a minor role Flashcards
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Fanthorpe illustrates how often in life, one will have to deal with a difficult situation - the way in which the person affected reacts to this situation and the people around them is what the poet explores in this poem. The speaker is evidently suffering from an illness as he/she describes having to make ‘sense/Of consultant’s monologues’, although it is never made clear what illness the speaker is suffering from. However, through the development of the poem, it is hinted by the poet that the illness is terminal. Instead of looking at the dire and pessimistic side of this illness, the speaker attempts to be more optimistic - the poet aims to emphasise how precious life is. The speaker attempts to speak truthfully about the most difficult and complicated situations that one may experience in their life.
they could be a carer for someone with an illness too
Structure
6 stanzas in total, which is then followed by a single line. Each stanza focuses on a specific theme, whilst the final line provides the reader with a resolved ending and a positive one.
-6 irregular length stanzas w irregular line length
-Reflects the irregularity of life and how quick things can change
-No rhyme scheme, enjambment
-Caesura creates disruption similar to the disruption created by illness
2nd Stanza
Fanthorpe uses litany to demonstrate the many ‘endless’ tasks that the speaker must do, but they don’t really matter anymore for the speaker. The use of listing makes the speaker’s situation overwhelming and almost suffocating - one can relate to why he/she finds their situation difficult. The use of listing, highlights the speaker’s isolation from reality
Stanza 3
Fanthorpe explores social expectations of society. The use of direct speech: ‘O, getting on, getting better’ provides a confirmation for the reader, the narrator is ill or caring for someone who is ill
Im best observed on stage’
-Sense of pretence; putting on a show for herself and others
‘with my servant’s patter’
-suggests something bigger than her
‘if i get/these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric/shrinks to unwanted sniggers’
-suggests that if a minor role fumbles it affects the whole grp
‘The waiting room roles: driving to hospitals,/ parking at hospitals.
-List of things she must do due to her illness - sense of dread
-Caesura slows pace, making the actions seem routined and never ending
-Caesura also splits actions into its own individual thing - one boring, monotonous thing at a time
‘walking fast in case anyone stops:/O, getting on, getting better’
-Desire to get away
-Lack of subjects suggest lack of agency - its all automatic
-Pretence as she pretends everything is alright
‘Bed? A good idea! (Bed solves a lot)’ ‘find the cat (mysteriously reassuring)’
-disassociation to cope
‘yearnings/for a simpler illness, like a broken leg’
-suggests she has a complex illness
-So used to pain + illness she doesnt wish for all pain removed, but for it to be lessened
‘Saying thank you/for anything to anyone’
Burden of gratitude; forced to uphold manners from unwanted sympathy
‘not the star part. And who would want it?’
-tired of the attention + sympathy
‘Yet to my thinking this act was ill advised/it would have been better to die…I am here to make you believe in life’
-Chorus from Oedipus Rex suggests the option that its better to die, while the final line contradicts this
Interplay between tangible, surface level + abstract themes
-Semantic field of medicine ‘formula’, ‘illness’, ‘dosages’ and semantic field of drama ‘stage’ ‘role’ also associated w illness communicate the abstract theme of identity and how illness can impact one’s place in society
Symbolism
-Stage/drama - symbolism of drama, she’s masking from reality like an actor, performative
Form
Irregular stanza and line length reflecting irregularity of life
Tone
Personal, matter of fact, conversational, monotonous
Stanza 3
Fanthorpe explores social expectations of society. The use of direct speech: ‘O, getting on, getting better’ provides a confirmation for the reader, the narrator is ill or caring for someone ill
Narrative style
Framed narrative - we return back to the stage which was initially described at the beginning of the poem, except this time the narrator does not accept their ‘minor role’ or the ‘star part’ - Fanthorpe, highlights the change in mindset for the narrator - they are less dismissive and a sense of optimism is created.
Language Technique - First Person
‘I’m best observed on stage’ - the poetic, first person voice is significant as it makes the account more personal and perhaps the reader is more likely to relate to the speaker’s experience if so. The use of first person voice also highlights how often it is easy to be mislead about the emotional experience that sufferers of illness, in particular terminal illnesses - by having a personal account from a patient, the reader will be able to obtain a more accurate and perhaps meaningful account of such experiences. The ‘stage’ is used as a metaphor to demonstrate the ‘minor role’ that the speaker plays in their own life - they’re constantly listen to others and pleasing others, when really they are illustrated as being on the verge of breaking.
Language Technique - Enjambment
‘making endless/exits and entrances’ - the use of enjambment and alliteration highlights how some of the tasks that the speaker must complete are mundane and monotonous. Here, the poet displays how easy it can be to become absorbed in such things and therefore forget about the enjoyable things in life. The verbs exit and entrances emphasises the how one’s life will be full of people who are fleeting because people come and go as they please.
Language Technique - Italics
‘Yes sir. O no, sir’ - The dialogue is scribed in italics which produces a realistic effect and also demonstrates how one can easily be complacent and agree or disagree with something, which is portrayed through these monosyllabic responses. It is also an example of social niceties in our society, such as the way one would address or respond to someone of a higher authority.
Language Technique - Alliteration
‘midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric’ - the use of alliteration and plosive consonants like ‘g’, ‘t’ and ‘d’ create a harsh and abrupt sound and perhaps this reflects how the speaker has become tired of this pretence. We often refer to the ‘fabric of society’, but here the poet has manipulated language and the fabric is described as ‘monstrous’. This could represent how the speaker finds the social structure in our society unpleasant and too rigid.
Language Technique - Present Participles
‘driving, parking, holding, checking, getting, sustaining, walking, thinking, yearnings, enduring’ - these gerunds highlight how these tasks that the speaker endures, are continuous and ongoing, which again suggests that the narrator is suffering from a long-term illness.
Line length
One of the most apparent features of the structure in this poem is the irregular line length and stanza structure. In some ways the structure initially appears uniform, but strange and unique forms are made in the poem as it goes on. A reader may interpret this as showing the irregularity of life, and how parts of life can change quite suddenly and unexpectedly. The impact on the rhythm as a result of these structural changes is very noticeable, which further emphasises the idea of unexpected changes. Alternatively a reader could consider the way in which the structure could link to that of a play or piece of drama which has different elements to a plot, and different paces of action.
Punctuation
There are also frequent caesura in the poem, particularly with semi colons in the second stanza. This links well with the irregular structure to show pauses and interruptions in life, perhaps indicating how people’s actions and thoughts may not be as ‘free’ as initially anticipated. There are also other breaks to the flow in the poem, such as the use of brackets to insert additional snippets of information, which highlights the complexity of life. Some readers may even find this variety of pace and structure somewhat overwhelming due to the constant changes. This would be a very effective outcome for the poem, as it would make ‘A Minor Role’ more memorable and encourage a reader to develop empathy for the narrator.
Greek reference
In the second to last stanza, Fanthorpe takes the unusual step of adding an asterisk and then a reference to ‘Oedipus Rex’ which is a tragedy written by Sophocles, a playwright from Ancient Athens. The main character Oedipus begs for his death after learning that as a result of him being separated from his parents at birth, he had unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. While the exact story of the play is not seen as significant to the poem, the choice of this play is interesting because it can be seen as showing that even in the worst situations an individual should not wish for death or deem it better to die, with the following exclamation of “No it wouldn’t!” highlighting this opinion.
