Merrill Denison: The Political and Modernist Writer at 120

Abstract

June 23, 2013 marks 120 years since the birth of Merrill Denison, a playwright, radio dramatist, essayist, journalist, environmental advocate, and writer of corporate histories. 2 His embrace of Canadian subjects as well as his success in crafting a living for himself as a professional writer during the early twentieth century set him apart from many of his contemporaries. Despite his numerous accomplishments, Denison has arguably receded from our collective memory. 3 It is possible that time has not been kind to him because he was a populist who strove to achieve commercial success. However, to dismiss Denison for a presumed lack of artistic gravitas is to ignore the political and aesthetic importance of his work. The social issues he addressed, including transnational citizenship, rural poverty, women’s rights, and the environment, remain timely. In addition, he was a writer at the vanguard of the Little Theatre Movement in Canada, and one of the early innovators of literary genres such as radio drama and creative non-fiction. Within this context, the brief overview of Denison’s career that follows is intended not only to celebrate the birth of this prolific writer, but also to highlight some of the ways his work resonates today.