Displaced Majority: Robertson Davies and the Euro‐Canadian Diaspora

This essay discusses constructions of Canadian identity. Throughout the nation's history, many Canadians of European descent have defined themselves in relation to Europe (and the United States), rather than developing a sense of independent national identity. In his writing – both fiction and nonfiction – Robertson Davies, a preeminent late twentieth‐century Canadian writer, evocatively portrays this Euro‐Canadian ‘‘diasporic consciousness.’’ Through an exploration of his Deptford Trilogy , in particular the first and most celebrated novel of the series – Fifth Business (1970) – I analyze Davies's depiction of Euro‐Canadian sensibilities. I also relate Davies's trilogy to the perspectives of other Canadian writers – past and contemporary – which demonstrate similar Eurocentric sentiments. I question why European‐descended Canadians, even those many generations removed from Europe, still cling to their European heritage: why they resist a definition of Canada that is grounded in history and culture native to Canadian soil. In the essay, I evaluate the nostalgia of Euro‐Canadians for a European past. While acknowledging that this nostalgia is in many ways understandable and even inescapable, I also argue that, in order to develop the inclusive and unifying identity that Canada lacks, Canadians of all backgrounds must take more interest in the historical narratives and nuances that make Canadian society complex, unique, and worthy of deep exploration.