Dubliners

The Dead

The Dead: Summary

"The Dead" is about Gabriel Conroy's experiences at a Christmas party and his wife Gretta's revelation of a past love, prompting Gabriel's reflections on life, death, and Irish identity.

Please consult the helpful list of introductory articles on "The Dead" in case you are doing further research on the story.

Overview & Analysis

"The Dead" is the longest story in James Joyce's collection "Dubliners". The narrative is set in early 1900s Dublin, primarily at the annual Christmas party hosted by Kate and Julia Morkan, Gabriel Conroy's aunts. The story's main themes include love, loss, and the question of Irish identity.

The protagonist, Gabriel, is a well-educated man who writes for a Unionist newspaper, "The Daily Express". He attends the party with his wife, Gretta. At the party, Gabriel faces several minor conflicts that all contribute to a feeling of unease. For instance, he has an awkward encounter with Lily, the caretaker's daughter, which sets the tone for the evening. Furthermore, his anticipatory anxiety about the speech he is to give, coupled with the fear that his academic references will not be understood, build up a sense of disconnection between him and the other attendees. This sense of isolation is heightened when he is confronted by Molly Ivors, an Irish nationalist. She teases him for being a "West Briton", symbolizing his detachment from the Irish community. His inability to offer a satisfactory rejoinder intensifies his unease, as he states, "he gets 15 shillings a week, and 'the books he received for review were almost more welcome than the paltry cheque'".

The evening progresses with dinner, speeches, toasts, and music. Gabriel is increasingly introspective, contemplating the falling snow and his impending speech. His alienation from the surrounding festivities is further exacerbated when Gretta expresses a desire to visit her childhood home in Galway, a place with which Gabriel has no connection.

The story's climax unfolds after the party when Gretta, seemingly lost in thought, reveals a past love to Gabriel. She confesses that the song sung by Bartell D'Arcy, "The Lass of Aughrim", reminded her of Michael Furey, a young man who courted her in her youth and died prematurely. This moment serves as the root of Gabriel's "epiphany". He is stunned to discover a significant part of Gretta's past that he was unaware of, prompting him to reflect on the power of the dead over the living.

Gabriel's reflection on death, in the end, is a profound affirmation of life. He is portrayed standing at a window, watching snowfall, contemplating the omnipresence of death and its impact on life. The story concludes with Gabriel's realization that "everyone he knows, himself included, will one day only be a memory". Gabriel's resulting contemplation of life and death, the living and the dead, spans across "the entirety of Ireland", symbolizing the universal nature of his thoughts.

The themes of love and loss, as well as the question of the Irish identity, are all intricately woven into the fabric of the story. Gabriel's interactions with the other characters, his internal monologue, and the revelation of Gretta's past reflect these themes. His character represents a clash of identities, where he struggles between his Irish roots and his European aspirations.

"The Dead" provides a critique of a society gripped by a "deadening paralysis of the spirit" and contrasts it with the enlivening effect found when the living contemplate the lives of those who have died. Gretta's poignant recollection of her lost love, Michael Furey, and the profound effect it has on Gabriel, reflect this contrast powerfully.

In conclusion, "The Dead" presents a multi-layered narrative encompassing themes of love, loss, identity, and the eternal influence of the dead over the living. It paints a vivid picture of early 20th century Irish society through the lens of its characters' personal experiences and internal struggles. The story beautifully captures Gabriel's self-realization and the ensuing shift in his perspective as his understanding of life, death, and his identity deepens. This succinctly illustrates Joyce's masterful storytelling, where he interweaves personal experiences with broader social and philosophical themes. As T. S. Eliot reputedly said, "The Dead" stands as "one of the greatest short stories ever written".

My favourite line of the English short story (and probably one of the most poignant, insightful, and beautiful lines ever written) is the wonderful last sentence of the story:

"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."

Characters