Lamb to the Slaughter: Summary, Meaning, and Irony
A frozen leg of lamb stops being dinner and becomes something far more unsettling in Roald Dahl’s “Lamb to the Slaughter.” The story, first published in 1953, follows Mary Maloney, a pregnant housewife whose husband drops a life-shattering announcement — and then meets an unexpected end.
Author: Roald Dahl ·
Year Published: 1953 ·
Genre: Short story / Dark comedy ·
First TV Adaptation: 1958 (Alfred Hitchcock Presents) ·
Setting: A warm house on a winter evening
For more details about Roald Dahl’s “Lamb to the Slaughter,” you can explore Arya Stark’s age and marriage.
Quick snapshot
1Story Summary
- Mary Maloney, a devoted housewife, awaits her husband Patrick’s return. (American Literature curated classics site)
- Patrick announces he is leaving her; Mary kills him with a frozen leg of lamb. (Interesting Literature literary analysis journal)
- She stages a robbery and cooks the lamb for dinner. (LitCharts educational literature guide)
- The investigating detectives eat the murder weapon, destroying evidence. (LitCharts educational literature guide)
2Main Characters
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