An Analysis Of Susan Glaspell s Trifles - 988 Words

A Heavy Conscience â€Å"Trifles† by Susan Glaspell is a short play built around the murder of John Wright. Throughout the play there are numerous entwined themes and ideas. With closer examination of Glaspell’s work it is clear that there is a far greater plot in action than just a murder. Mrs. Minnie Wright has been arrested for the murder of her husband while the investigation is active. Interestingly enough the murder is not the focused of this play. The focus is how two wives Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters identify with the accused. Throughout the play the wives uncover several seemingly insignificant clues which provide insight on the daily life Mrs. Wright before the death of her husband. Although both women ultimately end up identifying themselves with Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Hale appears to only aid Mrs. Wright due to the overwhelming guilt and shame she feels after learning of the circumstances Mrs. Wright life. Mrs. Hale feels guilty for not noticing how confined and isolated Mrs. Wright truly was. Mrs. Hale knew Mrs. Wright before she was married back when she was Minnie Foster, so she feels as though she should have offered Minnie more support. Periodically throughout the play Mrs. Hale reminisces over the former Minnie Foster. She recalls enjoyable and happy memories of Minnie when she was full of life. She goes on and states, â€Å"She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir† (Glaspell 779). Mrs. HaleShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis Of Susan Glaspell s Trifles 983 Words   |  4 Pagespreconception someone makes based on gender, race, or religion that in this case is by gender, and affects women based on their expected gender roles. Women endlessly have expectations that go along with being a wife, mother, or simply a female. In Trifles by Susan Glaspell, 1955 by Alice Walker, and Girl by Jamaica Kincaid women are stereotyped by men and told to follow unwritten but expected roles such as being seen and not heard. As well as how they present themselves, their behavior, and tasks they needRead MoreAn Analysis Of Susan Glaspell s Trifles 1203 Words   |  5 PagesA Love Gone Bad A woman who was once full of life and happiness is now left with no joy in her life. In the play, â€Å"Trifles† by Susan Glaspell, we see how Mrs. Wright has changed over the years. We see how cheerful she was before marrying Mr. Wright. While trying to solve the murder, the author uses symbolism, conflict, and irony. The are many examples of conflict in this play. The most apparent conflict is that between the men and the women in the play. In the first parts of the investigation,Read MoreAn Analysis Of Susan Glaspell s Trifles 1056 Words   |  5 PagesIn the early 1900’s, both males and females were perceived as complete opposites of eachother. Women were considered physically weaker and morally superior to men. The gender roles during this time period were clearly demonstrated in the play â€Å"Trifles†, by Susan Glaspell. At a first glance it may seem like the play is only about the death of Mr. Wright. The play could simply be interpreted that the characters all work together to determine the murderer of Mr. Wright. The initial perception overlooksRead MoreAn Analysis Of Susan Glaspell s Trifles 1293 Words   |  6 Pagesthe history of the world. Yet, humanity’s statement to symbols goes beyond us finding meaning in innominate or non-human objects. People assign hum anity into objects, almost a part of themselves. This concept is clearly demonstrated in Susan Glaspell’s play, Trifles. The work contains many element of symbolism that make important and relieving comments on the characters of the play and the themes of the story. One of the first symbols introduced in the work, Mrs. Wright’s apron is deeply symbolicRead MoreAnalysis Of Susan Glaspell s Trifles 1307 Words   |  6 PagesIn the play â€Å"Trifles† by Susan Glaspell, she relates the title of her play to how the women in this play are treated with very little respect and authority. Mr. Wright overpowers his wife and he just does not realize that until it is to late and she kills him. The two women in this play that go into the house with the attorney and the sheriff for the investigation934 were the ones to discover the evidence of what clearly happened. The two women end up hiding the evidence from the two men to helpRead MoreAn Analysis Of Susan Glaspell s Trifles 1606 Words   |  7 PagesThe play Trifles written by Susan Glaspell is a mystery story of a murder that takes place in a small farming town. At the time the play was written women in the united states were still not given the opportunity to vote. It is through the mystery of this murder that we find the role of gender to be a major factor throughout the entirety of the play. In the play, we are given tandems of females and males to follow as they seek to solve the mystery of how Mrs. Wright’s husband was murdered. TheRead MoreAnalysis Of Susan Glaspell s Trifles Essay916 Words   |  4 Pagesmultiple themes that a story is trying to convey. In Susan Glaspell s, Trifles, she meticulously incorporates significant symbols that help the reader recognize and construe the depth of the significance of the jar of fruit preserves, quilt, bird, and the bird cage. Things are not always as insignificant as they appear to be, and Glaspell s play is a prime example of how important it is to read between the lines. A central theme in Glaspell s play is gender obedience, displayed seemingly by MrsRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Susan Glaspell s Trifles 1714 Words   |  7 PagesFaulkner and Trifles written by Susan Glaspell loneliness, poverty and isolation consume the lives of the characters. Susan Glaspell’s play â€Å"Trifles† written in 1916. In this play the author’s talks of her preoccupation with culture- bound notions of gender and sex roles. Glaspell says women are considered trifles which mean they are not important to society which is carried out by men (Baym, p. 742). In Trifles written by Susan Glaspell the time is in the early 20th century. When Glaspell wrote â€Å"Trifles†Read MoreLiterary Analysis of Susan Glaspells Trifles1788 Words   |  7 PagesAn Analysis of Natures in Susan Glaspells Trifles A trifle is something that has little value or importance, and there are many seeming trifles in Susan Glaspells one-act play Trifles. The irony is that these trifles carry more weight and significance than first seems to be the case. Just as Glaspells play ultimately reveals a sympathetic nature in Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, the evidence that the men investigators fail to observe, because they are blind to the things that have importanceRead MoreSusan Glaspell s Trifles 1732 Words   |  7 PagesSusan Glaspell (1876-1948) was an American-born Pulitzer Prize winning writer of both plays and fiction. Glaspell came from humble beginnings and went on to study at Drake University and the University of Chicago. Much of Glaspell s work dealt with the relationships between men and women and the negative effects they have on women. In Glaspell s play Trifles, it is revealed that the operations of patriarchy are just an illusion that men have created to make themselves feel superior to w omen