Question

Why does Gabriel have a sinking feeling in his stomach at the end of the party

Answer 1

Gabriel has a sinking feeling in his stomach at the end of the party in James Joyce's "The Dead" because he has just realized that his wife, Gretta, had a deep emotional connection with a former lover named Michael Furey, who had died for her love. As they go to bed, Gabriel notices that Gretta is in a contemplative and melancholic state, and when he questions her about it, she reveals her longing for Michael Furey and the fact that he had sung her a song shortly before his death. Gabriel cannot help but feel a sense of profound insignificance and inferiority compared to this long-lost lover. He recognizes that Gretta's love for him will always be overshadowed by the memory of Michael Furey. This realization fills Gabriel with a mixture of jealousy, sorrow, and a sinking feeling of inadequacy in his stomach, making him question the authenticity and depth of his relationship with his wife.