essay about play trifles

Susan Glaspell

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Trifles: Introduction

Trifles: plot summary, trifles: detailed summary & analysis, trifles: themes, trifles: quotes, trifles: characters, trifles: symbols, trifles: literary devices, trifles: quiz, trifles: theme wheel, brief biography of susan glaspell.

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Historical Context of Trifles

Other books related to trifles.

  • Full Title: Trifles
  • When Written: 1916
  • Where Written: New York City
  • When Published: 1916 (first performance by the Provincetown Players, Massachusetts)
  • Literary Period: Modernism
  • Genre: Feminist Drama
  • Setting: The Wrights’ farmhouse, rural United States
  • Climax: Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale discover the evidence that provides Minnie’s motive for murdering her husband, John Wright.
  • Antagonist: The patriarchal society in which the women live.

Extra Credit for Trifles

Discovery of Eugene O’Neill. Although highly acclaimed in her time, Glaspell was remembered in the years after her death primarily for having discovered the great playwright Eugene O’Neill while considering scripts of new plays for the Provincetown Players Theater. The Provincetown Players first brought Eugene O’Neill’s work to the attention of audiences and critics in 1916.

Reevaluation in the 1970s. In the 1970s, Glaspell’s work was rediscovered and embraced by feminist critics, and, since then, her work has grown greatly in popularity and is included in numerous anthologies of American literature.

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Character Analysis

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Play Analysis Story Analysis

Analysis: trifles.

Social commentary and satire are standbys of the murder mystery genre , and Trifles is no exception. The play serves as an indictment of the patriarchal manner, by which men underestimate and dismiss women—often, to the detriment of their own purported expertise. That “expertise” in this play, is that of crime detection, and police and legal work. Throughout the play, the County Attorney (George Henderson) and Sheriff (Henry Peters) bluster in and out of the farmhouse, thoroughly convinced that their work is important and that they are the experts who will get to the bottom of the murder. They self-importantly stomp around while taking every opportunity to remind Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale how perfectly ridiculous and useless they find them.

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Trifles essay questions.

How does Trifles reflect and alter the plot formula of a typical murder mystery?

In most fictional mystery novels and plays, the plot is androcentric and features an actively analytical male hero who discovers the identity of the murder by searching for evidence and reasons his way through the crime. Sherlock Holmes, for example, is generally dispassionate in his pursuit of murderers as he continually bests the police at their own jobs. Like Holmes, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale act as amateur detectives who circumvent the folly of official law enforcement, in the form of the sheriff and the county attorney. Unlike typical male crime solvers, however, the women of Trifles avoid the ruthless search for information that also characterizes Henderson and instead achieve their solution by the seemingly accidental observation of Minnie Wright's kitchen while simultaneously developing a desire to protect rather than condemn the perpetrator.

Describe the inner conflicts of Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, and explain how they resolve these conflicts.

Of the two characters, Mrs. Hale begins the play with a greater suspicion of the designs of the men in their investigation of Mrs. Wright's crime. However, not until she compares the state of the Wright kitchen to her memory of Minnie Foster does she articulate that "we all go through the same things--it's all just a different kind of the same thing," and she comes to accept her portion of blame for not alleviating Minnie Wright's loneliness. On the other hand, Mrs. Peters commences with the assumption that because she is married to the sheriff, she must uphold male definitions of duty and law. By the end of the play, she protects Minnie because she has chosen to empathize with someone who reflects her own needs rather than with the identity imposed by her marriage.

How does the cold temperature of the setting connect symbolically to the rest of the play?

Initially, the cold outside the farmhouse establishes the bleak, contemplative mood that dominates much of the play. At the same time, it leads to a situation that physically and metaphorically separates the women from the men, as Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters refuse to join the men and take their traditional post next to the hearth. Finally, it reflects Minnie Wright's state of mind and the sense of loneliness that precipitated her murder. Significantly, her jars of preserves break from the cold, just as she loses her ability to preserve her emotional health in her unhappy household.

Are the women justified in their choice to hide the evidence? (Please take a side although both points of view are covered in the answer key.)

