As one of the March sisters, Beth March’s character is central to the story but her role is that of a minor character with few lines. Beth March is the second youngest of the March sisters from the 2019 film Little Women. Little Women (2019) is a movie adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel from 1869 with the same name. The film follows the lives of the March sisters as they navigate poverty, love, and life. In this film, Beth catches scarlet fever from the Hummel baby who she cares for while sick with the disease. Over the course of the film, Beth recovered from the disease but ultimately passes away from complications due to the infection. Although Beth is one of the four sisters this movie is about, her character only has a few lines throughout the film making her a minor character. The fact that Beth is one of the March sisters, but can also be considered a minor character is exemplified by the ensemble cast the film features. In his article, ‘Referential Acting, and the ensemble cast’, author Ernest Mathijs describes an ensemble cast as a way of showcasing photogenic young performers. Her role as a minor character, specifically her illness and death heavily influence her sisters and their stories. Beth is an example of a static character, a minor character who remains mostly in the same state throughout the course of the whole film. Beth’s sisters grow up, get married, have kids, and move away, but Beth is stuck in a constant state of sickness. Beth fits Keathley’s description of a minor character as stated in his article ‘Pass the Salt … and Other Bits of Business.’, who is important to the plot, as someone who “must be easily identifiable to the viewer and giving them some business can help define their character quickly, efficiently and distinctively.” (106). Beth’s storyline as a minor character, more notable her death plays a central role in influencing her sister’s lives, especially Jo, whom she is closest with. The death of Beth is s real wake-up call for Jo, who realizes she needs to live her life with more consideration for others.
Works Cited
Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. Roberts Brothers, 1869.
Keathley, C. “Pass the Salt … and Other Bits of Business.” Screen, vol. 52, no. 1, 2011, pp. 105–113., https://doi.org/10.1093/screen/hjq065.
Little Women. Directed by Gerta Gerwig, performances by Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, and Timothee Chalamet, Columbia Pictures, 2019.
Mathijs, E. “Referential Acting and the Ensemble Cast.” Screen, vol. 52, no. 1, 2011, pp. 89–96., https://doi.org/10.1093/screen/hjq063.
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