...Danielle Weatherspoon Professor Robertson English 1102, Composition and Modern English II 30 March, 2014 Gender Roles Past & Present Both Fences and Trifles are plays concerning the difficulties of interactions between men and women. Glaspell's Trifles uses a murder mystery to portray a soured relationship between a husband and wife. One of the difficulties is that men and women have different interests and therefore take significance from different things. "While the men importantly bumble about trying to discover a motive, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale solve the case right under their dull noses.” (3) Throughout Trifles you are shown how little things add up to big things when small unnoticed facts slip by the Sheriff, the County Attorney and Mr. Hale. Meanwhile the women discover critical evidence. They determine that Minnie Wright, after social abandonment and a silent death, was likely provoked to kill her husband. Although Mrs. Wright says she was asleep at the time of her husband's death, the women find clues in the way that she kept her kitchen and are able to follow her thinking and conclude otherwise. The men only note that it the house is not well kept. The lack of communication and great difference in areas of concern show the men and women of Trifles completely different views of the matter at hand. In the kitchen pantry, the women can remember what it was like for themselves to have picked and preserved their fruit; and understood why Mrs. Wright...
Words: 1686 - Pages: 7
...Literary analysis on “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell Gender roles continue to change with time. It has only been a very short time that woman have broken through their defined roles and begin to be equal with men on a total basis. In Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”, the story challenges the gender roles through the events that occur during the course of the play and through their own inner workings. The story is set in the Literary Renaissance –Drama period and leaves plenty of room for female characters to shine in certain roles. The story provides interesting points that challenge the reader to step back and look at gender roles in a new light. “Trifles” is centered on several married couples and is presented around the point of view of female characters. The story takes place at Mrs. Wright’s home a day after her husband has been murdered. Much of the long script takes place around a conversation between Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters. The two women are in the home because one is the Sheriffs wife and the other is the wife of the Attorney. The story is presented as though Mrs. Wright is suspected of killing her husband and there is no doubt that she did kill her husband. During Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters conversation it is established that the two women are lashing out against their gender roles by withholding evidence from their husbands. In the story woman compare themselves to birds. Mrs. Hale openly speaks about Mrs. Wright “was kind of a bird herself” (Glaspell 169). It seems...
Words: 836 - Pages: 4
...The play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell emphasizes the value of men and women’s perspectives of the murder of Mr. Wright in his and his wife’s, Mrs. Wright, old farmhouse. It questions the gender role of women being confined to the house work while it all goes unnoticed. The title of the play hints to that women’s work is considered trifles while the mean do all the “real work”. In this play Mrs. Wright is being accused of murdering her husband by tying a rope around his neck, strangling him to death. The different genders search the house to find clues as to why she would have committed such a crime shows the opposite views. Susan Glaspell exhibits that women are important and not to be trifled with. This supports the idea that men see women’s actions incompetent. This idea is continuously portrayed all through the story by the way the men act towards the women and...
Words: 516 - Pages: 3
...justice, in the case of "Trifles" is more complicated than that. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters discover the dead bird of Mrs. Wright. This was to them a very clear evidence that Minnie was the one who killed her husband, however, somehow also justify the act. Mrs. Hale feel guilty for not being more attentive to Mrs. Wright “I might have known she needed help! I know how things can be—for women.” (Glaspell 1916: 191) They understand that Minnie's actions were more than a murder; it was the way to get rid of her husband and get her freedom. The fact that her husband strangled her bird was not really the reason; rather the act took her to the point of having the need to be freed from that social oppression to which she was transfixed. The ladies feel identified with the situation to the point where Mrs. Hale mentions “We all go through the same things-it's all just a different...
Words: 574 - Pages: 3
...Trifles by Susan Glaspell Name: Course: Professor: Institution: Trifles by Susan Glaspell Trifles, is a play which was written by Susan Glaspell in 1916. It reveals the writer’s concern with issues related to culture thinking and notions of gender and sexual roles. The title itself depicts that the apprehensions of women are in many times considered as simple trivialities that their issues are insignificant to the society. Susan Glaspell wrote the play to exhibit the male supposition that the views of the female are irrelevant in a male subjugated culture. The play invites the reader to question the relative value of men and women perception in the society, this is achieved by setting up a tension packed play that develops through the advancement of two different and separate narratives, a male and a female (Clarkson, 2003). This research paper seeks to discuss and analyze the play. The setting of the play is back in the early twentieth century during a cold weather in a rural area. This helps the reader to identify with a real life area with real people. The setting establishes a miserable and thoughtful mood. The author describes the condition of the house as an abandoned farmhouse that had a gloomy kitchen and that was untidy. This creates a response of emotional trauma which is as a result of the theme of loneliness in the landscape. The characters of the play are: the county attorney George Henderson who is a young and arrogant individual. He has a good reputation...
