Written by Susan Glaspell, Trifles is a play, based on a true occurrence in Iowa. The author focuses on the development of the both the minor and major characters. Through the development of the characters, Glaspell vividly describes their stereotypes.
In Glaspells play, Minnie Wright exhibits the role of a round character. During her youth days, she is always a happy, cheerful, and social songstress. Additionally, her wardrobe consists of bright colored clothes that made her outstanding among other girls. Unfortunately, after Mr. Wright married her, she drastically changed her behavior. Mrs. Hale describes her as sweet, pretty, timid and fluttery but all the characters disappeared after marriage (Glaspell Para. 5).
On the other hand, Minnies husband is tyrannical, abrasive, domineering and aweless, a fact that Minnie respects during her thirty years of marriage. However, from the blues, Mr. Wright dies or killed at night depending on ones perspective. Surprisingly, Minnie confesses that someone strangled her husband without her noticing. Unfortunately, the Sheriff and the attorney disapprove her claims and choose to imprison her as the prime suspect. After critical investigations, the law convicts her of murder.
Minnie has a dynamic character that makes her to adapt to the prevailing situation. Although she is submissive to her husband, she turns a murderer after tolerating her husbands unbecoming behavior. One moment of rage and bitterness from her husband is enough to kill him and this ability o change depending on the prevailing situation underscores roundness in character development.
John Wright is a powerful, rough and crude husband; he turns his cheerful wife to a sad and antisocial woman. However, one day his wife strangles him with a rope killing him instantly. The roundness in Mr. Wrights character comes out clearly given the fact that at one point he is strong, abrasive and masculine but she dies in the hands of one considered weak. Therefore, in essence, Mr. Wright changes from a strong character to a weak one and this defines the roundness of his character.
On the other hand, George Henderson; the county attorney, represents one of the flat characters; characters who remain rigid throughout a story; no change of thought or persona. During the murder of Mr. Wright, he comes to the scene to carry out an investigation. He is a tough and bully but dismisses the kitchen as a source of evidence of the murder. Ironically, he concentrates in the bedroom and barn places which belong to men.
Although he convicts Mrs. Wright as the murder, he is unable to discover solid evidences apparently evident in the kitchen. His character is stagnant he neither changes his behavior nor listens to women. Similarly, Henry Peters is a Sheriff who accompanies the attorney in the murder investigation.
However, just like Henry, he overlooks some of the important places that might give evidence about the murder case. Additionally, his contemptuous nature comes into limelight when he kicks some items in the house disapproving them as source of evidence. He concentrates in the bedroom to search for evidence and his rigidness passes him for a flat character.
There is a high degree of gender and culture stereotyping in the play. Mr. Wright follows the society culture of being domineering especially to women. The role of women is in the kitchen and they are not supposed to talk before men. Mrs. Wright ends up losing her happiness and cheerful nature because she is a submissive woman. On the other hand, the sheriff and attorney do not involve the women in the murder cases.
They dismiss a womans place like the kitchen and concentrate in the bedroom. Similarly, Clarkson observes that women like Mrs. Hale remain silent when they discover the box-containing evidence because the society demands such of them (286). In summary, Mr. and Mrs. Wright are the round characters in the play; their characters are dynamic hence changes depending on the situation at Hand. On the other hand, the flat characters include the law enforcers and Mr. Hale.
Works Cited
Clarkson, Suzy. Silent Justice in a Different Key: Glaspells Trifles. The MidwestQuarterly 44.6 (2003): 282-290.
Trifles is an intriguing crime drama involving John Hossacks murder. Susan Glasspel was a lead journalist following up on the case in a quest to get justice for John. Margret reported to the police that a stranger broke into their house and killed her husband using an axe. However, she failed to explain why a stranger entered without breaking the door. In the process, she was arrested and charged with murder. Susan was an investigative journalist and prepared twenty-six different stories on the case. The social challenges caused by patriarchy became evident during the investigation, hearing, and determination of the case. The female officers protected the key suspect because they shared similar societal tribulations. When the corps visited the house to find evidence, the men rushed upstairs but did not find any evidence. However, the female officers, Mrs. Hale and Peters, remained in the living room after finding the pets lifeless body, a lead to unveil the mystery in the case (Saei Dibavar 7). The patriarchal system is the main cause of domestic violence because the oppressed women are likely to group and fight a common course of equality, dignity and respect.
Historical Criticism
Glaspell wrote the Trifles during a period when patriarchy was the main social system. Men were considered to hold the predominant power and made all the decisions in the families. On the other hand, the women were stationed at home and had little or no input on major matters that affected the families (Saei Dibavar 5). The social norms and gender-based roles created a rift between men and women in the society. Men had the right to own property, attend school, and treat women as objects of pleasure.
