Minor Characters, Major Roles
"They may be minor characters, but they are major characters in my heart!" This sentiment may strike a chord with you if you've ever found yourself wanting to know more about a character in a book or TV show or movie, and yet the writers have different ideas. Judging from the popularity of a paraphrased text post version of this quote making the rounds on Tumblr, you are not alone in your affinity for minor characters who inevitably do not get enough screen time (or worse, get killed off to serve the plot, despite your lamentations that you did not receive flashbacks and a full backstory).
Many authors, fascinated by characters who play small roles in another work, are compelled to tell that character's story by making them the protagonist of their own book. These works of fan fiction, aside from expanding the story universe and offering intriguing new perspectives, often serve to give voices to marginalized groups as well. Here are five examples of minor literary characters given major roles:
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Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
Hamlet's childhood buddies are bit players in Shakespeare's tragedy and didn't even get to die onstage, but they get starring roles in this absurdist play.
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
This prequel to Jane Eyre is a postcolonial take on Charlotte Bronte's classic, telling the story of the first Mrs. Rochester.
The title character is literally a random housemaid with no speaking lines in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde — talk about an Ascended Extra! This novel creates an entire past and story arc for her, weaving it into Robert Louis Stevenson's original story.
Told from the point of view of Dinah, one of the lesser known women of the Bible, this perennial book club favourite was adapted into a Lifetime movie.
The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
What else was Penelope doing aside from spending her days waiting for Odysseus to come home? Her version of events features a diverse array of narrative styles plus a chorus of dead maids.
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