The Dead

Snow blankets Dublin as horse-drawn carriages deliver guests to the Morkan townhouse. The annual Epiphany dinner begins to unfold with Mary Jane's students arriving, the bachelors being introduced, and the house filling with music and chatter.

Dan Brown, the sole Protestant guest, arrives alongside Gabriel Conroy and his wife Gretta, stirring quiet anticipation. Miss O'Callaghan, Miss Furlong, and Miss Higgins enter with the young bachelors, and Kate and Julia greet them, setting the social stage for the evening.

Gabriel keeps a watchful eye on Freddy Malins as the drunk guest begins to derail the gathering. He escorts Freddy to the restroom to steady him, trying to preserve decorum and keep the rhythm of the party intact.

Freddy's mother, Mrs. Malins, berates him for failing to meet her for tea earlier, reminding him of family expectations. She lives in Scotland with her daughter, adding a distant, watching presence to Freddy's misbehavior and the party's undercurrents.

The guests dance as Mary Jane performs a virtuosic piano piece and Mr. Grace recites 'Broken Vows,' a lament of lost love. Gretta's eyes grow misty during the poem, signaling an undercurrent of memory and longing in the room.

Kate pairs Gabriel with Molly Ivors, who chides him for writing for an English newspaper and not embracing Irish language. Gabriel snaps that he is sick of Ireland, revealing his conflicted stance and foreshadowing tensions in his marriage.

Gretta tries to persuade Gabriel to join Molly on a summer trip to the Aran Islands, while Kate announces Julia will sing 'Arrayed for the Bridal.' The conversation threads through dreams of travel and the performances that define the family's reputation.

Freddy, despite his nerves, gushes over Julia's singing, while Kate complains about the Pope's authority cutting short her sister's church choir days. The tension between performance, piety, and personal history becomes palpable.

During the sumptuous feast, conversations range from opera to morality. Freddy keeps blurting out awkward remarks, but Gabriel gives a rousing speech praising the hospitality of Kate, Julia, and Mary Jane, highlighting the communal warmth behind the evening.

As the party winds down, Mrs. Malins asks Gabriel to look after Freddy for the journey home. Gabriel awakens Mr. Brown and helps arrange a carriage with the Malins, signaling the practical end of the festivities.

Bartell D'Arcy finally sings 'The Lass of Aughrim' to Miss O'Callaghan, drawing Gabriel's attention as he watches Gretta from the stairs. She stands transfixed, consumed by the music and by memories that hover near the surface of the room.

In the carriage to their hotel, Gretta remains pensive and resists Gabriel's attempts to cheer her. The distance between them grows as night deepens, and the silence becomes heavy with unspoken emotion.

In their hotel room, Gabriel asks what Gretta is thinking and learns of Michael Furey's tragedy. She recounts his vow at her window and his death from the cold, the memory haunting Gabriel. He realizes that love can burn with intensity and that he may die like Julia, while an all-encompassing snow washes over the living and the dead.