LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER
~Roald Dahl
Death of the innocence
In the tranquil and innocent atmosphere, there was a certain sternness creeping through, breaking the serene placidity of the place. The docile wife mollycoddled her husband and passes an assiduous look at him, in hope of love and affection in return. But what she gets is a stern look from her beloved. This unabashed sombreness was baffling for her.
The presence of oranges, singing bird, lamb and roses draw a surrealistic imagery personifying innocence and chasteness in every aspect. The wife seems to be “as chaste as Diana in her orb” (represented by moon), as innocent as “bud ere it be blown”. The mocking bird (singing bird) and lamb are the sign and semblance of her honour. The wife beholds a blush of a virtuous maiden.
She is unaware of the predicament going to befall on her life, tearing her world apart. The sternness of the husband was an omen for something bigger (untoward). The very idea of being abandoned by her beloved was exsanguinating her. The anger, fear and insecurity took over her, turning her into a vicious murderer.
Destruction of innocence, trusts, and love by cynically and maliciously motivated worldliness is the main theme of the story, representing the darkness overpowering the good in you. The transformation of the lamb from an object of sacrifice (food) to a tool of violence represents the wife’s transformation from an innocent submissive wife to a violent killer.
The rotten oranges, broken and dead lamb, scared bird and decimated blooming roses again paint a dramatic scenery with a dead husband lying in shock (one to be slaughtered). The blood moon again represents Diana who not only is the goddess of chastity but also the one of hunt, portraying the wife’s fierceness. The dead lamb is the murder weapon and so is depicted broken near the body. The darkness slithering its way through this serene atmosphere has left the bird in a scared state, who is no longer able to chirp the song of innocence. The rotten oranges show the unfaithful love of the husband and also the murkiness of the wife’s deeds. There is a slow smiling air about her and about everything she did.
The Wife
The protagonist of the entire story is the wife who is the palindrome of innocence. Her translucent skin, her soft mouth and her dark eyes holding a placid look, speaks a eulogy of innocence. Her impeccable devotion towards her beloved is worthy of praises. Her softness and delicacy is parallel to that of Diana in her orb. She is full of warmth and benevolence. Her character is as soft as the rose petals. She can be seen as a meek and docile person who would succumb to anything. But the question is, will she? With the further development in the story, when she encounters her husband’s adultery, the fear of loosing the beloved or the rage of the infidelity brings out the worst in her. She is turned into a cold-hearted, mysterious and manipulative woman. Her ruthlessness is evident with her clean swing of the lamb piece to kill the husband. Here her character is an oxymoron to that in the beginning, leaving the audience flabbergasted. Further when she realises the futility of her rage, she sheds tears of sorrow, which doesn’t require any acting. She realises her mistake but has too much at stake. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that our Diana has shaken hands with hades. The wife’s malignant psyche is revealed with her devious ploy. The sense of delight in her face on the fulfilment of the conspiracy sets an eerie vibe and it’s perfect to say that her character is as complicated as a labyrinth with numerous layers and folds.
The Husband
The husband can undoubtedly be considered the most perplexing character. From the very beginning of the story he can be seen as a meticulous policeman, a hard working family man. His very deed of ideating a separation from his wife has put him on the threshold of spectator flagellation. It’s baffling to think that he is actually the innocent lamb waiting to be slaughtered. The husband has actually been humble and kind since the beginning. He might have been unfaithful in love but is ready to take all the responsibility for it. He is naïve enough to think that his wife will consider his privative state in the relation and let him go. But was wrong of him to think himself to squirm the way out of this relation so easily. Just before revealing the plan he can be seen stern and in a state of self-pity. His guilt is killing him already but it’s futile to live in this relation. But his ending of his relation with his wife very well ended with his own existence.
The Lamb
Since time immemorial Lamb has been a symbol of innocence. Lamb is a biblical allusion portraying the personality of meek and mild as a child. Here the lamb has been personified as an unsullied, ingenuous character playing an important character in the story. Formally the lamb can be seen at its pristine pinnacle complimenting the aura of demure. But with the advent of time we can see the lamb to be turned into the murder weapon and it’s broken in the corner, painting a surreal touch to the frame. The broken lamb symbolises the death of innocence and in the story also the tool responsible for the death.
The Mocking Bird
The mocking bird or a singing bird is a symbol of innocence and credulousness. The bird too adds a surreal creature in the frame portraying the feel of innocence and placid etherealness. But with the advent of the developments in the story as the sense of darkness creeped in, the bird looses all it’s charm and is highlight the placid epiphany of the iniquity.
