Christopher Sowton

Gwendolyn MacEwen was a Canadian poet and novelist born in Toronto in 1941. Despite a challenging childhood marked by her mother's mental health issues and her father's alcoholism, she began publishing poetry at 17 and left school at 18 to pursue writing. Her career spanned over 20 books across various genres, including poetry, novels, and translations. MacEwen's writing is characterized by its sophisticated exploration of themes such as magic, Gnosticism, Ancient Egypt, and the nature of reality, drawing from her personal interests and wonderment at life and death. She was recognized with two Governor General's Awards, among other accolades, and her work has been translated into numerous languages. MacEwen also engaged with the literary community, collaborating with and influencing other writers, and her life and work have been the subject of biographies, plays, and films. She died in 1987 at the age of 46 due to health issues related to alcoholism.

MacEwen's writing is distinguished by a profound engagement with esoteric and mystical traditions. Her personal interests included Gnosticism, Ancient Egypt, and the practice of magic, which she skillfully integrated into her literary output. This resulted in a unique literary voice that explored the interplay between magic and history, blending fantasy with historical narratives. Her novel 'Julian the Magician,' for instance, delves into hermetic philosophies and their connection to Christianity. Another novel, 'King of Egypt, King of Dreams,' imaginatively reconstructs the life of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaton and his religious reforms. Critics have noted her "commanding interest in magic and history" and her "elaborate and penetrating dexterity in her versecraft," highlighting how she used her writing to investigate the deeper mysteries of existence and consciousness.

Emerging in Toronto during a literary revival, MacEwen published her first poem at 17 and her first novel, 'Julian the Magician,' by 18. She was associated with influential figures like Robert Weaver and Northrop Frye, and contemporaries such as Margaret Atwood and Dennis Lee. MacEwen produced over twenty books, including poetry collections like 'The Drunken Clock' and 'The Shadow-Maker,' and novels. She also contributed significantly to radio through docudramas for the CBC. Her intellectual curiosity extended to languages; she taught herself Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, and French, enabling her to translate works from these languages, including Euripides' 'The Trojan Women.' She also translated contemporary Greek poetry with her second husband, Niko Tsingos.

Gwendolyn MacEwen received significant recognition for her literary achievements, including two Governor General's Awards: one in 1969 for 'The Shadow Maker' and a posthumous award in 1987 for 'Afterworlds.' She also garnered awards such as the CBC New Canadian Writing Contest, the A.J.M. Smith Poetry Award, and the Du Maurier Awards. Her work has been translated into multiple languages, and her influence is evident in tributes from fellow writers like Margaret Atwood and in artistic adaptations, including a play and a documentary film. A park in Toronto was renamed in her honor, and a bronze bust was erected there, cementing her lasting legacy in Canadian literature.

“A sophisticated, wide-ranging and thoughtful writer”

“A sense of magic and mystery from her own interests in the Gnostics, Ancient Egypt and magic itself, and from her wonderment at life and death, makes her writing unique.... She's still regarded by most as one of Canada's greatest poets.”

“She was small and slight, with a round pale face, huge blue eyes usually rimmed in kohl (Type of eyeliner and cosmetic), and long dark straight hair.”

“She displayed a commanding interest in magic and history as well as an elaborate and penetrating dexterity in her versecraft.”