Women were constrained at home to take care of children and perform all the household chores. As the corps visited the house for evidence, the female officers followed their instincts and started investigating how the couple lived. They discovered that John Hossack was not in good terms with his wife and often mistreated her (Guswanto and Husna 21). They found Margarets favorite pet dead and concluded that she killed John to avenge the pets death. The women investigated the couples way of life because they understood that domestic violence is commonly caused by mistreatment. Hiding evidence insinuates that the women believed that John Hossack got what he deserved for mistreating his wife.
Causes of Domestic Violence: Social Oppression
Families in patriarchal societies oppressed women by depriving them of the right to education, work, and self-development. Those who got the chance to work did it on a meagre pay and did not last long. Further, women were supposed to stay home to take care of the children and other elder members of the family who required care. Additionally, the lack of the right to make decisions made women feel inferior, making them unite for liberation. The female investigators suspected that the murder resulted from social oppression. The murder was a reflex action after the woman had suffered in the hands of her husband. It is imperative to note that when the play was produced, feminist movements had started, and women believed in equal rights.
Since many women were empowered and encouraged to support each other, they hid the only evidence that could have led to Margrets conviction. The rise of the feminist movement motivated the action of the policewomen as they stood in solidarity with the culprit. When people are exposed to suffering by their leaders, they are likely to team up and fight the common enemy. For example, Margret killed her husband in a state of rage because the husband disregarded her and killed her pet. However, the fact that the women were undergoing similar suffering made the police corps hide the evidence.
As the officers investigated the relationship between John Hossack and his wife, they realized they were in two worlds. Both Margret and John Hossack lived together, the patriarchal beliefs led to poor treatment and relationship. Marriage is a social institution because it is the basis of families. A strong family is built when the people of the couple exist in the same world and do things together. The play was however written at a time when most women were fighting for equality due to oppression while men were struggling to maintain the status quo. In the discourse, life in different worlds makes couples have different thoughts, jeopardizing relationships. The contemporary couple must understand each other and live on their terms because adhering to patriarchy may separate them and make them achieve a happier family since John Hossack believed in the patriarchal system (Jawad 36). Margarets rage was justified because she was exposed to suffering as her husband did not give her the identity she deserved. Killing a persons favorite pet is a sign of disregarding feelings and happiness. John Hossacks murder resulted from mistreatment and exposing the woman to suffering.
Mens Blindness
When the patriarchal system gave men the absolute power to make all societal decisions, they became blinded by power. The power that blinded them made them fail to realize that women need to be treated with respect (Tatton 7). When oppression is the language used by the rulers, revolt will be the only way to respond to the suffering. John Hossack, for example, was blinded by the power to the extent of disregarding his wifes feelings by killing her pet. Consequently, the action led to a reaction, and the man was killed. The action, therefore, signifies that women must always be respected regardless of the leadership system in society.
When women suffer as a result of the patriarchal system, they are likely to revolt. The domestic violence that claimed John Hossacks life was motivated by mens blindness because of their societal power (Jawad 35). Different cases of domestic violence are caused by gross misconduct and disregard for the partners happiness and emotional well-being. Marriages in the contemporary world can only be maintained when the partners are not blinded by the powers offered by the social institution (Boserup et al. 45). Instead, couples must learn about each others behaviors, hobbies, and likes then strive to fulfill them. John Hossack suffered death because his blindness to power made him forget the power of his wife.
Other than domestic violence, mens blindness causes them to overlook important aspects for judgment. As the police entered John Hossacks house to get the evidence, they went straight to where the body was laid. They never paid attention to the sitting room because they did not understand that women were suffering, and investigating the sitting room would give them a clue that the couple had a poor relationship. Failure to understand the womens pains makes the male corps miss the evidence. In the contemporary corporate domain, discriminatory gender roles must be eliminated to ensure that men treat women with respect and dignity (Guswanto and Husna 33). What the police officers viewed as feminine concerns proved to be the most important evidence to apprehend the culprit. For example, the men dismissed feminine things like a pet and how others live but used the women to get strong evidence against Margaret. Justice was not served because the evidence was hidden by the women, who thought they shared similar predicaments as the suspect.
Legal Duty and the Gender Allegiance
The Trifles explains how the women abscond their legal duties as attorneys to gather evidence about the murder case. However, they feel more indebted to their fellow woman and they hid the tangible evidence. Since the women investigating the case decided to hide the evidence against Margaret and opt to lie, the patriarchal system has developed a big rift between the men and the women, leading to the conflict (Saei Dibavar 4). The patriarchal system is the key reason for domestic violence because it makes women suffer, and when they decide to respond, they are likely to cause chaos. Were it not for the rift caused by the societal system of patriarchy, the policewomen would not give the evidence against Margaret, and they stood with her, viewing it as a chance to save the woman who was suffering a similar fate as them (Glaspell 12). The women share social oppression and identify each others pain (Jawad 32). It is imperative to note that allegiance to gender became popular when the noble women started fighting for equality. As women fight for equality, they are prepared to go to any length to support their colleagues.
