A Minor Role - "I'm best observed on stage..."

• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the intertextual reference to Shakespeare's 'As You Like It', may be drawing attention to the speaker’s perception of their life as a performance - This suggests they are a character in the drama of life, constantly playing a role that is often unnoticed or undervalued
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the intertextual reference to Shakespeare's 'As You Like It', suggests the speaker is struggling to separate their public persona and private life - The stage reference might imply that the speaker's external role as a caregiver is something constructed or maintained for others’ observation, but their inner emotional world - filled with exhaustion and longing for simplicity -remains largely unseen
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the intertextual reference to Shakespeare's 'As You Like It', also brings attention to the dramatization of life and roles in society - Fanthorpe critiques the notion that only grand or noticeable roles are worthy of attention - By evoking the Shakespearean stage, it suggests that caregiving and other humble, invisible roles are overlooked despite their fundamental importance in the fabric of life
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the intertextual reference to Shakespeare's 'As You Like It', this underscores the universal struggle of balancing personal identity and the roles one is expected to play for others
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the intertextual reference to Shakespeare's 'As You Like It', in this play the idea of playing a role on stage underscores the desire for recognition - The "stage" becomes a metaphor for the unacknowledged work of caregiving, where the speaker is aware of the effort they put in but feels unseen and uncelebrated, much like an actor in a minor role who never receives the spotlight
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the intertextual reference to Shakespeare's 'As You Like It', the speaker’s life mirrors a Shakespearean tragedy, where internal suffering is compounded by external duties - Like tragic characters, they are trapped in a relentless, unrecognized role, leading to emotional exhaustion and despair
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Metaphor can represent the heavy burden the speaker carries in their caregiving role - Like an actor holding a prop, they are tasked with something significant, yet the role is often unnoticed and unappreciated, reflecting the emotional weight they bear
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Metaphor is often associated with combat, and its presence in the poem could symbolize the ongoing internal struggle the speaker faces - They might feel as though they are constantly fighting, whether with their own emotions or with the external pressures of caregiving
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Metaphor can be interpreted for a means of protection - The speaker may feel they need to defend themselves emotionally against the overwhelming demands of caregiving, trying to maintain composure despite the strain
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Metaphor can demonstrate how a spear is a tool of action, often thrust upon someone in a moment of need - This metaphor can signify how the speaker’s role has been imposed upon them, not something they have chosen but must wield out of necessity
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Metaphor could symbolize a needle, representing the speaker's caregiving role, which involves tasks like administering medication or offering physical care - This metaphor highlights the delicate, repetitive, and often painful nature of the speaker's responsibilities, akin to the precision and discomfort of using a needle
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Metaphor is historically associated with conquest and control, reflecting imperialism's drive for dominance - In the context of the poem, it may symbolize the speaker’s sense of duty or control over their caregiving role, akin to an imperial power imposing its will on others
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Metaphor can symbolize stoic endurance, representing the speaker's resilience in accepting the discomforts of their caregiving role without complaint - Just as stoics endure hardship without showing emotion, the speaker continues their responsibilities with quiet, uncelebrated strength
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Personification ("monstrous fabric") could represent the speaker’s overwhelming emotional burden - It suggests that their responsibilities feel excessively heavy, difficult to manage, and all-encompassing, making it seem like an insurmountable force.
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Personification ("monstrous fabric") may convey a sense of fear or anxiety - It could symbolize the speaker's dread or the terror of the task ahead, with caregiving and responsibilities becoming something grotesque or terrifying rather than manageable
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Personification ("monstrous fabric") could also point to the absurdity or incongruity of the situation, where the speaker’s role is out of proportion to their identity or desires - The idea of a "monstrous" fabric highlights the disparity between the small, personal moments they handle and the overwhelming, often absurd expectations placed on them
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Personification ("monstrous fabric") may imply that the speaker feels dehumanized by their role, as though they are reduced to a mere tool or servant - The fabric, as a metaphor for their responsibilities, might reflect how caregiving can strip away individuality or humanity, making the experience feel mechanized or monstrous
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Personification ("monstrous fabric") may also symbolize the emotional or psychological layers the speaker experiences - The "monstrous fabric" could refer to the heavy weight of these internal struggles, with different emotions or burdens—grief, anxiety, duty - interwoven to create a complex, often oppressive mental state
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Personification ("monstrous fabric") can carry connotations of fragility - Fabric, while essential, can tear or unravel if not handled carefully - In this sense, the "fabric" of the speaker’s life could symbolize how easily their emotional or mental stability can be disturbed, particularly when they make mistakes or fail to fulfil their responsibilities
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Personification ("monstrous fabric") could also represent the speaker’s life itself - woven from various moments of duty, caregiving, and emotional labour - It suggests that the speaker’s existence is not a singular, simple entity but is instead composed of many elements that together form a whole, often frayed and difficult to manage
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Personification ("monstrous fabric) could also be interpreted as a metaphor for "fabrication", suggesting that the speaker’s role and identity are artificially constructed or imposed - This implies that the speaker is playing a role that is not authentic to their true self, due to the erosion of their mental state
• In 'A Minor Role', the quote "I’m best observed on stage, Propping a spear... If I get, these midget moments wrong, the monstrous fabric, shrinks to unwanted sniggers", the use of Metaphor of "Spear" creates a Cyclical Narrative because the speaker initially describes themselves propping it up, symbolizing their role and burden - However, later in the poem, they "jettison the spear", suggesting a return to their previous state, as if trapped in a repetitive cycle of taking up and letting go of their responsibilities