Gender In Fifth Business

Male vs Female Repercussions It has been said that behind every successful man is an exhausted woman. For centuries women are seen as fragile and delicate beings who need a husband to protect them. On the contrary, the female race are a group of women who are strong, intelligent and are the root of their husbands accomplishments. For this and many other reasons, people believe women should be the leaders of society. In Robertson Davies’ influential novel, Fifth Business, women are seen to be or should be, the superior gender. Through many of his character’s and their actions, Davies’ displays women in highly cable meanor. Davies’ character’s such as Mary Dempster, Mrs. Ramsay and Dunstan Ramsey provide evidence that the book is of feminine empowerment. Despite the male leads, Fifth Business is elitist …show more content…
A primary reason for this is shown through the character of Mary Dempster and how she is viewed by readers. Due to the narration of Dunstan Ramsey, Mary Dempster is seen to be a saint who performs miracles. During the start of the novel, Willie Ramsey suddenly dies from an illness and Dunstan rushes to get Mary to help. As she arrives to help, Dunstan says, “Mrs Dempster looked at him solemnly but not sadly, then she knelt by the bed and took his hands in hers and prayed”(Davies 53). As she prays over Willie’s body, Mrs Dempster performs a miracle and revives him. Similarly, when Dunstan was at war, before he passed out he sees the face Mrs Dempster on the statue of Mary. As he describes the situation Dunny says, “But what hit me worse than the blow of the shrapnel was that the face was Mrs Dempster’s”(Davies 74). Before saints are canonized, they are to perform three miracles in their lifetime. Similarly, Mary displays many miracles including saving Willie’s life and appearing on the statue. By making a female character into a holy figure, the author proves to be a