...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
...Susan Glaspell's story “Trifles” has the main theme of the social oppression of women. However, not only that but about how knowledge and perspective are misconstrued in the minds of men. This story displays three symbols that amplify this theme sexism, jars of fruit, a dead canary, and a quilt. One thing the attorney noticed in the story was that Mrs. Wright was canning fruit in the cupboard. This shows that she cared about her image of being the perfect housewife. This concern is justified when the men laugh at the condition her house is in. Yet, they also laugh at the women for caring about such trifles, so really the women can never win. Another thing the canned fruit symbolizes is Mrs. Wrights fate. “The canning jars are broken as Minnie feared, and this symbolizes the inevitability of her conviction” (LitCharts, 1). As she sits in a cell worrying over her cans, it symbolizes how she is worried about the verdict of her case. Therefore, when the cans are shattered so is her hopes of going free....
Words: 475 - Pages: 2
...well-being in which every individual realizes their own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community” (“Mental Health”). Mental health is an important aspect of a person’s life from childhood to adulthood. It affects a person’s mood, behavior and a person’s thought process. Biological factors and life experiences are elements that can impact an individual’s mental health. Examples of such elements are trauma and abuse (“What is Mental Health”). In the play, Trifles, Mrs. Minnie Wright was the unseen main character and her actions were the main subject. She was...
Words: 1462 - Pages: 6
...Trifles The sensitivity of feminism was very complicated in early 20th century, and Trifles by Susan Glaspell comes out not only for entertainment to this day but also it’s a message to the world about gender roles in expect actions. The story took place in the kitchen, which was the domain of Mrs. Wright and the women, whereas the men were not so familiar. The background of the story focuses on one side, the women, and it is known for inequality of gender through history. By using the bird cage and the bird are symbolisms, and the way protecting their friend Mrs. Wright from being charged with murder, which is the guilty between of feminism and the world dominated by men. Trifles by Susan Glaspell represents the problem of gender discrimination in terms of crime and guilt. The birdcage represents a falling marriage, and it is a first motive in establishing guilt. The birdcage is a physical trap to keep the bird or ant kind of animals, and they are not free and loneliness. As the same Mrs. Wright was trapped in her marriage, and could not escape it. Whatever she does everything and couldn’t keep her free, and that will become a strong motive to push her make up a guilt. The birdcage’s door, which represents her troubled marriage to Mr. Wright, is broken. We can compare Mrs. Wright to a wild animals who just want to escape the trap as same as her marriage from Mr. Wright. Whenever the door open, it allowed Mrs. Wright to become a free woman. At that point in time, the cage’s...
Words: 1172 - Pages: 5
...Plot Summary The setting for Trifles, a bleak, untidy kitchen in an abandoned rural farmhouse, quickly establishes the claustrophobic mood of the play. While a cold winter wind blows outside, the characters file in one at a time to investigate a violent murder: the farm’s owner, John Wright, was apparently strangled to death while he slept, and his wife, Minnie, has been taken into custody as a suspect in the crime. The sheriff, Henry Peters, is the first to enter the farmhouse, followed by George Henderson, the attorney prosecuting the case. Lewis Hale, a neighbor, is next to enter. The men cluster around a stove to get warm while they prepare for their investigation. Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale follow the men into the kitchen; yet, they hesitate just inside the door. They are obviously quite disturbed by what has happened in the house and proceed with more care than their husbands. In a play filled with minor details (trifles) that take on major significance, the entrance of the characters is very revealing. There is an obvious divide — social, psychological, and physical — separating the men from the women, a fact that takes on a larger significance as the play progresses. The investigation begins with Henderson questioning Lewis, who discovered the murder the day before. Lewis explains that he was on his way into town with a load of potatoes and stopped at the Wright farmhouse to see if John and Minnie wanted to share a telephone line with him, since they were neighbors...
