James Joyce had a devil of a time getting Dubliners published. Begun in 1904, the collection would not see the light of day until 1914. The delay was caused largely by objections from publishers and printers: objections to certain words (especially a handful of instances of the word “bloody”), to an insulting reference to Queen Victoria, and even to whole stories — among these is “Two Gallants.”

This post briefly looks at “Two Gallants,” explores why Joyce thought it crucial to Dubliners, and suggests the story speaks to themes that are treated more elaborately in Finnegans Wake.