On the one hand, the women have chosen to protect Minnie Wright because they see themselves in her and do not want to be hypocritical and condemn her. Minnie has been desperately lonely and unhappy for many years, going through emotional and possibly physical abuse from her husband, and the killing of the only living thing that cares for her may have justified retribution in kind. On the other hand, one could contend that Mrs. Wright has still committed murder, and neither the death of an animal nor years of marital troubles excuses homicide. By aiding and abetting her, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are effectively accomplices who have condoned murder.

Explain the significance of the title "Trifles."

The name of the play refers specifically to Lewis Hale's casual statement that "women are used to worrying over trifles" near the beginning of the play, when Mrs. Peters' attention is drawn to the broken jars of fruit preserves. Hale offers this statement in an indulgently superior manner, but the fallacy of his assumptions becomes clear as the women proceed to solve the case precisely by looking at the minor details. In their search for external, smoking gun evidence outside of the kitchen and living room, the men do not recognize that all the necessary information about her motives rests in the domestic area at the center of Mrs. Wright's life. Mrs. Hale says defensively that nothing is wrong with looking at little things while waiting for evidence, but in reality, she is not waiting for evidence but actively discovering it as she develops a picture of Minnie Wright's dismal home life.

Discuss Glaspell's use of foreshadowing in Trifles .

At the beginning of the play, the unspoken stage directions that introduce the scene serve as foreshadowing for the rest of the play, as it hints at the personalities of Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters while drawing attention to the evidence that will later become important in our understanding of Minnie Wright's psychology. Later, when the women discuss the quilt and the birdcage, these objects foreshadow the subsequent discovery of the dead canary. Meanwhile, Lewis Hale provides an early hint of marital discord when he suggests that Mr. Wright does not listen to his wife and that their household does not have a telephone. From his offhand comment, cut off mid-sentence by Henderson, we receive our first clue of Mrs. Wright's motive for murder.

How does Glaspell undermine the attitude of the men toward the women over the course of the play?

The three men uniformly treat Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale with indulgent condescension, as they make gentle fun of the women for worrying about "trifles." The men do not blame the women for what they perceive as incompetence precisely of the wives' gender. However, by the end of the play, the women have succeeded more fully than the men have in pursuing evidence for the murderer, and the men do not have the instincts necessary to discover their wives' subversion of their authority. Henderson touches upon key subjects that might lead him to the murder but in the end regards them as insignificant, and he mistakes Mrs. Peters as "married to the law" and absolves her of possible complicity.

How does Henderson and Mrs. Hale's clash over the meaning of Mrs. Wright's dirty kitchen encapsulate their opposing views of the world?

Whereas Henderson sees Mrs. Wright's unkempt kitchen and concludes that Mrs. Wright must have been an incompetent homemaker, Mrs. Hale defends her and suggests that the bleakness of the Wright farmhouse might actually have been John Wright's fault. Henderson is taking a representative male view, in that he believes that a woman's main duty is to take care of her home and that John Wright was a good man who suffered a horrible fate. Mrs. Hale, on the other hand, intuitively understands more of Minnie Wright's situation and feels that the state of the kitchen is partly a result of being abruptly removed from her house and partly a response to something wrong in the household. After she finds the canary, she realizes that she was right, but like the men in general, Henderson never discovers the inadequacy of his assumptions.

Explain how Glaspell identifies Minnie Wright with objects in her household.

The three objects to which Minnie Wright connects most closely are the jars of preserves, the quilt, and the canary. The jars of preserves explode from the cold, despite her best attempts to prevent that fate, and she too loses her calm because of the coldness of her husband, although she never discovers the fate of the jars because the women choose to protect what remains of the preserves just as they choose to protect her. Second, quilts are a symbol of love and warmth, both of which Minnie lacked, and her faulty stitching on the last section of the quilt suggests her breakdown in her attempt to create order out of metaphorical scraps. Finally, the canary and its beautiful singing comes to represent the young Minnie Foster who loved life and loved to sing, and when her husband strangles it, she feels that she has lost part of her identity and decides to exact revenge.

What does Minnie Wright's absence contribute to the plot?