Words: 1862 - Pages: 8
...In the time period this story was written woman did not have the rights they were supposed to have. Men still felt dominant and could get away with things a lot easier. Trifles by Susan Glaspell is a play that not only gives the reader a understanding of deceit but also an understanding of unity. Deceit and unity are both shown by two key characters, both decide to follow a path that as woman could get them into trouble but in the process do things in respect to a woman's unity. In the story Trifles the Wrights home is being searched by the law for evidence to show that Mrs.Wright killed her husband. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters help the search, Mrs. Hale is her neighbor and Mrs. Peters is the sheriffs wife. In the text Mrs. Hale stands up for...
Words: 517 - Pages: 3
...April 7th 2009 Lit & Comp Trifles Marriage and beliefs can cause tension when it comes to law and justice. This is demonstrated in the one act play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell. “Trifles” is a play that takes place in the early 20th century. This play is set at the scene of a murder, where a house wife is suspected of killing her husband. The story comes down to two women deciding what to do with newly found evidence. This causes tension between law and justice. The treatments these women receive during this story portray a larger statement about the role of gender and justice in society. For example, the Sheriff, Mr. Peters and his wife represent the conflict between law and justice because Mrs. Peters has to choose between her marriage to the “law” and her beliefs of justice. One important role in this story is sexism. “Trifles” involves drama within the male dominated society of the time period. The men in this play such as the Sheriff, the County Attorney, and Mr. Hale all represent the law. These men are in the play to try to enforce the law and find evidence against the suspected murderer Mrs. Wright. Justice is demonstrated in the characters Mrs. Peters, Mrs. Hale, and Mrs. Wright. Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale are at the crime scene supporting their husbands to find evidence. After being mocked by their husbands, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale conceal the evidence they find to bring Mrs. Wright closer to justice. Mrs. Peters keeps her mouth shut and goes along with Mrs....
Words: 767 - Pages: 4
...Susan Glaspell’s one-act play, Trifles, is based on actual events that occurred in Iowa at the beginning of the century. For two years Glaspell worked as a reporter for the Des Moines News, where she covered the murder trial of a farmer’s wife, Margaret Hossack, in Indianola, Iowa. Hossack was accused of killing her husband, John, by striking him twice in the head with an ax while he slept (Trifles 216). Trifles, written in the early 1900’s by Susan Glaspell. Glaspell wrote this play during a time of controversial feminist issues. Glaspell wrote "Trifles" to demonstrate the male assumption that women were insignificant members in a male dominated society. Because the men underestimate them, the women are able to prove they are not insignificant. The play opens at the Wright farmhouse where Mr. Wright has been murdered in his sleep. They entered in the house: county attorney, the sheriff, Mrs. Hale, and Mrs. Peters. The men and women have come to investigate the case against Minnie Foster, the wife of Mr. Wright. Most of the stuffs which the male characters supposed to be insignificant objects like the broken bird cage door, the quilt, the dead canary, and the entire kitchen consequentially lead to the solution (Trifles 219). The improper assumptions by men toward women can have dire consequences, as demonstrated in Glaspell's world. Combating these narcissistic assumptions displayed by men can result in a unity among women that can overcome any male caused disrespect...
Words: 2194 - Pages: 9
...LITR201-1402B-04: Literature: A Reflection of Life- PHASE 4 Name: Institution: LITR201-1402B-04: Literature: A Reflection of Life- PHASE 4 PART A Drama is also referred to as a play because it tells a story and is also performed on stage. In addition, drama is similar to plays in that it has a theme, a plot and is often narrated by a persona (Ghent, 2012, 629). Also, drama is also known as a play in that it evokes emotions and has a tone just like a play. During my high school days, the school invited a group of people who performed a play on HIV/AIDs. This was my initial time to timepiece a live stage performance. The characters perfectly represented their roles in that the audience felt as if the characters were real. For example, those characters representing HIV patients appeared weak and sad; the sounds were full of sympathy as they spoke. Every scene had its own sounds that paralleled the theme and purpose of the act (Meyer, 2011, p111). There were cries, mourns and even sounds of desperation. Throughout the drama, the audience was full of sad mood. HIV/AIDs infection was presented as something that people should be afraid of. The audience was also filled with pity and sympathy for the infected characters. Since it was my first encounter to see a live stage drama, the theme, scenes and characters were a great impact to my life and my understanding of what entails a drama. For a elongated time I had wished to be involved in a dramatic act until one day, my literature...
