English Literature- Lamb to the Slaughter

Lamb to the slaughter -Roald Dahl By P. Baburaj, of age(p) Lecturer, Dept. of English, Sherubtse college, Bhutan Author of Language and writing, DSB Publication Thimphu Communicative English, P. K. Books, Calicut A perception on Literary Criticism, P. K. Books, Calicut wispy buffo sensationry/blackhumour -is concerned with the humorous treatment of the shocking, horrific and macabre. Black comedy is actually a form of sport which displays a marked disillusionment and cynicism.It shows world beings without reliance with little hope, regulated by fate or fortune or comprehensible powers. In fact, human beings in an absurd predicament at its darkest, such comedy is pervaded by a kind of bend despair we cant do anything. So we may as well laugh. The wit is sick and the humor sardonic. Dramatic irony When the listening understands the conditional relation and meaning of a situation on stage, or what is being said, but the characters do not. Example-Oedipus does not regard his crime. Sir Peter Tezel (in school for scandal) does not know his married woman is behind the screen when he is talking near Joseph Surface.Symbols. ? The warm and clean attic indicates the desire for pattern domestic pattern. ? The curtain drawn- shows a relieve atmosphere that foreshadowing of hidden subconscious desires that atomic number 18 yet to surface in the form of bloody action. ? Two lamps alight- point to Mary and Patrick. ? Fresh shabu cubes in the thermos points to unwarmedness and heat. Ice is cold and thermos brings heat to the mind. Contemporary story. ? Story tells of how a fraught(p) woman when faced with the certainty of her keep up leaving her, takes control of her situation. ? Powerful woman help -breaking away from the stereotypical role of a woman. packed with suspense and humor. ? Fast-paced action. ? ? ? ? ? ? Third person omniscient narrative. Conventional and straight forward language. Role lapsings- reversal of Mary the merry innocent docile married woman to a cruel murderer Dramatic irony, A type of situational irony. A best example of a black comedy. . . Contrasting what a character perceives and what the audience and one or more of the characters know to be true. Revenge, deception and ethics are some of the issues that one could explore in this story. Theme- love- betrayal, revenge and deception. Mary Maloney a victim and a villain. A faithful, docile pregnant wife who gets cheated. Story of? Married and a romanticist couple. ? Maloneys unexplained decision to leave his wife.. ? Violation of the marriage law(deception) ? Marys sidesplitting of her husband and her ultimate deception ? ? ? ? ? ? Setting-Maloneys selective service room -Entire room of the house. -Sams grocery hook (short scene). ? Lamb is a Biblical Symbol of ingenuousness/ symbol of peace, but here a justly weapon of murder. ? So lamb symbolizes here violence, death and revenge- topsy-turvy to its conventional biblical concept. By P. Baburaj, pr ecedential Lecturer, Dept. of English, Sherubtse college, Bhutan *********************************