In part, Minnie's absence is a theatrical device that allows the two woman sleuths to solve the riddle of the murder by themselves, thus bringing them closer together and showing their worth. At the same time, because Mrs. Wright has no physical presence, she becomes an everywoman, who represents the extreme of the struggles of all women in her era and region of the country. The audience, Mrs. Hale, and Mrs. Peters all come to identify with Minnie Wright, thus giving the protagonists the moral ability to forgive her for her crime. We do not need her existence on stage to sympathize with her because the objects in her kitchen speak for themselves.

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Trifles Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Trifles is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

How do the womens perspectives on men differ?

Womens perspectives on men differ as men are dutiful and are sincerely searching for the evidences in the house where murder took place but women are just worrying about the trivial matters and when they find the motive behind the murder,the dead...

THE REVOLUTIONARY RISE OF ABOLITIONISTS: Commonlit Answers

Paragraph Six provides an example of an early solution for slavery.

Answer Choice: D

The bird represents Minnie.... when she was a girl, she was happy vivacious, and loved to sing. The bird's death represents her life after marriage.... isolated and confined.

The birdcage represents imprisonment.... the isolation Minnie feels in...

Study Guide for Trifles

Trifles study guide contains literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

  • About Trifles
  • Trifles Summary
  • Character List

Essays for Trifles

Trifles essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Trifles by Susan Glaspell.

  • The Unheimlich in Susan Glaspell's Play Trifles: A Feminist Interpretation of Freud's Uncanny
  • Layers of Significance in Susan Glaspell's "Trifles"
  • From Courtroom to Stage: Susan Glaspell's "Trifles"
  • The Institution of Marriage in Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” and Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
  • Portrayal of Women in Trifles

Lesson Plan for Trifles

  • About the Author
  • Study Objectives
  • Common Core Standards
  • Introduction to Trifles
  • Relationship to Other Books
  • Bringing in Technology
  • Notes to the Teacher
  • Related Links
  • Trifles Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Trifles

  • Introduction
  • Adaptations

essay about play trifles

Echoes of Subtlety in ‘Trifles’: Unearthing Gender Discourse

This essay about Susan Glaspell’s play “Trifles” examines its exploration of gender dynamics and symbolism within a rural American setting of the early 20th century. It emphasizes the play’s critique of societal norms that underestimate women’s experiences and intellect, showcasing how the female characters, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, uncover the truth behind John Wright’s murder through their attention to domestic details dismissed by men as trivial. The essay highlights the use of everyday objects as symbols for Mrs. Wright’s oppressed existence and the broader marginalization of women’s insights. By reversing traditional gender roles, Glaspell challenges the era’s gender prescriptions and underscores the importance of solidarity and perceptiveness among women. Ultimately, the essay portrays “Trifles” as a poignant commentary on the complexities of gender relations and the value of observing the seemingly insignificant to reveal deeper truths. At PapersOwl too, you can discover numerous free essay illustrations related to Gender.

How it works

Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles,” a one-act theatrical piece, stands as a testament to the nuanced interplay of symbolism and the dissection of gender relations, painted against the early 20th-century American countryside. This composition ventures to peel back the layers of Glaspell’s narrative, bringing to light its pivotal role in conversations surrounding gender norms and the latent acumen and discernment inherent in women, frequently obscured by societal conventions.

Central to “Trifles” is the enigmatic demise of John Wright, a case that, on the surface, appears devoid of complexity but becomes entangled in the subtle perceptions of Mrs.

Hale and Mrs. Peters. The male figures, including the sheriff and county attorney, overlook the domestic sphere as inconsequential, dubbing the women’s discourse as trivial ‘trifles.’ Glaspell ingeniously shifts the lens towards the women’s unveiling of truth amidst the domestic minutiae of Mrs. Wright’s abode. The play’s title, a critique of the men’s belittling stance towards the feminine domain, encapsulates the narrative’s core: the marginalization of women’s experiences and insights.

Symbolism is wielded with precision in “Trifles,” where Glaspell employs mundane objects as metaphors for the underlying strife and emotional upheaval endured by Mrs. Wright. The shattered birdcage and the deceased canary, discovered by Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, emerge as poignant emblems of Mrs. Wright’s imprisoned being and her extinguished zest for life. These overlooked items, deemed inconsequential by the men, are crucial to deciphering the murder’s motive, underscoring the women’s capacity for empathy and recognition of Mrs. Wright’s silent suffering.

