The story takes place at the annual Misses Morkan's dance. Among the invited people we see Gabriel Conroy and his wife Gretta. Gabriel is characterized as a very dominant person. Gabriel is concerned only about the tasks he needs to do in the party and hardly pays attention to his wife. Gabriel takes care that everybody will feel comfortable in the

party: He talks to lots of of people in the party, makes sure the aunts feel comfortable and have fun, dances with the guests. He is also concerned about the speech he is about to make in the party later on. He does so many things that he is not aware of his wife's existence. She is taken for granted.

In the beginning of the story there is scarcely a concrete reference to his wife. We know little about her. She is described as Gabriel's wife and nothing more than that. As the story begins, she is called "his wife"(200) or "Gabriel's wife"(201). Any information given us about her comes through Gabriel's eyes, or what Gabriel feels towards her. In fact, Gabriel sees her as a symbol and not as real person. He watches her standing on a stairway in the shadows listening to some music. He sees her skirt between the shadows that look dark. It looks as if she is painted in black and white and not as a person with emotions: "There was grace and mystery in her attitude as if she were a symbol of something. He asked himself what is a woman standing on the stairs in the shadow, listening to distant music, a symbol of"(240). We don't know what she feels or why did she stand in the shadows and not somewhere else. Even the title of the painting that Gabriel pictures in his mind when he sees Gretta, "Distant Music"(240), indicates that the name that he chooses to name the picture, that specific adjective, the first thing that comes to his mind, implies on the alienation and distortion that lies between them.

Later on, Gabriel and Gretta arrive to the hotel. Here we see another example of Gabriel being self-centered and how he misinterprets Gretta. Gabriel is eager to make love with her, thinking that now is the time to do what he wished for so long. Gabriel, definitely thinking that this is Gretta's desire also, is waiting for the right moment to do it. However, he senses that something is wrong with her. He doesn't really know what is it but tries to start a conversation with her about Frank Malin. Gabriel thinks: "If she would only turn to him or come to him of

Some topics in this essay:
Gretta Gabriel, Michael Furey, Michael Fuery, Noiselessly…243 Gabriel, Gabriel Gretta, Furey Gabriel, Malin Gabriel, Distant Music240, James Joyce, Finally Gretta, learning process, beginning story, throughout story, dead lover, gretta gabriel, gabriel conroy wife, view gabriel, feels towards, gabriel concerned, strong emotions, conroy wife, throughout story mainly, conroy wife gretta, wife gretta gabriel,