Toronto Trilogy
Encyclopedia
"The Toronto Trilogy" refers to two separate series of Canadian novel
s by Robertson Davies
and Austin Clarke
.
; in the 1970s he published his most famous trilogy, The Deptford Trilogy
; this was followed in the 1980s by The Cornish Trilogy
.
In the 1990s Davies had published two more novels — Murther and Walking Spirits
and The Cunning Man
— before his death in 1995
.
In his introduction to The Merry Heart
, a collection of Davies' writings published posthumously, Davies' publisher, Douglas M. Gibson, tells how Davies had been researching and preparing the novel which would have followed The Cunning Man and would have been the third in the series. Gibson speculates that this unfinished trilogy might have been called the "Toronto Trilogy".
), Storm of Fortune (1973
) and The Bigger Light (1975
), centre on a group of West Indian domestics living in and working in Toronto
, Ontario
.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s by Robertson Davies
Robertson Davies
William Robertson Davies, CC, OOnt, FRSC, FRSL was a Canadian novelist, playwright, critic, journalist, and professor. He was one of Canada's best-known and most popular authors, and one of its most distinguished "men of letters", a term Davies is variously said to have gladly accepted for himself...
and Austin Clarke
Austin Clarke
Austin Ardinel Chesterfield Clarke, is a Canadian novelist, essayist and short story writer who lives in Toronto, Ontario. Born in St...
.
Robertson Davies' "Toronto Trilogy"
Whether it was planned or not, Davies' novels formed trilogies. In the 1950s he published his Salterton TrilogyThe Salterton Trilogy
The Salterton Trilogy consists of the first three novels by Canadian novelist Robertson Davies: Tempest-Tost , Leaven of Malice , and A Mixture of Frailties...
; in the 1970s he published his most famous trilogy, The Deptford Trilogy
The Deptford Trilogy
The Deptford Trilogy is a novel trilogy by Canadian novelist Robertson Davies.-Overview:The trilogy consists of Fifth Business , The Manticore , and World of Wonders...
; this was followed in the 1980s by The Cornish Trilogy
The Cornish Trilogy
The Cornish Trilogy is three related novels by Canadian novelist, playwright, critic, journalist, and professor Robertson Davies.The trilogy consists of The Rebel Angels , What's Bred in the Bone , and The Lyre of Orpheus . The series explores the life and influence of Francis Cornish...
.
In the 1990s Davies had published two more novels — Murther and Walking Spirits
Murther and Walking Spirits
Murther and Walking Spirits, first published by McClelland and Stewart in 1991, is a novel by Canadian novelist Robertson Davies.Murther and Walking Spirits is, in a way, another ghost story, a genre Davies visited in his short story collection High Spirits . In the very first sentence of the...
and The Cunning Man
The Cunning Man
The Cunning Man, published by McClelland and Stewart in 1994, is the last novel written by Canadian novelist Robertson Davies.The Cunning Man is the memoir of the life of a doctor, Dr. Jonathan Hullah, living in Toronto. Hullah is a holistic physician — a cunning diagnostician who can often...
— before his death in 1995
1995 in literature
The year 1995 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*The Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea is opened by Jimmy Carter....
.
In his introduction to The Merry Heart
The Merry Heart
The Merry Heart, first published by McClelland and Stewart in 1996, is a collection of writings by Canadian novelist Robertson Davies. It consists of reminiscences, speeches, book reviews, parodies and essays written over a period from 1980 to 1995, the year of Davies' death...
, a collection of Davies' writings published posthumously, Davies' publisher, Douglas M. Gibson, tells how Davies had been researching and preparing the novel which would have followed The Cunning Man and would have been the third in the series. Gibson speculates that this unfinished trilogy might have been called the "Toronto Trilogy".
Austin Clarke's Toronto Trilogy
Clarke's novels, originally published sequentially as The Meeting Point (19671967 in literature
The year 1967 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Influential science fiction anthology Dangerous Visions published.*Cecil Day-Lewis is selected as the new Poet Laureate of the UK.-New books:...
), Storm of Fortune (1973
1973 in literature
The year 1973 in literature involved several significant events and the writing of many notable books.-Events:*September 25 - The funeral of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda becomes a focus for protests against the new government of Augusto Pinochet...
) and The Bigger Light (1975
1975 in literature
The year 1975 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* August 12 — with the 20-year time limit stipulated by Thomas Mann at his death having expired, sealed packets containing 32 of the author's notebooks were opened in Zurich, Switzerland.* Writing under the...
), centre on a group of West Indian domestics living in and working in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
See also
- The Salterton TrilogyThe Salterton TrilogyThe Salterton Trilogy consists of the first three novels by Canadian novelist Robertson Davies: Tempest-Tost , Leaven of Malice , and A Mixture of Frailties...
- The Deptford TrilogyThe Deptford TrilogyThe Deptford Trilogy is a novel trilogy by Canadian novelist Robertson Davies.-Overview:The trilogy consists of Fifth Business , The Manticore , and World of Wonders...
- The Cornish TrilogyThe Cornish TrilogyThe Cornish Trilogy is three related novels by Canadian novelist, playwright, critic, journalist, and professor Robertson Davies.The trilogy consists of The Rebel Angels , What's Bred in the Bone , and The Lyre of Orpheus . The series explores the life and influence of Francis Cornish...