Words: 2998 - Pages: 12
...Drama is defined as “A prose or verse composition, especially one telling a serious story, that is intended for representation by actors impersonating the characters and performing the dialogue and action”. Through out the works of drama, Death of a Salesman, Trifles, and A Dolls House, the plays center around 3 very different families and their everyday struggle of living with a lack of a support system. Through out the stories the audience is taken on a Journey of the struggles and emotions of feeling and being lonely. A series of conflicts cause these three characters to realize there is no support system available to them. In Trifles by Susan Gladspell, Mrs. John Wright most definitely regrets her isolation at the farm house outside of town. We begin to understand this atmosphere when Mrs. Hales reveals, “It never seemed a very cheerful place” (634) This shows the audience that she truly feels alone and that there really is no one on her farm for her to turn to for real companionship and support. Due to Mrs. Wright’s lack of support she was driven to confide and seek friendship in a small bird. She began singing to the bird and cause tension between John Wright and herself. Mr. Wright was known to neglect his wife and stop her from singing. She was driven to the point of murdering her husband because of his neglect and the ever absent support system. To show her lack of support Gladspell implements that other characters within the play even realize she needs a...
Words: 671 - Pages: 3
...remembers what her friend used to be like before she married John Wright Attorney George Henderson * Left in charge of the investigation by Sheriff Peters * Is the lawyer who intends to prosecute Minnie * In his arrogance and haste, he misses vital details * Is "young and arrogant" Sheriff Peters * Sheriff of the rural community * Married to Mrs. Peters * Arrested Minnie, but leaves George Henderson to head the investigation * Mrs. Peters, though she didn’t know the younger Minnie, can relate to Minnie’s loneliness and isolation as she recalls her own losses; she helps Mrs. Hale hide the evidence Mrs. Peters * Married to the Sheriff John Wright * The murdered man and owner of the house Mrs. Minnie Wright (f/k/a Minnie Foster) * John Wright's wife and his suspected murderer ************************************ Summary Feminist Drama Trifles is an example of early feminist drama. Though its plot focuses on a single moral choice, that of Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters deciding whether or not to expose why Mrs. Wright killed her husband. It addresses the principal issue of justice and contemporary issues of gender and identity politics....
Words: 300 - Pages: 2
...Encaged Gender roles throughout the years have greatly progressed in the right direction. However compared to their counterparts of today, women in the 19th and 20th century were restrained by a metaphoric glass ceiling. Nora Helmer from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Minnie Foster from Susan Glaspell’s Trifles are both victims of falling into gender roles of their time and trying to challenge or break out of the cultural mold made for females. Nora’s husband Torvald continually treats Nora as an inferior and she accepts the treatment to conform to his needs. This is common for the time as the story takes place in Norway in 1879. Minnie Foster also known as Mrs. Wright, is also treated as an inferior by her husband, Mr. Wright. However, unlike Nora, Mrs. Wright’s story takes place in the Midwest. Mrs. Wright had no one to gather support from due to isolation. By today’s standards, both women were subject to conforming to gender roles, but both women were also able to challenge these ideas. Both stories closely relate to each other in a way that disputes gender roles of the time. Nora Helmer seems to have conformed to her gender role. It seems that everything she does must get Torvald’s approval. She is a house wife, Torvald provides her with everything. For example, he gives her money and he even has hired a nanny to watch after their children. Torvald is a man that is deeply concerned with public image; he is very worried about his and the family’s reputation. When she...
Words: 1432 - Pages: 6
...‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore Revision Guide ------------------------------------------------- Act I Scene 1 ------------------------------------------------- Plot Summary: * ------------------------------------------------- The Friar and Giovanni discuss Giovanni's incestuous love for his sister, Annabella. * ------------------------------------------------- The friar, formerly Giovanni's teacher when he studied at the university of Bologna, warns him of the seriousness of his sin, but Giovanni claims his passion remains beyond his control. * ------------------------------------------------- The Friar believes that Giovanni, a good student of logic, uses logic to prove something sinful to be virtuous. * ------------------------------------------------- The friar warns him that others who used logic ‘‘to prove / There was no God ... / Discover'd ... the nearest way to hell.’’ * ------------------------------------------------- When Giovanni begs for his advice, the Friar urges him to fast and pray, which Giovanni agrees to try, though it fails to rid him of his incestuous love. * ------------------------------------------------- He believes himself fated to love his sister and to pursue her love. ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Commentary: * ------------------------------------------------- Attempting to justify incest theoretically. * ------------------------------------------------- ...