Furthermore, “Trifles” interrogates the era’s gender prescriptions, casting the women as astute and sagacious, in stark divergence from the men’s dependence on physical prowess and legal dominion. Glaspell inverts traditional dynamics, revealing that the women, through their unity and meticulousness, are the true unravelers of the case, albeit without the accolades or authority to disclose their discoveries. This reversal serves as a critique on the broader societal devaluation of women’s capabilities and advocates for a holistic approach to grasping human narratives.

In summation, “Trifles” emerges as a profound exploration of gender intricacies and the importance of the overlooked and mundane. Through adept symbolism and character development, Glaspell’s play resonates with contemporary audiences, shedding light on the ways societal standards can veil truth and diminish the contributions of women. “Trifles” stands as a homage to the subtlety of observation and the necessity of delving beneath the exterior to grasp the profound verities of the human condition.

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PapersOwl.com. (2024). Echoes of Subtlety in 'Trifles': Unearthing Gender Discourse . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/echoes-of-subtlety-in-trifles-unearthing-gender-discourse/ [Accessed: 12-Apr-2024]

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Gender Discrimination — Symbols in Trifles: Gender Dynamics and Power Struggles

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Symbols in Trifles: Gender Dynamics and Power Struggles

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Published: Mar 8, 2024

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Symbolism of the canary, symbolism of the quilt, symbolism of the farmhouse, symbolism of the birdcage, symbolism of the rocking chair.

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essay about play trifles

Gender Role in the “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell Essay

Contemporarily, people are equal regardless of their gender courtesy of the different constitutions across the world. This perception did not exist earlier, especially at the start of the 20 th century and earlier centuries. In the past, the society was mainly male-dominated and women were treated with little importance.

For instance, the woman’s place was in the kitchen and she played the role of a good mother to her children while at the same time taking care of her husband. Literature materials published before late 20 th century mainly deal with roles based on the gender of an individual.

The 19 th century was characterized by the emergence of female literary figures and writers who wrote exemplary works on inequality on both sexes, while paying attention to women’s inability to be independent and their overreliance on men. Several female literal writers paved the way for other female writers in the 20 th century. Susan Glaspell was one of the 20 th century writers and she came up with literal works that addressed various issues in the society. One of the most outstanding literal works by Glaspell is Trifles.

In the play, Trifles, Glaspell shows a reflection of gender and sex roles bound on cultural notions with greater emphasis on women. Women were treated with lesser dignity as compared to men and to the society; they were of little or no importance, as they presumably contributed very little to important issues within the society. In her play, Trifles , Glaspell uses two parts of the play, one distinctive narrative on men and the other on women, in order to trigger the reader into evaluating the value of both genders to the society.

In this piece of literature, Glaspell not only demonstrates the role of women, but also depicts knowledge and valuation or devaluation of perspectives on women within various contexts. This paper aims at discussing conveyance of the feminist perspective as depicted in Susan Glaspell’s play, Trifles. Trifles is a feminist play where feminism means the act of agitating for women rights by any means.

Glaspell goes into details to show how Mrs. Wright is an object of abuse to her husband and thus arouse sympathy from readers who would in turn support the feminism agenda of liberating women, which started in the late 19 th Century. Mr. and Mrs. Wright, the two main characters in the play Trifles , bring out the challenges faced by women as at that time.

For instance, Mrs. Wright is subjected to mental suffering as a result of endless abuses from her husband, who also imposes quite a number of restrictions to her; hence, limited access to the outside world. The play presents men as uncouth creatures who never want peace in the house. Mrs. Wright spends a considerable amount of time in the kitchen, which is a symbolic representation of marriages where most women of the time spent a significant portion of their lives.

In addition, Glaspell incorporates five people in the play, two of whom are women, a symbolic representation of women as a minority. The timing of this play is not coincidental. Glaspell did not just choose to address women plight and probably suggest ways of how to overcome men dominance at a time when feminism was being rooted in the society. Glaspell simply embraced the opportunity presented by the writing space to propagate feminism because she could reach a wider audience via writing.

