THE LANDLADY

By Roald Dahl

Unit Overview

In this unit, you will be reading "The Landlady by Roald Dahl.

In "The Landlady," Roald Dahl tells the story of a young man offered to lodge by a landlady who has dark plans for him.

As we read, we will be discussing the themes of Death and Fate & Free Will as they relate to the text. 

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Background

Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was a British novelist, short story writer, and poet. Dahl's stories are known for having darkly comic or unexpected endings. In this short story, a young man searching for lodgings is taken in by a seemingly kind and gentle landlady.

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Literary Terms & Notes

Below is a flipbook of important terms and notes that will help you understand the passage. It is important that you go over all the terms and notes before reading the excerpt.

Let's Practice

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Related Media

Tales of the Unexpected Series 1 Episode 5 The Landlady 21 APR 1979

In this episode from Roald Dahl's television series "Tales of the Unexpected," Dahl presents the live-action rendition of his short story "The Landlady." How do the details reveal about the landlady in the text compare to the video? What is the effect of this?

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The Landlady

You can read the passage two ways:

1. Click on Unit Resources and read the printed version of the text.

2. Sign-up on "COMMONLIT" and receive an enhanced version of the text.

As you read, take notes on how the author characterizes the landlady.