Words: 5476 - Pages: 22
...Prepared by: Radhika Bhalotia CONTENTS Brief bio-sketch of Swami Vivekananada | Family background | 1 | The Child- Narendranath | 1-2 | Early boyhood of Narendranath | 3 | The multi-faceted Narendranath | 4 | Major turnaround events and their impact on the Vivekananda | Vivekananda- Lover of life | 5 | Does God exist?- Engagement with the Brahmo Samaj | 5-7 | Association with Shri Ramakrishna | 7-8 | Developing eminence and emergence of leadership | Early development of leadership traits | 8 | Dasasya | 9 | Vivekananda at Chicago | 10 | Vivekananda’s take on Vedanta | 10-11 | Vivekananda’s Works | 11 | Vivekananda on his Last Days | 11-12 | Major contributions and demonstrated leadership capability | 12-13 | Swami Vivekananda’s leadership concepts, as applicable in organizations of today | 13-15 | Comments on the person’s leadership styles and attributes | 16-17 | Motivation behind this writing this paper and choosing Swami Vivekananda Leadership is seen in the board room and in the kindergarten classroom. It is needed to guide nations as well as a scout troop. Leadership is exercised all over the world. Perhaps the fact that leadership is “omnipresent” is why it is often ignored, neglected and taken for granted. It’s like air; we don’t even think about it unless it’s lacking. The fact that leadership is so pervasive should make it a required subject in business school. While some topics are electives, everyone needs to...
Words: 6433 - Pages: 26
... BERNATH LECTURE The New International History of the Cold War: Three (Possible) Paradigms* The Cold War is not what it once was. Not only has the conflict itself been written about in the past tense for more than a decade, but historians’ certainties about the character of the conflict have also begun to blur. The concerns brought on by trends of the past decade – such trifles as globalization, weapons proliferation, and ethnic warfare – have made even old strategy buffs question the degree to which the Cold War ought to be put at the center of the history of the late twentieth century. In this article I will try to show how some people within our field are attempting to meet such queries by reconceptualizing the Cold War as part of contemporary international history. My emphasis will be on issues connecting the Cold War – defined as a political conflict between two power blocs – and some areas of investigation that in my opinion hold much promise for reformulating our views of that conflict, blithely summed up as ideology, technology, and the Third World. I have called this lecture “Three (Possible) Paradigms” not just to avoid making too presumptuous an impression on the audience but also to indicate that my use of the term “paradigm” is slightly different from the one most people have taken over from Thomas Kuhn’s work on scientific revolutions. In the history of science, a paradigm has come to mean a comprehensive explanation, a kind of scientific “level”...
Words: 8015 - Pages: 33
...Search Enoch Arden by Lord Alfred Tennyson Published 1864 Long lines of cliff breaking have left a chasm; And in the chasm are foam and yellow sands; Beyond, red roofs about a narrow wharf In cluster; then a moulder'd church; and higher A long street climbs to one tall-tower'd mill; And high in heaven behind it a gray down With Danish barrows; and a hazelwood, By autumn nutters haunted, flourishes Green in a cuplike hollow of the down. Here on this beach a hundred years ago, Three children of three houses, Annie Lee, The prettiest little damsel in the port, And Philip Ray the miller's only son, And Enoch Arden, a rough sailor's lad Made orphan by a winter shipwreck, play'd Among the waste and lumber of the shore, Hard coils of cordage, swarthy fishing-nets, Anchors of rusty fluke, and boats updrawn, And built their castles of dissolving sand To watch them overflow'd, or following up And flying the white breaker, daily left The little footprint daily wash'd away. A narrow cave ran in beneath the cliff: In this the children play'd at keeping house. Enoch was host one day, Philip the next, While Annie still was mistress; but at times Enoch would hold possession for a week: `This is my house and this my little wife.' `Mine too' said Philip `turn and turn about:' When, if they quarrell'd, Enoch stronger-made Was master: then would Philip, his blue eyes All flooded with the helpless wrath of tears, Shriek out `I hate you...