Mrs. Wright’s intentions to kill her husband depict women oppression by men in society. The play takes place in a cold gloomy house representing the cruelty of Mr. Wright who is adamant in his pursuits and thus a nuisance to those who do not like his way of life.

As the play begins, all characters enter the farmhouse, but women distance themselves from men, thus showing the rift that exists between the two sexes in the society. The two women in the play are aware of their disregard in the community, a fact that strengthens the bond between them.

Through this bond, they gain power that assists them to protect Mrs. Wright who is accused of trying to murder her husband. Through staying together, as illustrated in the play, women can achieve indomitable power. However, this power comes with the assumption that women live as individuals and it is only through bonding that they can gain power, strength, and success. Through this argument, Glaspell seeks to give women tips on how to overcome chauvinism and tame men through the power of staying together.

According to the play Trifles , in a society dominated by male chauvinism, women take advantage of their lack of recognition to destroy the power of law coupled with influencing and effecting justice. Within the play, power of women is illustrated indirectly; for instance, Glaspell uses bonding to show that women have a higher level of power than they know. In addition, once a woman gains access to knowledge, she implements the knowledge in making significant decisions in life. For instance, Mrs. Peter and Mrs.

Hanes research on ways to relieve Mrs. Wright of her abusive marriage, rather than paying attention to the violent and abusive moments she faces in the marriage. Instead of letting their emotions and sympathy dictate their course of action, they become proactive and come up with ways of freeing their friend for once and for all. Knowledge is also one of the ways that people can achieve power. Together with their bonding, women in the play use knowledge to come up with ways that see the murder case against Mrs. Wright dropped.

Women also tend to come together and form alliances since they are highly sidelined in the society. Clearly, by writing this play sometimes before August 1916 (when it premiered), Glaspell was simply promoting the feminism agenda, which was launched in the Seneca Falls Convention on July 19, 1848 where western women right’s champions met for the first time ever to push for equal rights.

Trifles is a feminist play as explored in this paper. Women live in gender discrimination in the society where males dominate and control almost all sectors of society. However, in a feministic move, Glaspell illustrates how women can come together to help one another and achieve power in unity.

For instance, Mrs. Peter and Mrs. Hanes form an indomitable force through which they manage to free Mrs. Wright from the claws of life imprisonment due to murder charges. Even though the play fails to call for entitlement of equal rights to men and women openly, from a critical point of view, it is agitating for the same rights. Therefore, Glaspell simply uses the writing space to promote feminism as shown in this feministic play.

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IvyPanda. (2022, February 24). Gender Role in the "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell. https://ivypanda.com/essays/trifles-by-susan-glaspell/

"Gender Role in the "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell." IvyPanda , 24 Feb. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/trifles-by-susan-glaspell/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Gender Role in the "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell'. 24 February.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Gender Role in the "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell." February 24, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/trifles-by-susan-glaspell/.

1. IvyPanda . "Gender Role in the "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell." February 24, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/trifles-by-susan-glaspell/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Gender Role in the "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell." February 24, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/trifles-by-susan-glaspell/.

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  1. The Play "Trifles" and the Short Story "A Jury of Her Peers" by

    essay about play trifles

  2. "Trifles" Play by Susan Glaspell

    essay about play trifles

  3. Essay on trifles by glaspell

    essay about play trifles

  4. Trifles by Minnie Wright Essay Example

    essay about play trifles

  5. A Play "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell

    essay about play trifles

  6. Assignment Short Play ( Trifles) Unit Final Essay

    essay about play trifles

VIDEO

  1. Trifles mini lecture (first 2/3)

  2. Our Version of the play "Trifles"

  3. Questions And Answers of the play Trifles by susan Glaspell. Litmosphere. First semester English

  4. Trifles

  5. 5 minutes trifle recipe / my daily life vlog 101

  6. Best Trifle Recipe (Cake, Custard, Jelly, Fruits, & Cream Recipe)

COMMENTS

  1. Trifles Summary & Analysis

    The wives of two of the men, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, both of whom appear disturbed and fearful, follow the men inside. The play establishes its themes in its opening moments. The play examines the relationships between husbands and wives, particularly a marriage that ended in murder. The setting, a messy kitchen, reflects this.