Words: 1793 - Pages: 8
...Comparison of Gender Roles Gender roles have always been a part of the daily life throughout the 1900’s, however up until recently this has changed. Women have always wanted to have their own opinion, views and the ability to think and act for themselves. In many of the stories read in class, we see how both men and women have gender roles, and how some want them changed. On the other hand, if they even do. In many stories we have seen the characters struggle with societies views, Janie wants to work and be able to think for herself in Their Eyes Were Watching God. In Trifles, we see that women are considered unimportant, or that they only worry about the little things that seem unimportant, as said by the men in the play. Elisa in The Chrysanthemums also faces gender discrimination, which she wishes to overcome. In the last play we read, A Doll’s House, Nora is subject to gender discrimination as well much along the same terms as the previous stories read. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie just wants to be treated the same as everyone else, meaning the male population. Joe treats her as a lesser person throughout the novel, however she feels she should be able to make her own decisions an example is when she tried to leave Joe, however his remarks were, “ where will you go, who will take you in being married and all leaving your husband.” This is Joe and the male society putting Janie down so she feels powerless, this caused her to stay with Joe and not leave, in addition...
Words: 1449 - Pages: 6
...O’Neil 1 Becky O’Neil Arquette Eng. 112-01 December 6th, 2012 “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell During the 19th century, possibilities for women were severely restricted. Women were not allowed to vote, could not control their own finances, and were not able to work outside the home(unless widowed), any money or property they had was turned over to their husbands upon their marriage. Much of history is written from the male perspective. Women of that era were struggling with finding a sense of themselves and a certain freedom from the traditional gender roles society had dictated for them. Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” portrays these struggles through Mrs. Wright, who is expected to conform but resorts to an act of desperation to gain her freedom. The tale begins when Mr. Hale pays a visit to his neighbor, John Wright, only to discover That Mr. Wright is dead. Upon asking Mrs. Wright what killed him, she tells him, “He died of the rope around his neck.”(789) The sheriff and the County Attorney are called and arrive at the scene. However, in this case the professionals fall short in their task to find evidence of a motive for murder. It is the two women who accompany their husbands to the house who uncover the vital clues as to motive. Mrs. Hale, the wife of the man who reported the crime, and Mrs. Peters, the sheriff’s wife, are left in the kitchen. They are there only to gather a few...
Words: 1769 - Pages: 8
...Investigation of "Trifles" Written in 1916, Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” begins as a murder mystery but soon becomes an examination of marriage and domestic life as an institution of repression and suffocation. Minnie is driven to kill her husband; by not providing a specific incident to trigger the murder, the presumption is that it is committed as a result of prolonged and systemic suffering over a period of time, as opposed to a crime of passion. Minnie is not so much murdering John as she is killing her marriage outright. The play rivets attention to Martha and Mrs. Peters, who ultimately solve the murder (although keep this information withheld), by exploring their unique...
Words: 997 - Pages: 4
...she is the main focus of a murder investigation. The story shifts views to two women, Mrs. Peter and Mrs. Hale who are internally struggling to decide their verdict on Minnie as well as deciding her faith. Throughout the story, the reader gets a glimpse of the struggle women face living in a world controlled by men. Susan Glaspell uses the symbolism of the trifles, dead bird, and the quilt to develop the theme of gender role throughout the Short story. Before the twentieth century, there were many stereotypical roles assigned to men and women. The men were seen as the head of the household so they would go out into the world and work in order to support their family. On the other hand, women would stay at home cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children. In the short story “A Jury of Her Peers” the men viewed the women as facetious and incompetent from beginning to end. They would patronize the women by stating remarks like “women are used to worrying over trifles” (Glaspell...
Words: 881 - Pages: 4
...traditional social gender roles, to the modern gender roles that were developing. Writers during this time would portray men and women roles, as they saw it in society. As the Western culture progressed societies view changed as well with gender roles. In the early stages of the twentieth century, playwrights such as Strindberg, Ibsen, and Lorca, wrote characters such as men and women in gender roles that fit to the societal norms during that time. Plays like Trifles by Susan Glaspell, gave the appearance of the common societal gender roles in Western cultures. The play shows the controversy of men having the power and wisdom over women. Glaspell shows through...
Words: 1338 - Pages: 6
...Part I Trifles was interesting because it showed gender role dynamics at a time when traditional roles were expected of women, and it was customary for men to look down upon women’s roles as homemakers. The males in the play (especially the county attorney) were very condescending toward the women- and women in general- “Ah, loyal to your sex, I see”, when challenged by Mrs. Hale upon his criticism of Mrs. Wright’s housekeeping (line 40). The women, on the other hand, were sympathetic to Mrs. Wright, given her strained home life. This was especially true of Mrs. Hale, who kept lamenting that she should have visited Mrs. Wright more often, who was probably lonely. The men were not sympathetic, and were derisive when they overheard the women wondering whether Mrs. Wright was going to quilt or knot a handicraft she had been working on. The women’s attitudes toward the men seemed respectful but inwardly they seemed to think the men were simple-minded. I gathered that from their comments in trying to conceal the bird from the men. Part II This was a difficult play for me to read because of its style. It included lots of slang, and words written according to how they were pronounced “foist= first”. But- it was exquisite in personifying the typical layman and how they communicated back then. It was stark in its embodiment of different social classes and how they relate to one another (I.e. Yank the poor laborer, Mildred the upper-class girl). Yank’s frustration at being looked down...
Words: 337 - Pages: 2
