James Joyce is known for his works surrounding his homeland of Ireland and his discontent with the welfare of the nation. In his short-story “The Dead,” he depicts his dissatisfaction with Ireland in a depressing narrative. Through the usage of symbolism, setting, and metaphor, Joyce expresses his views through the main character Gabriel Conroy, characterizing his yearning desire for escape from a nation he no longer connects with.
Setting is an integral element of Joyce’s short stories, acting as an underlying theme within his writings. Joyce once said that if Dublin were to ever be destroyed by some catastrophe, it could be rebuilt brick by brick by using his works as a model.“The Dead” is no exception; it is set in the heart of Ireland, within Dublin. Without this setting, “The Dead” would lose meaning, as it showcases how Gabriel is constantly at war with his beliefs- on the losing side, there’s his dwindling ties to Ireland, and on the other side is his desire for something new.
At the party held by the Morkans, Gabriel was chastised by Miss Ivors, a nationalistic woman who called Gabriel an English sympathizer for vacationing outside of Ireland. Her insult prompted Gabriel to spill out his true thoughts, wherein he says “I’m
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The entirety of Dublin is cloaked snow, just as the dialogue is dominated by it; there are constant references to it throughout the story, wherein “snow falls on both the living and the dead.” It freezes the country into place, deeming it stagnant. Thus, Ireland is perpetually plunging to the bottom, it’s collection of alcoholics and a population tangled in controversial politics and religion crumbling down with it. As a result, Gabriel dreams of mainland Europe and all that it has to offer, alongside all the things Ireland cannot. This also translates directly into real life, where Joyce decided to spend most of his life outside of