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What does it mean when Corley says “She’s on the turf now” about a woman he used to date?
“She’s on the turf now” means that the woman has become a prostitute. Corley infers this because he saw her driving in a car with two men heading towards what was essentially Dublin’s red light district.
Why does “Two Gallants” place such a heavy emphasis on walking?
“Two Gallants” places such a heavy emphasis on mindless walking to represent the lack of direction that all of the characters in the text experience. That they are going nowhere in this moment is emblematic of the fact that they are going nowhere more generally in life.
Why is Lenehan described as having gray hair if he is only thirty?
Joyce likely emphasizes Lenehan’s graying hair to convey that he is prematurely aging due to his difficult life. This interpretation is supported by the moment after Corley leaves for his date, and Joyce writes that Lenehan looked “older” after he was left alone to contemplate his meaningless existence.
What are Lenehan and Corley planning?
Initially, it’s unclear what Lenehan and Corley have asked the maid to do. When Lenehan says, “I suppose you’ll be able to pull it off all right, eh?...Is she game for that?... You can never know women,” a first-time reader would logically assume that Lenehan is asking Corley if his date will be willing to have sex with him. However, as the story progresses, it becomes more and more apparent that the two men are plotting something. The details are kept from the reader until the very end of the text when it is revealed that the “it” in the above quote refers to the maid’s ability to steal money from her boss.
Why does Lenehan call Corley a “Lothario”?
Lothario is an Italian name, but it is also a slang term for a selfish and irresponsible seducer of women. The term comes from a character in Nicholas Rowe’s 1703 tragedy The Fair Penitent.
