Robertson Davies - Icon Profile | Alexandria
Robertson Davies (1913-1995) stands as one of Canada's most distinguished literary figures, whose work masterfully blended intellectual depth with theatrical flair, reflecting his unique background as a journalist, playwright, and academic. A writer who defied easy categorization, Davies created a distinctively Canadian literary voice while exploring universal themes of art, spirituality, and the hidden currents of human nature.
Born in Thamesville, Ontario, to a newspaper publisher, Davies' early life was shaped by the Victorian sensibilities of small-town Canada and his father's Welsh storytelling traditions. His formative years at Upper Canada College and later at Oxford University's Balliol College (1935-1938) would profoundly influence his literary perspective, infusing his work with both New World pragmatism and Old World mysticism.
Davies' literary career evolved through distinct phases, beginning with his role as editor of the Peterborough Examiner (1942-1963) and his creation of the alter ego Samuel Marchbanks, whose satirical observations of Canadian society became a cultural touchstone. His theatrical works of the 1940s and 1950s helped establish professional theater in Canada, but it was his novels, particularly the Deptford Trilogy (1970-1975), that secured his international reputation. These works introduced readers to a world where Jungian psychology, Renaissance magic, and Canadian provincialism intertwined in complex narrative tapestries.
Davies' legacy extends beyond his literary achievements. His twenty-year tenure as Master of Massey College at the University of Toronto (1963-1981) established him as a cultural ambassador who helped shape Canada's intellectual landscape. His novels continue to influence contemporary writers, while his insights into human nature, particularly the role of myth and magic in modern life, remain startlingly relevant. The question of whether Davies was, as some suggest, a modern-day magus who used fiction to explore eternal truths, or simply a masterful storyteller who understood the power of mystery, continues to intrigue readers and scholars alike, ensuring his place in the canon of world literature.
His body of work, encompassing novels, plays, criticism, and journalism, represents a unique fusion of Canadian pragmatism with European intellectual traditions, creating a literary legacy that continues to reward deep exploration and analysis. Davies demonstrated that Canadian literature could be both locally rooted and universally significant, paving the way for future generations of writers to explore the complexities of cultural identity and human consciousness.