Two Gallants by James Joyce is a short story regarding the adventures of two men: Lenehan and Corley, as they walk on the streets of Dublin, Ireland. Lenehan is thirty, educated, and lonely, and he relies on being a leech to get a few drinks at the bar. Corley is the son of a police inspector, unemployed, and gets some money as an informant. He also sees a maidservant, a girl willing to steal and lie for him. Both men are coldhearted and manipulative, especially Corley. Amidst the financial problems in Ireland, no one has it easy, and some have to resort in wrong ways to obtain funds. This story deals with themes such as the corrosion of Irish society, the lack of a sense of belonging, betrayal, and the unrealistic demands and requests for women and girls.
As a part of the powerful British Empire, Irish society was never as glamorous as British society, with an overwhelming amount of unemployment and poverty. Ireland did not receive enough support from Britain, and this resulted in them being unable to have a proper life. For example, both Lenehan and Corley do not have stable jobs. They rely on temporary and uncertain things like gambling and informing the police to get by. Both of them come from well-off or at least competent families, yet they are not able to have a stable income or a long-term job. This shows that no one lived off very well during that time in Ireland, as the financial situation only allowed a very little amount of people to be rich, like the housemaid’s employer. Their terrible economy may also result in their bad tempers and personalities, as when someone does not have enough money to spend, they may become more irritable and anxious, as one needs money to pay for housing, food, and clothes. Without the help of the British, Irish society falls deeper into failure and no money.
The lack of a sense of belonging may be the very thing that is triggered by the failure of Irish society, as it is for Lenehan. Ireland belonged to Great Britain, but never received any good help from them in times of need. For example, Lenehan longs for family and friends, but does not have either. No one is truly friendly with him, and many consider him a leech for drinks. Even though no one outwardly banned him, it is common knowledge that no one is truly friendly with him. He’s not married, and doesn’t have any kids, and he longs for a simple-minded girl as his wife. He is perceived as sad and lonely, as no one is true to him. This is why he lacks a sense that he belongs, because he really doesn’t. He doesn’t go home to his wife and children at night, and he also doesn’t have true friends that look out for him, unlike Corley who has people tell him when there is a job vacancy. The lack of a sense of belonging may be one of the big factors why Lenehan isn’t productive.
Betrayal and lies happen throughout the story, and we see many kinds of that happen. Friends, lovers, acquaintances, and family can betray each other, in different ways that hurt just as much. For example, the housemaid betrays her employer when she steals from him, from cigarettes to gold coins. This type of betrayal may result in her getting imprisoned or punished, and results in less emotional damage. She didn’t really betray the man, rather, she betrayed her position, as she broke the rules of being a servant to a master. Corley also betrays the housemaid, by using her love for him as a way to obtain goods. For him, the maid is not a lover nor a woman who gives him sexual pleasures, rather a way to get money and cigarettes. Through his manipulation, he betrays her love for him and is not true to her, as he doesn’t even plan to marry her. Betrayal comes in many ways and forms, and we can see at least two instances of that happening in the story.
The unrealistic expectations set on women should also be discussed, as they seem to contradict themselves in every way possible. At those times, a woman's virginity was considered an important asset, and some men would only marry virgins. However, we also know that in the story, men like Corley go on dates with women like the housemaid. He doesn’t plan on marrying her, and isn’t at all interested in that matter. He is there mostly for the cigars and things she steals, along with pleasing himself. This does not make sense because if men want certain pleasures with women they do not plan to marry, how will they obtain virgin wives? More dates without marriage means that the amount of virgin girls will decrease, as they continue to have relations with men who are not their husbands. Most men find a girl to date, and don't end up marrying her, simply because he wanted a little fun and not a long term commitment. The expectations are unhealthy, as they are simply not feasible, and interfere with successful marriages. Unrealistic expectations of women set in the past are often contradictory and make no sense in a logical way.
In conclusion, Two Gallants by James Joyce may as well be a realistic portrayal of Ireland during that period of time. From poverty to the unrealistic treatment of women, we know that it was a difficult time to be alive. Today’s Dublin is world’s away from then’s Dublin, as it is now a top tourist spot for travelers all across the world. It has also become a city, sparkling with history and the past. A lot can change in a century, but we must not forget people like Lenehan and Corley, who despite their unlikeable personalities, suffered for their country’s mistakes.
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