Na Mairbh / The Dead – James Joyce

Áirítear ‘Na Mairbh’ le James Joyce ar an ngearrscéal is fearr dár scríóbhadh i mBéarla riamh, an scéal is mó clú ina chnuasach Dubliners a foilsíodh sa bhliain 1914. Cur síos is ea é ar chóisir i mBaile Átha Cliath ar 6 Eanáir 1904 i dteach Cháit agus Shíle Ní Mhuireagáin agus a neachta. I measc na ngaolta agus na gcairde ag an gcóisir bhliantúil tá Gabriel, nia le Cáit agus Síle, agus a bhean Gretta. Leanann caint is comhrá, ceol is damhsa, fleá is féasta ar feadh na hoíche. Níos déanaí, foghlaimíonn Gabriel rud faoina bhean a athraíonn gach uile rud, a thuairimí fúithi agus faoi féin, agus a thuiscint ar chiall na beatha is an bháis.

James Joyce’s ‘The Dead’ is regarded as the greatest short story written in English, the most celebrated in his collections Dubliners, published in 1914. It describes a gathering on 6 January 1904 in the Dublin home of Kate and Julia Morgan and their niece. Among the relatives and friends at the annual party are Kate and Julia’s nephew Gabriel and his wife Gretta. Conversation and music, dance and feasting go on through the evening. Later, Gabriel learns something about his wife which changes everything, his understanding of her and of himself, and his understanding of life and death.