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Though Numerous Strides Have Been Made To Eliminate The

Decent Essays
Though numerous strides have been made to eliminate the equality gap between men and women, there are fundamental ideals in our culture that are detrimental to women. In 1916 Susan Glaspell attempted to expose, and shatter the male dominating norms in her one-act play Trifles. By juxtaposing the misogynistic, dismissive behavior of the men in the story with the reserved and intelligent demeanor of the women, Glaspell successfully portrays women as the strong and empowered people they truly are. It is an unfair truth that men have held positions of power in western society. Many men believe themselves to better than women, because of their gender. This philosophy was even more prevalent in the early 1900s, when this play was written. Susan…show more content…
Women, at the time the play was written, were generally thought of as submissive to men, as well as less intelligent. Glaspell intricately, and subtly writes these female characters in as the exact opposite of that stereotype. Although in the very beginning of the play, the women are shown as timid, and subordinate to the men, as they put together the clues of the murder of Mr. Wright, their innate intelligence emerges. “Mrs. Peters: … Why, here’s a birdcage… Did she have a bird, Mrs. Hale? Mrs. Hale: … There was a man around last year selling canaries cheap, but I don’t know as she took one; maybe she did. She used to sing real pretty herself.” (Glaspell 1159). Within a few minutes, the women discover more evidence than the men did throughout their entire investigation. After discovering the corpse of a dead canary, it’s neck snapped by the hands of the abusive Mr. Wright, the women conclude that Mrs. Wright snapped the neck of her husband as a quasi-poetic justice. When the men return from their investigation, the women become empowered by relating to the motives behind Mrs. Wrights actions, “(Their [Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters] eyes meet. A look of growing comprehension, of horror. Steps are heard outside, Mrs. Hale slips the box [containing the canary] under quilt pieces and sinks into her chair).” (Glaspell 1161). Despite the men’s harsh words, and belittling attitude toward the women, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters remain strong and resilient. Compared to the men,
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