Duality and Paralysis in "Two Gallants"Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay “Two Gallants” by James Joyce, from Dubliners, is at first glance the story of two men driven by greed to manipulate a slavery. Lenehan and Corley enjoy their mischievous banter as they stroll through Dublin, all the while plotting to collect money from a woman. When examined more closely, "Two Gallants" is Joyce's commentary on urban life in Dublin, particularly the social paralysis of its inhabitants. In his article “Two Gallants,” A. Walton Litz describes the story as “a cold-blooded assault on the conditions of Irish society” (Litz 329). The climax of the story exposes the gold coin, the end result of Corley and Lenehan's plan. The coin itself represents the two sides of Corley and Lenehan, men living a perpetual adolescent existence in Dublin. Although Litz's description of the coin as a "true epiphany, a manifestation of a hidden reality" is accurate, he fails to probe deeply enough into the true meaning of this epiphany (Litz 335). In "Two Gallants" Joyce uses the coin to both symbolize the duality within the main characters and to demonstrate the spiritual paralysis of men through their greed. Much like the “two sides of a coin” cliché, Lenehan and Corley illustrate the duality of their characters throughout the story. Men contain both unattractive and positive qualities in their character. Corley is described as an unemployed, self-centered gentleman who "spoke without listening to the speech of his companions. His conversation was chiefly about himself" (Joyce 51). He boasts incessantly to Lenehan that slavery is wrapped around his finger. Corley tells him, "He brought me cigarettes every night [...] paying for the streetcar there and back. And one night he brought me two damn nice cigars" (Joyce 51). Corley's physical appearance is also unattractive as he is described as having a large, "globular, oily head; he sweated in all weathers" (Joyce 51). Joyce portrays the man in an unpleasant light, making Corley an unpleasant character. However, Joyce also shows Corley's duality by including subtle hints at his moral distinction and conscience. Corley is “the son of the police inspector and has inherited his father's build and gait” (Joyce 51). This description of Corley implies a certain stature, conflicting with the idea of ​​Corley as an unreliable drifter. When Corley meets Lenehan after his encounter with the slave, Corley "stared darkly ahead. Then with a grave gesture he reached out a hand towards the light [...] A small gold coin shone in the palm" (Joyce 60) . Here the ambiguous dark expression could perhaps indicate guilt, although nothing other than speculation is feasible. Corley's face may reveal a slight conscience within Corley, a second side of him that differs from the harsh malice of his character. As in the case of Corley, Lenehan is also perceived as an unfavorable individual. Lenehan is seen as a dark-nosed person, who goes from job to job. Joyce describes his physicality as "stocky and ruddy" and his eyes "gleaming with sly amusement" (Joyce 49). The narrator acknowledges that “most people considered Lenehan a leech” (Joyce 50). Lenehan constantly questions Corley about his abilities to manipulate slaves, and when he refers to Corley as a “gay Lothario,” there is a “tinge of derision” that “alleviates the servility of his ways” (Joyce 52). From these images of Lenehan's personality, he is seen as an unlikable character. However, like Corley, like the gold coin, there, 1996. 327-38