Lamb to the
Slaughter
In the short story, lamb to the
slaughter by Roald Dahl, Dahl uses the literary
Device of dramatic irony, foreshadowing, and imagery to depict
a dark comedy by
Grasping the idea of a tragedy becoming Humorous. We are
introduced to a docile,
Pregnant wife, Mary Maloney, Who was anticipating her
husband’s return from
Work? Her husband returned home and refused any offers from
her. He finally broke
The News to her, informing her, his decision to divorce her.
Mary Maloney
Killed him with a leg of lamb. She covered her tracks, by
putting the leg of lamb in
The oven, by going to the grocery shops to get an alibi, and
called the police. The
Police came to investigate. Mary Maloney offered the leg of
lamb to the sergeants
And they literally ate and destroyed the Evidence of the
murder weapons.
There are multiple uses and example
of irony throughout this Short story
That relate to the idea of a dark comedy. One key quote of Dramatic
irony comes
From the end of the book stating, “Personally, I think its
right here on the premises.
Probably right under our very Noses. What do you think,
jack? This quote here
Shows us as that the Detectives have no idea that they are
actually eating the
Evidence of the Murder right then and there. Verbal irony is
also represented in this
Piece of literature. When she goes to the market, she talks
to the grocer and states,
No I’ve got meat, thanks. I got a nice leg of lamb, from the
Freezer. This is verbal
Irony because it shows that what she is saying is Basically
telling the grocer what
She used for the murder of her Husband. The irony here is
amusing, knowing the
Fact that killed the Supposed love of her life and can so
easily lie about it. So again,
The Verbal irony really catches the tone of the dark comedy
that Dahl is trying to
Capture here. Both dramatic and verbal irony relate to each Other
in the sense that
The audience feels the idea of a tragedy as something funny
therefore, relating back
To the overall picture of the Piece of literate as a dark
comedy.
People tend to underestimate the power of those who seem to
be Weak. In
The
lamb to the slaughter, there was a clear belittle of Mary’s Power. My
Interpretation
of the theme is, even though the weak seem Powerless, they are able
To
rise and become even more powerful than those who are strong. “She might just
As
well have hit him with a steel Club. She swung the leg of lamb so hard, it had the
Strength
of steel Club. Women are typically, small and not strong as men, so being
Able
to strike a pace, waiting and the funny thing was that he remained Standing
There
for at lest four to five second, gently swaying. Then he crashed to the carpet.
Crashed
to the floor, that’s how much power she had, when driven by a strong
Anger.
By power came intelligence, as Soon As Mary realized she had killed her
Husband,
she was able to Device a Plan in order to ultimately get away with murder.
Don’t
underestimate the weak, because sooner or later, they’ll rise to become
Powerful.
Mary Maloney seem to be in denial
of her husband is leaving her. Even
Though she took just a small class of whiskey. She probably
was Drunk. After the
Shock settles in that her husband is leaving her. Mary Reacted
out of anger. Maybe
Because she knows she was good woman. She made sure he was
comfortable
Everyday by offering to get things for Him. He on the other
hand was not happy
Being with her. The Connection between irony and humor is
somewhat revealed
When an Expected result of an action does not occur but is
instead a surprise that
Startles us into laughter. The irony is Mary killed her
husband with a leg of lamb
And had the policeman eat the evidence. The police officials
will Never find the
Murder weapon. Lamb to the slaughter is a clever tale of a woman’s
quick response
To a devastating situation, in which she was Unwillingly
placed. Lamb to the
Slaughter proves that the weak have more power than one may
think. The weak
Seem pathetic, but prove vey Powerful in the end.
