The Dead

Symbols/Signals

<The Title: "The Dead">

The title, in the very beginning, has already suggested the idea of an irony. This is a story about lively Christmas party full of dancing and drinking; yet it is titled "The Dead". The setting helps this idea too. The party is held on Usher's Island, another reference to death; and it's around Christmas time (also note "Epiphany"),
Wintertime, the end of seasons, also suggests not only the death but reminds us of the birth of Christ. (see Gray's Notes for "The Dead")

<Settings>

# Time:

Around Christmas time: Epiphany

# Place:

Usher's Island

<Music>

# Each performance reveals the performers' inner emotions and feelings.

# The performance itself is as a contrast to the state of the performer.

EX. "Arrayed For the Bridal":
Arrayed for the bridal, in beauty behold her
A white wreath entwineth a forehead more fair
I envy the zeohyrs that softly enfold he
                                                                             enfold her

And play with the locks of her beautiful hair
May life to her prove full of sunshine and love
                                                                             full of love yes! yes! yes!

Who would not love her
Sweet star of the morning! Shining so bright!
Earth9s circle adorning, fair creature of light
                                                                            fair creature of light.

---

<Paintings>

# Two Princes in the Tower--Silent Death

This reminds us Shakespeare's Richard III, who has been responsible for the murder of his two nephews in order to protect his ascension to his throne. This painting implies a silent death because those two princes were murdered in silence, which becomes an implication of "The Dead" and also corresponds to the theme.

# Romeo and Juliet-- Passionate Love

This painting foreshadows later on what Gretta will disclose between herself and Michael Furey. Gretta is like the young Juliet, and her young lover Michael, like the Romeo, died for consumption because of waiting for her outside in a raining day. And this also sets a contrast between the love of Gretta and Michael and the one of Gabriel and his wife. Michael shows his selfless love for Gretta when Gabriel is self-centred, thinking of possessing Gretta. or another contrast to two aunts. The connection between the two paintings (Gray's notes for "The Dead") is that in Romeo and Juliet too there were two princes murdered (Mercurio and Tibult), and perhaps this is the connection that Gabriel thinks about love and death, which is projected onto the wall of the room.

<Phrases>

# "these monks sleep in their coffins"/ "accepted the glass mechanically"…which is underlying theme of death--the living dead

<Terms>

# Michael's coffin: implies Gretta another living dead for her love, her passion, and her sexual desire have buried in her mind with the past, became a deadly silence

# Windows: windows archetypal symbols of twentieth-century literature, particularly useful in indicating that individuals are trapped in boxes in which real life is occurring outside, and is unavailable to the alienated inhabitant of the twentieth century. (Gray's notes)

<Snow Image>

# Death or Rebirth: At the end of the story, is Gabriel irretrievably dead spiritually? Or, he is realizing that his true regeneration lies in the renewal of life which can come from seeking out his roots, of no longer being a "West Briton"? (Gray's notes)

<Link>

Wallace Gray's Notes for "The Dead

The Dead