Summary
Summary A Minor Role theme page
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A* level arguments, language analysis and themes regarding U.A. Fanthorpe's 'A Minor Role' - from Poems of the Decade for A-level English Literature, Unit 3: Poetry.
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Topic:A Minor Role by UA Fanthorpe (ambiguity around carer or patient)
Key Points/Arguments
Themes Literary/Dramatic Devices Techniques of whole poem
Links to ‘I’m best’ – superlative, fluctuating mental health Free verse – disorder of illness
Shakespeare ‘all the ‘propping a spear’ – small role in Greek Theatre
world’s a stage’ ‘endless / exits and entrances’ - alliteration, shows constant show and relentless nature of illness, metaphor extends to Dark poem in conversational tone
Explores wider hospital and life/death and humour (parenthesis) lightens it
problem with ‘yes, sir. O no, sir’ – contrast shows lack of control (Greek chorus)
British Society to ‘midget moments’ – small moments matter, put on a brave face
look death and ‘heart’s in inobtrusive’ – retreated to role as patient Extended metaphor of stage
illness in the eye. ‘Holding hands under / Veteran magazines’ – soft alliteration, shows support, suggestion of magazines outliving patients (performance)
Stiff upper lip and ‘sustaining the background music of civility’ – plosives highlight underlying frustration
don’t talk about it ‘at home in the street you may see me’ – uncertainty of illness/death, becomes disjoined from home because at hospital so Pivots from one emotion to anotehr
Illusion vs Reality much reflecting ambivalence she finds
Words express ‘at home’ – anaphora emphasises being off the stage herself in
failure to ‘bed? A good idea!’ – internal monologue, hypophora, answers own question, alone with feelings
communicate ‘be wary what I say to it,’ – caesura separates her from others, objectifies phone as scared what she will say to the person Last line is direct and creates a sense
on other end of urgency
‘find the cat’ – links to isolation of cat lady
‘happy-all-the-way-through novels’ – comforting escapes through fantasy, just like stage usage to survive
‘pretend all’s well’ – Shakespeare
‘ceremonial delays’ – expectation, part of being ill
‘thank you’ – illness constrains her to be polite yet let down ‘referred so somewhere else’
‘not the star part’ – likes to blend into the background but does a good job – perhaps lack of control, about to slip under –
consultants have star part/power
‘Yet to my thinking this act was ill advised / it would have been better to die’ – Oedipus rex, unwitngly fufills his
prophecy
‘I am here to make you believe in life’ – emphatic, illness makes her realise the importance of living, no longer a
supporting role
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