The Landlady

Med denne study guide får du hjælp til analyse af novellen "The Landlady" af Roald Dahl. Novellen blev udgivet i The New Yorker i 1949. Vi giver dig en grundig gennemgang af de væsentligste analytiske elementer, som du kan bruge som inspiration til din egen analyse.

Roald Dahl (1916-1990) var en af de mest anmelderoste britiske forfattere i det 20. århundrede. Han er mest kendt for sine børnebøger som James and the Giant Peach og ikke mindst Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – men han har også skrevet meget voksenlitteratur med en præference for gys og mysterier.

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Symbols

The house, which attracts Billy with its cozy, comfortable appearance, but eventually proves to be a deadly space, is a symbol of the classic trap. It has a beautiful appearance but hides danger and death. It is worth noting that Billy is seemingly attracted into the house against his will, and he is unable to explain why he chose to ring the bell, instead of going to the Bell and Dragon, as he originally intended. This gives the house an almost magical power to attract its victims. The house which traps people by its charming appearance also makes one think of the gingerbread house in the fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel.

The stuffed dog and parrot are another symbol of deceptive appearances which lull the potential victim into a false sense of security. When he first looks inside the sitting-room through the window, Billy notices the “pretty little dachshund (...) curled up asleep with its nose tucked into its belly” (ll. 58-69), as well as the “large parrot in a cage” (l. 74), and thinks that “animals (are) usually ...