Two Gallants

The realism of “Two Gallants” derives from Joyce’s detailed description of Dublin. The story takes place on a Sunday evening in the late 19th century as Dubliners wander around the parks and public spaces. In the story’s opening, the narrative evokes a romantic mood, figuratively comparing the streetlamps to “illumined pearls” casting light on “the living texture below” (1). However, this picturesque imagery is undercut by Joyce’s description of the “warm grey evening” (1). The contrast of “warm” and “grey” creates a jarring note suggesting a cloud hanging over the otherwise idyllic scene. Hinting at Ireland’s Social Decline, Joyce’s word choice introduces a somber tone, foreshadowing the bleak nature of the narrative.

As Lenehan and Corley are introduced, the limited third-person narration conveys a great deal about the main characters without accessing their thoughts. The dynamics of their relationship are demonstrated through their mannerisms and dialogue. Corley’s confidence and apparent dominance are illustrated as he monopolizes the sidewalk, while Lenehan walks “on the verge of the path” (1). Lenehan’s adaption to his friend’s gait and his close attention to Corley’s self-centered monologue suggest that he accepts a subservient position in the friendship. However, Joyce also alerts the reader to a false note in Lenehan’s responses. He laughs only when he is “quite sure that the narrative had ended” (2), indicating false jocularity. His voice is also “winnowed of vigour” (2), suggesting that he is faking enthusiasm. These small details hint at Lenehan’s inner conflict and suggest a degree of manipulation in his behavior. Joyce presents clues to the characters’ dissolute lifestyle in detailed descriptions of their physical appearances. Despite their relative youth, both men are overweight and prematurely aged. As the unattractive nature of the two main characters emerges, the verbal irony of the story’s title becomes apparent. The concept of gallantry is juxtaposed with the decidedly unheroic and ungentlemanly impression they make.

The dialogue between Lenehan and Corley illustrates their jaded attitudes and examines their view of romantic and sexual relationships. Both Corley and Lenehan express contempt for traditional courtship and view these arrangements as a form of exchange. The theme of Suspicion and Betrayal is established as it emerges that Corley regularly engages in forms of manipulation that exploit women. Joyce withholds the details of his current scheme from the reader. However, the narrative implies that he plans to use a young servant woman for his own purposes. Corley, in particular, expresses a misogynistic view of women in the offensive slurs he uses to describe them. Corley demonstrates double standards when he complains that a former girlfriend became a sex worker, disregarding his own expectation of financial gain from sexual relationships. Joyce again uses irony in Lenehan’s assertion that the woman is a “base betrayer.”

The theme of suspicion and betrayal also extends into the friendship between Lenehan and Corley as they intermittently express mistrust of each other. For example, Corley believes that Lenehan wants to see the woman he is meeting because he has designs on her himself. Similarly, later in the story, Lenehan is convinced that Corley will “give him the slip” (14). Demonstrating how mistrust characterizes all the relationships in the story, Joyce represents Dublin as a society that has been impacted by political betrayal and social decline. The knock-on effect of amorality and mercenary behavior is illustrated in the story’s plot. Corley exploits his female companion for his own benefit, persuading her to commit the petty crime of stealing from her employers. Her actions suggest that she also hopes to benefit from the crime, believing that Corley is from a good family and, therefore, marriageable. While the characters act in a way that the reader may disapprove of, Joyce suggests that their actions are a response to their environment.

The narrative’s setting presents a realistic depiction of late-19th-century Dublin that includes street names and local landmarks within the city. As Corley and Lenehan wander the city’s streets, Joyce identifies their specific locations throughout the story. Joyce uses these markers to identify Dublin as a real place and to contextualize the events that occur in the narrative. The city’s locations also reinforce the author’s themes. For example, the cheap café Lenehan visits contrasts with prestigious historic buildings such as Trinity College, hinting at the social decline of Ireland’s capital city. This point is highlighted as Lenehan and Corley pass the harpist playing in Kildare Street. The harp is figuratively compared to a woman “heedless that her coverings had fallen about her knees” (8). As the harp is a well-known emblem of Ireland, Joyce depicts his country as so weary that it has lost all dignity.

At the midpoint of the narrative, the third-person narration shifts from a detached description of the characters to a focus on Lenehan’s point of view. Joyce emphasizes the change in the protagonist once he is alone and no longer performing a role. Lenehan’s sense of purposelessness and futility is highlighted as he walks the streets in circles to “pass the hours till he me[ets] Corley again” (11). Insight into Lenehan’s internal thoughts causes the reader to reassess his character as he reflects on his dissatisfaction with his current life. Lenehan’s true feelings about Corley and his machinations are revealed as he thinks, “He had walked the streets long enough with friends and with girls. He knew what those friends were worth: he knew the girls too” (13). The implication that Corley and others like him are worthless demonstrates Lenehan’s recognition of the degraded nature of his social relationships. These self-reflective passages contrast with Lenehan’s earlier exuberance while responding to Corley’s tales. The character’s melancholy sentiments introduce the theme of The Limits of Personal Choices. While Lenehan yearns to “settle down in some snug corner and live happily” (13), the gap between his desires and the reality of his situation implies that his epiphany might have a limited effect on his choices.

In the concluding passages, Joyce continues to frame the action from Lenehan’s point of view. While Corley views his instigation of the petty theft as a success, Lenehan’s feelings remain unexpressed. Readers are left uncertain whether the protagonist’s self-reflection will change his attitude or impact his friendship with Corley. This narrative ambiguity parallels the author’s uncertainty about Ireland’s ability to transcend its challenges.