J.Joyce - THE DEAD

TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

         The Dead (1914) is the last short story of J. Joyce’s Dubliners, a collection of fifteen narrative texts examining paralysis in Dublin in biographical and psychological detail by mean of symbolic realism. The story significantly concludes Dubliners portraying a traditional Irish Christmas party and focusing the attention on a middle-aged man’s existential revelation.

         The story is set in Ireland, Dublin, the novelist’s hometown, considered as the centre of stagnation and lack of will. It is Christmas time and the atmosphere suggests the beginning of a new life. In addition, the final main characters’ sense of isolation opposes to the traditional familiar celebration in Ireland.

The story is structured into three main sequences taking place in interior places so that the psychological dimension is central.

The first sequence is set at Kate Morkan and Julia Morkan’s house in the beginning of their traditional Christmas party. They are portrayed in an ironic and realistic way as Irish, old-fashioned hostess. The sisters are secondary characters waiting their niece Gabriel Conroy, indirectly introduced as a smart man. At the end of the scene Gabriel arrives with her elegant wife, Gretta Conroy. He appears to be a selfish and conservator man when he makes an unfunny joke about the maid Lily’s marriage prospects. Their dialogue is significant to portray two antithetical ideologies in Ireland. Not long after that, various episodes characterize Gabriel as a thoughtful, pathetic and loving husband.

In the second scene guests have their Christmas ball, dinner is served and Gabriel gives his speech. The sequence focuses its attention on Irish tradition also providing elements of discussion between characters. As matter of fact Gabriel has an argument about the importance of the past with her dancing partner Miss Ivors, an Irish nationalist. Idealizing the past he behaves as a conservator and self assured man, indeed Miss Ivors rushes away even before dinner. In addition Gabriel thinks about his dinner address, he is afraid to be too pompous and so revises some quotations. As a result Gabriel is shown as an intelligent man. At the end of the sequence Gabriel gives his prepared speech, with great happiness of his aunts. In the speech, presented by Gabriel as a pleasing and demanding task to perform, he expresses his feeling on the occasion. He is very glad to celebrate Christmas according to the family tradition; indeed he states “the tradition of genuine warm-hearted courteous Irish hospitality is still alive among us”. Secondly he speaks about the present, “hypereducated generation…sceptical and thought-tormented age” in opposition to the past, traditional Irish values “qualities of humanity, of hospitality, of kindly humour”. An important consideration is made about the dead, “absent faces that we miss here tonight”: Gabriel refers to past sadness “Our path through life is strewn with many such sad memories” but he believes in the importance of going on “We have all of us living duties and living affections which claim, and rightly claim, our strenuous endeavours.” The speech terminates with Gabriel’s appreciation to his aunts, “youngest hostess, talented, cheerful, hard-working”. As the party ends, Gabriel and his wife reach the reserved hotel; his wife sexually attracts Gabriel.

At the centre of the last sequence and of the whole short story there is Gabriel’s epiphany. It is prompted by the view of his wife, deeply changed after having heard the song The Lass of Aughrim sang by Mr D’Arcy, a famous retired tenor. In the dialogue between Gabriel and Gratta at the hotel, he discovers that his wife had a lover before him, who died for love. As a matter of fact, Gretta tells his husband that the song reminded her to the past, when she was a girl and loved Micheal Furey, a delicate boy, used to sing The Lass of Aughrim. The woman adds that he was terribly sick and unable to see her, but he came before her leaving to the convent and stayed out in the rain. He finally died for love. The story is a sudden, decisive revelation for Gabriel guiding to a deep insight. Indeed, he reflects on his life and understands the meaning of true love and the role of life and death in human existence.

The epiphany is a turning point in the narration as well as in Gabriel’s life because it reveals him a hidden connection between him and the world. The character is dynamic; he undergoes a profound change in which he wonders the meaning of existence. At the end, he grasps its essence realizing that life and death are two different forms of existing in one’s mind.

         Joyce largely adopts symbolic realism in the narration of the short story. Symbolic realism is the result of impersonality. Indeed the narrator is eclipsed in characters’ dialogues and thoughts.

Joyce provides realistic description of Irish life but it is not traditional since symbols convey hidden meanings. Symbolism appears in various forms by means of the use of language.

It is suggested by the choice of places and situations: a Christmas party in a traditional Irish family gives the possibility to deal with elements of specific culture. In addition it creates a special atmosphere of waiting in which revelation is central. Indeed, Christian Christmas night represents a moment of high surprise, hope and power as well as Gabriel feels after his epiphany.

What is more the situation of celebrating Christmas allows the novelist to present the character’s isolation with psychological depth.

Names chosen are also elements of symbolism. In particular, Gabriel and Michael are both Archangels. The name “Gabriel” means “God is my strength” and was a messenger to humans from God. As a result, Joyce’s character becomes relevant with the epiphany that gives him the possibility to be aware of his own condition and essence. In addition, since he is commonly linked to Annunciation, it represents the hope of a rebirth. On the other hand, the name “Michael” means “who is like God?” and so it is a symbol of humility before God as well as it is Avaging angel representing remorse.

In addition, “Gretta” means “pearl” and so she is a symbol of rare beauty and elegance.  

As a result the character’s names are symbolically chosen as an element of significant characterization.

Symbols are present to explain deeper meanings as a way to clarify abstract thoughts. To begin with music is a decisive element in the story. Firstly it anticipates Aunt Kate’s death to Gabriel. Secondly it starts his epiphany in which he wonders about the meaning of life and death. As a result music always makes the character refers to death.

In addition, snow is an important symbol in the story because it conveys a deep meaning. Indeed, The Dead ends with the image of snow falling on Ireland “His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead.” Snow is linked to the fall, as well as love and illness. Indeed in English you say “to fall in love”, “to fall ill”. Both the expressions convey the idea of the lack of balance and are symbols of relevant changes in life. As a result, the snow falling may allude to a human condition of imbalance. As a matter of fact it can be also symbol for the rebirth of nature. Therefore it represents the doubt of stability as well as the hope of a new balance. What is more the snowy landscape creates a peaceful atmosphere that can allude to interior tranquillity.

         All in all The Dead is a revealing short story presenting the controversial relation between life and death in human existence and the meaning of knowing ourselves, others and feelings. Life and death appears to be ambivalent elements and they are both significant in one’s mind. What is more intelligent individual can grasp nature of things as well as they have means to understand the need of self-examination together with the awareness of the external world.

         I appreciate the short story for different reasons. To begin with in has been an effective way to understand the concept of epiphany in Modernist literature and to gain its importance in life. Secondly I liked Joyce’s narrative operation because he was able to connect the tradition to new themes and needs in Modernism. As a result he shows to conform and cohere to past works of art and to be an “individual talent”.