guilt, responsibility, religion, and magic, as well as the role each person plays in the lives of others, often remaining in the background, like the «fifth business» in a play.