An Analysis of James Joyce's Short Story The Dead: Loving and Losing

At first glance, James Joyce’s The Dead appears to be a story about the annual Christmas party thrown by the Morkan sisters and their niece, Mary Jane. It goes into detail about several of the guests in attendance and describes the wonderful evening they all had, including singing, dancing, and a feast fit for a king. But when examining the story more closely, it becomes evident that there is more to this account then just that on the surface. The Dead is a story about love, lost loves, and the inability to forget those who have been loved and lost. 

Although one might think the Morkans are at the center of the story, hosting their yearly get together, The Dead actually revolves around Gabriel and Gretta Conroy. At the beginning of the party, Gabriel and Gretta appear to be a very happy couple, laughing and joking about goloshes. Gabriel loves Gretta very much; his love is clearly shown when he rents a hotel room for the two of them following the party. Gabriel worried that if they traveled home directly after the party Gretta might become ill from the extreme cold weather. He loves her deeply and is more concerned with her health than getting home and back to his children quickly. Throughout the dinner Gretta reciprocates the love, until something suddenly changes her attitude for the night. 

As the party was winding down, Gabriel was looking forward to a romantic night with his wife. While preparing to leave, he noticed her leaning on the banister, transfixed by a song Mr. D’Arcy was singing in the adjacent room. The song, The Lass of Aughrim, destroyed Gretta’s happy-go-lucky attitude and left her in a solemn state. Gabriel notices a change in his wife’s behavior, but he isn’t able to figure out what the problem is.