Guess the Characters from English Literature Flashcards
This character is a middle-aged man with a thin build, dark hair, and a serious demeanor. He is often seen wearing formal attire and carries himself with a sense of sophistication. His facial features are described as sharp and his eyes are often portrayed as intense and thoughtful.
The story’s protagonist, a middle-aged Dublin teacher and writer. His name, which means “man of God” in Hebrew, carries Biblical significance, as it is the name of the angel who announces the coming of the Messiah to the Virgin Mary. He is Kate andJulia’s favorite nephew, and the son of their sister, Ellen, who has died. He seeks validation from the women in his life. His aunts continually praise him and he runs small errands for them in return. However, he allows his male pride and desire for female validation to distract him from having meaningful interactions with women, and he often fails to see how his words and actions affect the female characters. Additionally he is distracted by nostalgia, and fails to find passion in the present. He is very interested in England and the continent, and generally detests Dublin life. At the end of the story he comes to the realization that he has failed to find true love or passion in his life, and that he is on track to live a meaningless life and die a meaningless death.
Gabriel
“The Dead”
James Joyce
Gretta has fair hair and a delicate complexion. She is portrayed as elegant and graceful, with a sense of melancholy in her demeanor.
A good-natured and kind woman. She does not hate Dublin as her husband does, and finds his interest in things like galoshes to be ridiculous. She reveals the story of her first love, Michael Furey, to her husband on the night of the party. She believes that Michael died for her sake, and for this reason, she is also distracted by the past and unable to focus on finding love and passion in the present.
Gretta
“The Dead”
James Joyce
The caretaker’s daughter who helps attend to the party guests. She seems to have known the family since she was a child, since Gabriel remembers when she was little and “used to sit on the lowest step nursing a rag doll.” She has a good relationship with Kate, Julia, and Mary Jane as she rarely makes mistakes. She becomes bitter when Gabriel makes a comment about her being of the age to marry.
Lily
“The Dead”
James Joyce
Gabriel’s aunt, who lives and is hosting the dinner party with her sister ……, and niece, Mary Jane. She is a musician who gives piano lessons in their home, since she is “too feeble to go about much.” As far as physical appearance goes, she seems to be the most lively of Gabriel’s aunts, with a face like a “red apple” and a long braid of a “ripe nut color.” She feels strongly about the Catholic Church’s decision to ban women from church choirs, but she is conflicted because she also believes the pope is infallible. She downplays her own opinions about this to avoid offending others, even though she feels passionately about the issue.
Aunt Kate
“The Dead”
James Joyce
Gabriel’s other aunt, who is also hosting the annual Christmas party along with …… and Mary Jane. She works as the leading soprano in Adam and Eve’s, which is a popular Dublin name for the Church of the Immaculate Conception. According to the text she has “not aged well” and is described as having gray hair and a gray face, further emphasizing her age. She has trouble understanding Gabriel’s speech and is often confused. Towards the end of the text, Gabriel imagines her funeral, which he believes will happen soon in the very same house.
Aunt Julia
“The Dead”
James Joyce
She and Julia’s niece. Her father Pat died and her aunts took her into their care around thirty years ago. Now she plays the organ at Haddington Road. She acts as a peace keeper throughout the night, diffusing tension when the discussion turns too controversial. She is the third of the “Three Graces” Gabriel describes in his speech, along with his two aunts.
Mary Jane
“The Dead”
James Joyce
The one who calls Gabriel “West Briton”
Mrs. Ivors
