Susan Glaspell 's ' Trifles ' Essay

The wives of Mr. Hale and Mr. Peters are only identified by their husband’s last names and only Minnie Wright’s first name is identified in the play. This emphasizes on how marriage has transformed her and led her to lose possession of herself. In the play,

“Trifles” is a play by Susan Glaspell. The play is set in the abandoned farmhouse of John Wright. Mr. Wright was murdered and the suspect is his wife Minnie. Glaspell uses this play to illustrate how women were socially oppressed in early America. Glaspell expresses just how men think a women’s worth is in how well she keeps her house. An example is when the county attorney states, “Dirty towels!” and “Not much of a Housekeeper, would you say ladies?” (pg. 746) The language is that of working class people, farmers and such. A impressive example would be when Mr. Hale was explaining his conversation with Mrs. Wright to the attorney. Mr. Hale stated, “‘How do. Mrs.

The one act play is very strong in the way that women are treated and how they live. The strict living of the women caused by the gender role of the male working making decisions and having them do all the maintenance in the house causes the women to be so isolated that they just sit in there house with nothing to do or kids to be had. The play Trifles dominates the side of male dominance and hasawheeping effect of the women and how they live their lives. Minnie the only female in the story to be given a name has been called out by her duties of a housekeeper and that is it. The other women Mrs.Hale and Mrs.Peters are known only because of

The play is filled with symbols, especially the broken cage and the dead bird, which could have represented Minnie Wright herself, a woman whose zest for life had been squeezed out of her by her tyrant of a husband. The women discuss Minnie’s life. Mrs. Hale remembered Minnie Wright as a happy, beautiful, gifted young girl before the years of toil and mistreatment by John Wright had turned her into a sad, lonely and perhaps, battered woman (1624). Mrs. Hale was sympathetic because she also was a farm wife but at least, she had her children to keep her company. Mrs. Hale felt guilty that she hadn’t taken the time to visit Minnie Wright but she excused herself saying that their was so much work to do on the farm and the Wright place never looked cheerful. Moreover, we must notice that neighbors were few and far away from each other. Houses were miles apart separated by farmland and rough country; therefore visiting was a daylong trip.

A central theme in Glaspell 's play is gender obedience, displayed seemingly by Mrs. Wright. Because the focus of Mrs. Wright 's life, as a wife, revolved around maintaining fruit preserves, we can conclude that her primary concern for the state of the jar of preserves was more significant that the mere thought of frozen fruit. The jars of fruit preserves were Mrs. Wright 's escape and distraction; something she had control over and something she could call her own. This is why the women understood why she would be so concerned about her preserves even in the midst of a legal predicament.

The story’s central themes lie in the oppression of women and justice. Minnie, who was in an abusive marriage for thirty years, found freedom in the death of her husband and deserves every second of that freedom. Mrs. Wright does not deserve to be prosecuted for the murder of her husband.

Wright treated Minnie caused her internal conflict or the central conflict. For example, Mrs. Hale characterizes Minnie by saying, “I heard she used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir. But that- oh, was thirty years ago.” (Glaspell 605). This illustrates who Minnie was before she married her late husband. Later in the play, Mrs. Hale continues to describe the old Minnie by saying, “She- come to think of it, she was kind of like a bird herself- real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and shy- fluttery. How- she- did -change.” (Glaspell 608). Mrs. Hale is comparing Minnie Foster to the dead canary. This symbolizes that once she married Mr. Wright, he slowly killed her like he killed the bird. Thus, Glaspell includes these flashbacks to emphasize the reason Minnie murdered her husband was because he figuratively killed her

Minnie Wright kills her husband because Mr. Wright metaphorically chokes the life out of Minnie Foster. Mrs. Hale starts to describe Minnie Foster a woman who would “wear pretty clothes and be living… one of the towns girls singing in the choir” (984). Minnie Foster is a

The plot revolves around the visit to a farmhouse by County Attorney Henderson and Sheriff Peters to investigate the murder of John Wright; they are accompanied by the farmer who discovered the murder and, almost incidentally, by the farmer's and sheriff's wives. The men's assumption is that Minnie Wright, already in custody for the crime, has killed her husband, and they are there to search the house for clues to a motive. The audience undoubtedly sees them as protagonists at the start of the play. (Dymkowski

=Seemingly irrelevant until taken into context, the title of the play aids in highlighting one of the fundamental themes of the play. A “trifle” is defined as a matter, affair, or circumstance of trivial importance or significance. (Webster) Therefore, once the definition is known to the reader or audience, it becomes evident that the play must contain some amount of insignificant thoughts. In the play, Mr. Hale says, “Well, women are used to worrying about trifles.” (Glaspell) The tone reflected from this statement provides an insight in the thoughts of men during the early twentieth century. Ironically, however, Susan Glaspell disproves this “idea” by making the “trifles” that the women are distressing about a compulsory element in resolving

In “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell, Mrs. Wright kills her husbands in his sleep. While murder is usually the wrong thing to do, there are some exceptions in this case. Through the conversation of the other characters, it becomes known that Mr. Wright was abusive to his wife. In 1916 when this story takes place, if family’s had any difficulties, the government or police never intervened. So with this in mind, when the reader finds out that Mr. Wright was abusive, it is understandable why Mrs. Wright felt the need to kill him. If she would not have taken his life, then he would have continued to be abusive to her because no one else would help.

The men in the play look at things in a different light and miss major points in their investigation because of their lack of a feminine view. When the men enter the Wright’s house, they instantly comment on the state of their home. Instead of seeing the things the way that their wives

Sheriff Peters, attorney Henderson, and Mr. Wright’s neighbor Mr. Hale enter a dark unorganized kitchen of the farmhouse. To find that Mr. Wright has been strangled to death with a rope around his neck. His wife is the main suspect. She told attorney Henderson that she was sleeping when someone murders her husband’s. The wives of the investigators look around the farmhouse for clues to solve his death. I learned in the play that Mrs. Wright was one time a cheerful woman. The women’s roles in society have made a major impact in the United States. Women in other countries are looked at as the housekeepers and child bearers.

While Susan Glaspell was writing “Trifles” her one- act play, in the 1900s this was a thriving time in society when the male- dominance was very prominent. Women were very limited in what they could and could not do. At this time woman could not vote and had very limited power in the professional area. They were expected to obey and follow the rules their husband placed on them. They were responsible for bearing children and raising them. Many husbands viewed their wives as an object rather than a human being. They thought that women had no personal interests, goals, and cerebral freedom. This piece of literature, like other at this time, was derided for the focus on feminism. What made this play so bold is the fact it showed how women were overlooked by the male population at this time. The males dominated at this time in history. This play puts into perspective how women can fulfill a purpose past their own home.