Page 2: The Aftermath

The second page of Liz Lochhead's "Last Supper" shifts focus to the aftermath of the relationship's end. The speaker imagines sharing the details of the breakup with her female friends, referred to as "The Girls."

Lochhead uses culinary metaphors to describe how the women will dissect the relationship:

Quote: "What very good soup she could render from the bones, (the remains of it)"

This vivid imagery suggests that the women will extract every last detail from the failed relationship, leaving nothing unexplored.

The poet employs enjambment and capitalization to emphasize the strength of the female group. The friends are compared to the three witches from Shakespeare's Macbeth, creating a supernatural and threatening atmosphere.

Example: The line "cackling around the cauldron" directly evokes the image of witches, reinforcing the sinister tone.

Lochhead uses words associated with eating and gluttony to describe how the women will consume the details of the breakup:

• "gnawing on the knucklebone"
• "gorged on truth"
• "munching the lies, fat and sizzling as sausages"

This cannibalistic imagery creates an unsettling portrayal of female friendships and how they can sometimes feed off others' misfortunes.

Page 3: The Toxic Cycle

The third page of Liz Lochhead's "Last Supper" continues to explore the theme of toxic female relationships. The poet uses assonance and vivid imagery to portray the women's behavior as they dissect their friend's failed relationship.

Highlight: The line "sleek on it all, preening like corbies, their bright eyes blinking" compares the women to carrion crows, emphasizing their predatory nature.

Lochhead suggests that this process of gossiping and analyzing others' relationships is cyclical:

Quote: "till somebody would get hungry and go hunting again.."

This implies that the women derive a sort of satisfaction from these discussions and will seek out new "prey" when they need more gossip.

The poet presents a critical view of this behavior, highlighting the double standards at play. While the women may appear to sympathize with their wronged friend, they actually seem to enjoy dissecting the details of the failed relationship.

Definition: Misandry, hinted at in the poem, refers to the hatred or dislike of men or boys.

Lochhead's portrayal of these female relationships is complex and nuanced, showing how support can sometimes blur into a form of emotional predation.

Page 4: Themes and Techniques

The final page of Liz Lochhead's "Last Supper" summarizes the key themes and literary techniques used throughout the poem:

Themes:

• Toxic female relationships
• Romantic relationships
• Betrayal and infidelity

Literary Techniques:

1. Word Choice: Lochhead carefully selects words to create vivid imagery and convey complex emotions.

2. Sentence Structure: The poet uses enjambment and varied line lengths to control pacing and emphasis.

3. Sound Devices: Alliteration, assonance, and sibilance are employed to create mood and reinforce themes.

4. Imagery: Rich, often unsettling imagery is used throughout, particularly related to food and predatory animals.

Example: The comparison of women to "corbies" (Scottish for carrion crows) creates a powerful visual metaphor.

Liz Lochhead's poems, including "Last Supper," often explore the complexities of human relationships and gender dynamics. This poem in particular showcases her ability to blend everyday situations with deeper, more unsettling themes.

Highlight: Lochhead's work, including poems like "Revelation" and "Box Room," frequently addresses issues of identity, relationships, and Scottish culture.

For students studying Liz Lochhead's poetry, it's important to consider how she uses language and imagery to create layers of meaning and to challenge readers' expectations about familiar situations.

Page 1: Setting the Scene

The opening of Liz Lochhead's poem "Last Supper" introduces a woman preparing a final meal for her partner, with whom she plans to end the relationship. The poet uses sibilance and alliteration to create a slightly sinister atmosphere, hinting at the speaker's intentions.

The preparation of the meal is described in detail, with the speaker "assembling the ingredients for their last treat." This feast is compared to the biblical Last Supper, suggesting themes of betrayal and finality.

Highlight: The line "She is getting good and ready to renounce his sweet flesh" uses a metaphor to equate ending the relationship with giving up the partner's physical presence.

The poem's structure, with short, fragmented lines, reflects the speaker's emotional state and the disintegration of the relationship. Lochhead employs violent imagery in describing the food preparation, such as "tearing foliage" and "scrambling the salad," which mirrors the speaker's inner turmoil.

Vocabulary: "Al dente" refers to pasta cooked to be firm to the bite, used here to describe the vegetables in the meal.

The phrase "the cooked goose" carries a double meaning, referring both to the meal being prepared and the idiom "your goose is cooked," implying that the partner's fate is sealed.