The Manticore

novel by Davies

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June 17, 2026

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The manticore is a legendary creature with the head of a human, the body of a lion, and the tail of a dragon or scorpion. The name likely originates from an Old Iranian term meaning "man-eater". In medieval times, it symbolized the devil.12

In Canadian author Robertson Davies's novel The Manticore (1972), which is part of The Deptford Trilogy, the protagonist undergoes Jungian analysis, dreaming of a sibyl leading a manticore. The novel explores the aftermath of a childhood event involving a snowball thrown by Boy Staunton, which indirectly leads to the premature birth and subsequent dementia of Mary Dempster's son, Paul. The protagonist of The Manticore, David Staunton, is the son of Boy Staunton, and the book delves into his psychological journey.13

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The Deptford Trilogy
consisting of Fifth Business (1970), The Manticore (1972), and World of Wonders (1975). Throughout the trilogy, Davies interweaves moral concerns and bits of arcane lore.
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consisting of Fifth Business (1970), The Manticore (1972), and World of Wonders (1975). Throughout the trilogy, Davies interweaves moral concerns and bits of arcane lore.
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Robertson Davies
…consisting of Fifth Business (1970), The Manticore (1972), and World of Wonders (1975). These books examine the intersecting lives of three men from the small Canadian town of Deptford and interweave Davies’ moral concerns with bits of arcane lore and his enduring interest in Jungian psychotherapy. The Cornish trilogy consists…
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…consisting of Fifth Business (1970), The Manticore (1972), and World of Wonders (1975). These books examine the intersecting lives of three men from the small Canadian town of Deptford and interweave Davies’ moral concerns with bits of arcane lore and his enduring interest in Jungian psychotherapy. The Cornish trilogy consists…
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manticore
In Canadian author Robertson Davies’s The Manticore (1972), the protagonist dreams of a sibyl leading a manticore and examines his dream under Jungian analysis.
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In Canadian author Robertson Davies’s The Manticore (1972), the protagonist dreams of a sibyl leading a manticore and examines his dream under Jungian analysis.
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