Two Goofus's

Goofus is stuck in cycles and takes advantage of women Gallant is adventurous and always treats women with respect

 In the most recent installment of Dubliners, the title "Two Gallants" sets up romantic expectations that clearly are not realized, and in fact are essentially reversed. Even the description of the setting to begin the story contributes to these expectations, especially in how it contrasts with some of the earlier short stories of the collection. As opposed to a story like "Eveline" where we hear of dust, rust, and old houses, "Two Gallants" begins with a vivid and lively description: "Like illuminated pearls the lamps shone from the summits of their tall poles upon the living teture..." (36). Based off the title and even this brief description the reader would expect the two men encountered in the story to be brave and chivalrous and perhaps take part in some sort of adventure, but reality is quite the contrary. Corley clearly takes advantage of the maid in the story, taking gifts from her and only using her for profit. He also brags about his conquests of women and his police connections, confirming that he does not treat woman as we would expect a gallant to at all and at the same time suggesting the opposite of any sort of gallant heroism in that he is a sellout to the English. This may be reading a bit too much into the text, but saying his name in the manner of the Florentines (seen on page 38) means that Corley pronounces his own name "whorely," even further connoting his crudeness as a character. Lenehan does not come off as quite as cocky as Corley and is a more quiet and reflective character, but he still dismisses romantic code of buying women something like chocolate sweets as "mug's game" and is excited as Corley about their plan to steal (39). Being a gallant also implies a sort of bravery, and Joyce writes that Lenehan ignores glances that “invite him to be bold” (42). In an example of further irony, the only bravery Corley posseses is the bravery to integrate himself into a crowd at a bar (37). Joyce really doesn't give either character a redeeming quality, driving home the repulsiveness of the two men by describing them both as ugly. Corley has a "large, globular and oily" head, and Lenehan has grey hair and a "ravaged look" (38, 35).

It is also interesting that the reader really does not hear anything at all about Corley’s narrative. While the action takes place we are stuck following Lenehan nowhere. He wanders aimlessly, often times ending up back where he started and suggesting the cyclical nature of some of the typical Irishmen Joyce has previously described, and he is controlled by the harp, a symbol for Ireland. It seems clear that neither man is a gallant in the true sense of the word, but perhaps in focusing on Lenehan Joyce uses the irony of the title to portray him as the sad picture of what an Irish gallant has become.