Words: 7328 - Pages: 30
...Teenagers’ Pursuit of Perfection: Detours and Roadblocks to Development Lipa City In partial fulfillment of the requirements in English IV English IV Research Paper Teenagers’ Pursuit of Perfection: Detours and Roadblocks to Development Table of Contents Title Page……………………………………………………………………………………………….. i Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………… ii Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………………………. iii I. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………… p. 1 a. Statement of the Problem ..….……………………………………………………....... p. 2 b. Significance of the Study …...………………………………………………………….. p. 2 c. Scope of the Study ……...………………………………………………………………… p. 3 d. Definition of Terms ...……………………………………………………………………. p. 3 II. Review of Related Literature and Studies …………………………………………… p. 6 a. Related Literature ……………………………………………………………………….. p. 6 b. Related Studies …………………………………………………………………………… p. 7 III. Methodology ………………………………………………………………………………………... p. 9 a. Research Instrument …………………………………………………………………... p. 9 b. Research Participants and Locale ……………………………………………….... p. 9 c. Research Method ……………………………………………………………………….... p. 9 IV. Data Presentation and Analysis …………………………………………………………. p. 10 V. Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations …………………………………… p. a. Findings b. Conclusions c. Recommendations VI. Bibliography VII. Appendices CHAPTER 1 Introduction “The...
Words: 8301 - Pages: 34
...http://www.ebooksread.com/ THE WORKS OF MARY ROBERTS RINEHART LOVE STORIES THE REVIEW OF REVIEWS COMPANY Publishers NEW YORK PUBLISHED BY ARRANGEMENT WITH GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY. Copyright, 1919, By George H. Doran Company Copyright, 1912, 1913, 1916, by the Curtis Publishing Company Copyright, 1912, by The McClure Publications, Inc. Copyright, 1917, by The Metropolitan Magazine Co. CONTENTS I TWENTY-TWO II JANE III IN THE PAVILION IV GOD'S FOOL V THE MIRACLE VI "ARE WE DOWNHEARTED? NO!" VII THE GAME LOVE STORIES TWENTY-TWO I The Probationer's name was really Nella Jane Brown, but she was entered in the training school as N. Jane Brown. However, she meant when she was accepted to be plain Jane Brown. Not, of course, that she could ever be really plain. People on the outside of hospitals have a curious theory about nurses, especially if they are under twenty. They believe that they have been disappointed in love. They never think that they may intend to study medicine later on, or that they may think nursing is a good and honourable career, or that they may really like to care for the sick. The man in this story had the theory very hard. When he opened his eyes after the wall of the warehouse dropped, N. Jane Brown was sitting beside him. She had been practising counting pulses on him, and her eyes were slightly upturned and very earnest. There was a strong odour of burnt rags in the air, and the man sniffed. Then he put a hand to his upper lip--the right hand. She was holding...
Words: 75244 - Pages: 301
...An A level English Student Guide by Julia Geddes, Kitty Graham and Helen Ince ~ Wessex Publications ~ Selected Poems by John Clare CONTENTS Page Using the Workbook......................................................................................1 How to Study Poetry......................................................................................2 John Clare 1793 - 1864 ..................................................................................3 The Poems A Country Village Year.................................................................................6 December from ‘The Shepherd’s Calendar’: Christmas ...............................6 Sonnet: ‘The barn door is open’ ...................................................................11 The Wheat Ripening......................................................................................13 The Beans in Blossom ...................................................................................16 Sonnet: ‘The landscape laughs in Spring’ .....................................................19 Sonnet: ‘I dreaded walking where there was no path’...................................21 Sonnet: ‘The passing traveller’......................................................................23 Sport in the Meadows....................................................................................25 Emmonsales Heath .......................................................................................
Words: 33689 - Pages: 135
