ne time was a deeper feeling between them, in the past of course, but also that there still might be. These interactions also give us a glimpse at Gabriel's character who comes across as somewhat uptight and tense, conservative if you will, while Molly takes on the wild Fenian woman, independent and proud of her culture. As James Ma!
             cKillop writes when talking about Gabriel and Molly,
             "This sexual tension underscores the eroticism, kept in careful check, that informs the gathering and that motivates Gabriel's later ardor for Gretta when they return to their hotel after leaving the party." (Contemporary Irish Cinema, pg. 123)
             Also, we are able to see that there is another form of unspoken tension between Gretta and Gabriel when he talks to her about Molly going to the west of Ireland. Immediately we sense that the west means something special to Gretta, but that Gabriel obviously is not interested in going at all. This really allows us to see that their marriage is not completely secure, as far as happiness is concerned. As we move on there is the scene where the eldest Morkan Sister, Julia sings "Arrayed for the Bridal". This musical segment takes in the idea of the link between past and present as the camera works its way through the rest of the house. We se it moving over pictures of deceased loved ones, and old doll houses, which fits in perfectly with the idea behind Julia singing this song that relates her character back to the days when she was a young singer. The images of the past connect perfectly to the image of an old woman singing a song of her past, as well as suggesting the always-pr!
             esent idea of the living and the dead that runs throughout t
             ...