Illusion vs. Reality: Marriage in Modern Literature Modern literature is known for questioning society and its various conventions. A question these works often ask is: “What is real?” Some modern authors explore this question by placing their characters within self-constructed illusions which are then destroyed by the introduction of reality. Marriages are often at the heart of this theme, with one spouse creating an illusory impression of the other. Modern literature demonstrates that a marriage built on illusion will falter when exposed to reality. To understand the effects of delusion on marriages in modern literature, we will explore two pieces: The Dead by James Joyce and Odor of Chrysanthemums by D.H. Lawrence. Both stories have central characters who have created and lived with a false image of their spouse and their marriage. First, I will discuss Elizabeth Bates' negative and evil view of her husband in The Smell of Chrysanthemums. Second, I will provide a contrast to that negative illusion with Joyce's character, Gabriel Conroy, who painted a positive, idealized picture of his wife and their affection for each other. Elizabeth Bates is an unhappy woman, particularly regarding her husband's drinking habits. . He thinks bitterly to himself, “…he had probably passed her house, snuck past her door, to drink before going in, while his dinner was spoiled and wasted in the waiting” (Lawrence 2247). Although her husband was brought home drunk previously (2249), she has no evidence that this occurred on this particular day. This assumption is at the heart of Elizabeth's illusion. Instead of worrying about her husband's safety, she chooses to believe that he has no regard for her... middle of paper... to go on to live a much happier life with other partners. The cases of Elizabeth and Gabriel demonstrate to readers of modern literature that a marriage built on illusion, whether positive or negative, cannot withstand the pressure of reality, and my experience confirms this notion. However, my personal experience hints at a possibility: there can be happiness after the quick hit of reality. Let's hope that, in the recesses of the authors' minds, Elizabeth and Gabriel have managed to find their own happiness. Works Cited Joyce, James. "The dead." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Gen. ed. Stephen Greenblatt. 8th ed. vol. F. New York: Norton, 2006. 2245-2258. Print.Lawrence, D.H. “Smell of Chrysanthemums.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Gen. ed. Stephen Greenblatt. 8th ed. vol. F. New York: Norton, 2006. 2172-2199. Press.