  2. Trifles by Susan Glaspell Analysis: [Essay Example], 429 words

    Trifles by Susan Glaspell Analysis. Susan Glaspell's Trifles is a thought-provoking play that explores the gender roles and social expectations prevalent in early 20th-century America through the use of symbolism. In this essay, we will examine the play's themes and symbolism, while also discussing the limited roles and autonomy of women during ...

  3. Susan Glaspell's Play "Trifles"

    Susan Glaspell's play "Trifles" dates back to 1916. The play was written in a period of great strife in both social and literary fronts. Glaspell's play is based on real life events that she witnessed when working as a reporter. The play is based on the playwright's observations as opposed to real life events.

  4. Trifles: Study Guide

    Trifles, Susan Glaspell's one-act play about a woman arrested for the murder of her husband, was first performed by the Provincetown Players in 1916. Written during the First-Wave Feminist movement, the play explores the dangers of restrictive gender roles and the fundamental injustices of a patriarchal society. The play was embraced by ...

  5. Literary Analysis Susan Glespell's Trifles Analytical Essay

    Susan Glespell's 'Trifle' is a play that presents a diverse view of the male-dominated society. Susan Glespell presents a somewhat critical view of society through a murder scene in which a woman is accused of murder and an investigation takes place to determine whether she is the murder or not (Glaspell). The investigation eventually ...

  6. Trifles: Summary

    Summary. The play takes place in the farmhouse of John and Minnie Wright on the day after John Wright is found strangled in his bed. Minnie Wright has been arrested and taken into custody, so the house has been empty for a day. The Sheriff, Henry Peters, and the County Attorney, George Henderson, have just arrived at the house to investigate ...

  7. Major Themes of the Play "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell Essay

    Major Themes of the Play "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell Essay. The play, written in the early 20 th century when the society was still male-dominated. They were the decision-makers in the family and in the political platform since women were still not allowed to vote and be represented in the political arena. Mrs.

  8. Trifles: Analysis

    Analysis. Trifles is a play about the fundamental injustice of a patriarchal society in which men have all the power. At first, the focus of the play seems simple enough. A pair of lawmen and a witness arrive at a murder scene to seek out evidence that might point to a motive. But for reasons that are not entirely clear, they have asked their ...

  9. Trifles Essays and Criticism

    In 1916 Susan Glaspell wrote ''Trifles,'' a one-act play to complete the bill at the Wharf Theatre (the other play was Bound East for Cardiff by Eugene O'Neill). One commentator on ...

  10. Trifles Summary and Study Guide

    Trifles is a one-act play by Susan Glaspell. The play covers the aftermath of the murder-by-strangulation of a farmer named John Wright. During the play's first run in 1916 at the Wharf Theater in Provincetown, Massachusetts, Glaspell appeared as the character Mrs. Hale.The play was loosely inspired by the real-life, 1900 murder of John Hossack, an Iowa farmer who died due to axe wounds he ...

  11. Trifles Study Guide

    In the 1970s, Glaspell's work was rediscovered and embraced by feminist critics, and, since then, her work has grown greatly in popularity and is included in numerous anthologies of American literature. The best study guide to Trifles on the planet, from the creators of SparkNotes. Get the summaries, analysis, and quotes you need.

  12. Diving Deep into 'Trifles': a Critical Analysis of Themes and Symbols

    Essay Example: Susan Glaspell's "Trifles" serves as a captivating canvas, painting a vivid portrait of gender dynamics, societal norms, and the often-overlooked nuances of human interaction. Within the rustic confines of a rural farmhouse, the play unfurls a tapestry of relationships and tensions

  13. Trifles Critical Essays

    Essays and criticism on Susan Glaspell's Trifles - Critical Essays. Select an area of the website to search ... (1927), the story version of the play. Clearly, this story haunted Glaspell, and ...

