The short story Two Gallants in the collection of Dubliners by James Joyce depicts the miserable and unsuccessful lives of two Irish men. The story begins in a summer evening with a man named Corley, the son of an inspector of police dominating a vivid conversation with another man named Lenehan, who is thirty-one and seems to be more responsive and flattering. After Corley brags about his earnings and presents that he received from his newly dated girl, a serving maid, the two men start their discussion on an immoral plan of convincing the maid to steal money from her employer’s house so that the two men could earn the money. The next day, while Corley greets the maid, Lenehan just casts a glance and wanders down the Dublin street. Settling down in a bar while having his simple lunch, Lenehan contemplates his life of acquiring no family, no steady job, and other difficulties… He soon leaves the bar to meet Corley, because he is afraid of Corley ignoring him. Corley, after hearing Lenehan’s multiple calls, shows him a gold coin given by the maid as his “achievement”.
The Irish government’s carelessness towards its own economy under the Britain rule results in a great economic crisis for all citizens, including the upper-class as well. For a long time in the colonial periods, Ireland lacked the spirit of chivalry or the bravery to resist Britain's expanded colonization. Instead, the country became more dependent on Britain because without its rule, their economy would worsen even more. This corrosion of Irish society results in financial inequality for individuals, which revealed the unacceptable irresponsibility of the aborted government. In the story, Lenehan and Corley are both born in a well upper statused family, therefore, they’re supposed to be “life-successors” with stabilized careers, budget, and a complete family. However, both of them lacked a steady job, resulting in Corley’s constant dating and luring with different virgins for a little sum of money or cigarettes he aimed for them to bring him. Being comparatively adroit and more eloquent than Corley, Lenehan’s failure in achieving financial stability appears deeper. A constant life of leeching and the complicated feelings of dissatisfaction and desperation of a middle-aged man are expressed in Lenehan’s thoughts in the bar. Lenehan and Corley’s precarious living act as a permanent obstacle toward their path toward their ideal happiness.
Lack of belongingness and betrayal represents two problems in the spirituality of the Irish citizens. The government’s lack of responsibility for the unregulated country makes people have an ambiguous sense of belonging and inclusiveness of Dublin. Loneliness perplexes Lenehan’s lewd life of gaining no friends, family, or any close trustful relationships. Even Corley is just a “friend in name” who he fears to displease and compete with, as shown in Lenehan flattery and avoidance of having any long-term eye-contact with Corley’s “target”. Additionally, when Lenehan hurries over to meet Corley, he is afraid that Corley would abandon him, betray their friendship (which Corley fears too), and not meet him after his dating. The betrayal of the maid from her employee is also evidently portrayed, but worse, it’s Corley’s continuous betrayal toward the maid and every woman he intends to seduce. He displays no respect, sincereness, or love toward any of his past relationships; the only thing he cares about is the amount of earnings. There is no trust between the two friends, nor any unity and honesty between the whole community. Sense of belongingness acts as the core of possessing self-esteem, emotional stability, and social peace. Without it, people would be living in desperate shallow lives with betrayal as a habit among each other forever.
Society’s problem with femininity is exposed with those high standard, unattainable expectations that the male requires them to do. Women should have the right to behave uniquely with their own styles, talents, and strengths. Their preciousness toward society is neglected by those nitpicking men who are filled with unsatisfied judgments about them. Men always expect women to have purity, which indicates that they must not have any other relationship with the opposite sex before marriage. However, men forbid their own expectations they set on women, because they failed on being reputable themselves. In the story, Corley goes on dates with various ladies, mainly virgins, and applies his romantic techniques such as greeting them in theaters to inveigle their goodness, making them give him valuable presents. During his instant relationship with the maid, he manipulates her and scams money from her employer. Corley’s goal of acquiring wealth becomes evident; he has no intentions of marriage or constructing a lovely family, so he treats every woman he dates with no truthful respect. Women in Corley and Lenehan’s minds are simply tools that they take advantage of to accomplish their own needs. After utilizing them, they no longer have any importance. Women have no responsibility to serve or satisfy any men who set up idealistic expectations for them.
Two Gallants is a memorable story that conveys numerous false existing ideas that trouble Irish society. The narration of the life of Lenehan and Corley, which is grounded miserably by poverty, reveals the hardships of living in Ireland during the colonization period. The government’s separation with the commoners result in a series of issues: financial pressure, spiritual instability, lack of belongingness, betrayal, and unrealistic expectations of women. Due to these factors, it’s easier for us to understand Lenehan and Corley performing those unethical
actions and behaviors, since they suffer terribly under Ireland’s mistaking government. Everyone showed no gallantry, leaving shamelessness, cowardly treacheries, and shallowness for the rest of their lives.
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