  14. Trifles Part I Summary and Analysis

    Analysis: Trifles begins with stage directions that introduce the five speaking characters of the play as well as the dismal setting of the disheveled kitchen in a recently abandoned farmhouse. Susan Glaspell got her inspiration for Trifles from her real-life visit to the dreary kitchen of Margaret Hossack, whose trial for the murder of her ...

  15. Trifles Play Analysis

    Analysis: Trifles. Social commentary and satire are standbys of the murder mystery genre, and Trifles is no exception. The play serves as an indictment of the patriarchal manner, by which men underestimate and dismiss women—often, to the detriment of their own purported expertise. That "expertise" in this play, is that of crime detection ...

  16. Trifles Essay Questions

    Essays for Trifles. Trifles essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Trifles by Susan Glaspell. The Unheimlich in Susan Glaspell's Play Trifles: A Feminist Interpretation of Freud's Uncanny; Layers of Significance in Susan Glaspell's "Trifles"

  17. Trifles: Themes

    Trifles paints a picture of marriage as an oppressive institution that places women at the mercy of husbands who may freely treat them with cruelty and derision at no risk to their own reputation. Minnie Wright's unhappy marriage is the clearest manifestation of this theme, but the play's other two women strongly empathize with Minnie ...

  18. Setting Analysis in "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell

    Get custom essay. The setting in "Trifles" becomes a powerful tool that amplifies the themes and messages of the play. By utilizing the farmhouse, the disarray of the kitchen, and Mrs. Wright's sewing, Glaspell effectively conveys the isolation, oppression, and resistance experienced by women in early 20th-century America.

  19. Trifles by Susan Glaspell Essay

    Trifles by Susan Glaspell Essay. The play "Trifles" emphasizes the culture-bound notions of gender and sex roles, specifically, that women were confined to the home and that their contributions went unnoticed and were underappreciated. "This play is also about how we pursue the truth, interpret and explain it, and how we value it.".

  20. Trifles Essay

    Trifles Essay. Catherine A. Boateng Prof. Dr. Lucy McNair ENG 102 November 20th, 2017 Essay 3 Draft I, II & II World of play in "Trifles" "Trifle" happens in the rural part of Iowa during the winter month in 1900's, an era where women possessed little voice in the affairs of men. The play took place in an interior of the Wright's ...

  21. 94 Trifles Essay Topics & Examples

    The plot of Trifles unfolds around the death of John Wright, a farmer. The play's themes focus on psychological states and social roles of men and women. In your Trifles essay, you might want to focus on the play's symbolism or themes. Another idea is to discuss why Trifles was written.

  22. Echoes of Subtlety in 'Trifles': Unearthing Gender Discourse

    Essay Example: Susan Glaspell's "Trifles," a one-act theatrical piece, stands as a testament to the nuanced interplay of symbolism and the dissection of gender relations, painted against the early 20th-century American countryside. ... The play's title, a critique of the men's belittling stance towards the feminine domain, encapsulates ...

  23. Symbols in Trifles: Gender Dynamics and Power Struggles

    Symbols in Trifles: Gender Dynamics and Power Struggles. In Susan Glaspell's play "Trifles," the use of symbols plays a vital role in conveying the story's underlying themes and messages. From the canary to the quilt, these symbols serve as powerful tools that enhance the audience's understanding of the characters and their experiences.

  24. Trifles Essay.docx

    Cristina Jennings Patricia Jordan Eng. 102 6 April 2023 Drama Essay: "Trifles" Over time, gender roles have changed and evolved in many different ways. "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell is a one-act play that explores these gender roles and the expectations between husband and wife. The play takes place in a farmhouse where a farmer, John Wright, has been murdered and the sheriff and his men ...

  25. Gender Role in the "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell Essay

    Trifles is a feminist play where feminism means the act of agitating for women rights by any means. Glaspell goes into details to show how Mrs. Wright is an object of abuse to her husband and thus arouse sympathy from readers who would in turn support the feminism agenda of liberating women, which started in the late 19 th Century.

  26. It's time to play this week's Los Angeles Times News Quiz

    Before we get to this week's quiz, I wanted to share the results of the Los Angeles Times News Quiz live event at Molly Malone's Irish Pub on April 10. During a speed round of 20 five-point ...