The Trifles is a crime drama where the audience expects to end with a conviction and the culprit punished. The justice system is confused, and what matters at the end of the play is how the women stand in solidarity with each other. The suffering endured by the women due to the patriarchal norms brings them together and prepares them for a revolt (Tatton 6). Whenever a man constantly mistreats a woman, there is a higher. Although most of the violent cases are perpetrated by men in contemporary society, constant oppression may make women stronger and lead a rebellion against men (Guswanto and Husna 28). The murder of John Hossack underscored the importance of better treatment in contemporary families because it shows how women can revolt and take drastic action against the most dominant force in the world.
Conclusion
The Trifles by Susan Glasspel shares a case of murder to prove the key cause of domestic violence. The patriarchal social system gave men absolute power and did not give any power to women. Instead, they were homemakers and were burdened with all the family duties. However, womens suffering brought them together, and they vowed to protect each other (Glaspell 18). Even when they had to choose between their jobs and protecting their fellow women, they always chose the helping others. The investigation leading to John Hossacks death helps analyze the cause of domestic violence and the challenges faced by families. Margret went to the extent of killing her husband because of her suffering at the hands of a patriarchal. The cases of domestic violence reported were majorly caused by the patriarchal system, which segregated the genders.
Works Cited
Boserup, Brad, Mark McKenney, and Adel Elkbuli. Alarming trends in US domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. The American journal of emergency medicine vol. 38. no.12, 2020, pp. 27-53.
Glaspell, Susan. Trifles A Play in One Act. Frank Shay, 1916.
Guswanto, Doni, and Lailatul Husna. Psychological conflict between men and women in Susan Glaspells Trifles. Jurnal Ilmiah Langue and Parole. vol. 2, no. 2, 2019, pp. 26-35.
Jawad, Enas Jaafar. The Dilemma of domestic violence in Susan Glaspells Trifles. Journal of the College of Education for Women, vol. 31, no. 1, 2020, pp. 2536.
Saei Dibavar, Sara, and Sanaz Saei Dibavar. Privileged Empathy in Susan Glaspells Trifles. ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews. 2022 pp. 1-7.
Tatton, Sarah. Netflixs Pamela, A Love Story Overturns Stereotypes about Victims of Intimate Partner Abuse. The Conversation, 31 Jan. 2023, pp. 17.
Novels, plays, songs and poems have been used in various ways by many scholars to convey important messages to their audience. People can view themselves in many literature presentations and realize the mistakes they make in life. Literature warns, educates, entertains and informs people about their societies and what shapes their behavior. This essay examines how play writers expose different perceptions of human beings through their characters and themes.
Trifles by Susan Glaspell
This play was written in 1916 and it explores various perceptions of men and women and how they behave when faced with different challenges. The author condemns gender stereotypes by exposing the evils associated with male chauvinism. She manages to show her audience how people have equal abilities to manage various issues in the society. The play presents how the detectives failed to discover what killed Mr. John Wright.
On the other hand, the three ladies present in the room are shocked at how these professionals are not able to gather clues that will lead to the arrest of the culprit. In addition, the audience is able to see the evils associated with gender stereotypes. The women concealed the evidence that would have been used to find out the cause of the death being investigated.
This play is a good example of how the society continues to fail due to weird gender perceptions. The murder investigators think that they know their work better than other people. In fact, they think that women cannot help them in any way to establish the truth regarding this matter.
On the other hand, these women are submissive and they do not want to engage in arguments with men. Even though they look innocent, they inwardly laugh at the fruitless attempts shown by the incompetent investigators. This is expressed in their conversations when the attorney and sheriff say that the house has no evidence to lead to any meaningful case. This play shows that men think that women are weak, illiterate and must be kept in the kitchen. On the other hand, women respect men but inwardly laugh at their failures.
The Hairy Ape by Eugene ONeil
This play portrays how wealth and power cause discriminations and class differences in the society. ONeil uses bleak realism and natural conversation to create uniqueness. Literature continues to evolve and thus ONeil was in the right path towards revolutionizing stage drama.
He has used a natural style to present his views to enable the theme of the play to blend with the behavior of the main character. Yank is a primitive but meticulous young man who thinks that he has more energy than machines. This male chauvinism drives him to despise women and think that he is not worth in his society. An honest statement that describes his character makes him change his residence.
In addition, he pays a lot of attention to bad comments about him and this makes him leave his community to stay with a gorilla. He meets his death at the zoo after staying there for some time and realizing that even gorillas do not want his company. His primitiveness is shown when he is disturbed by a negative comment from a girl and also when he said that he would blow up things while working with the firemen. The climax of his archaic behavior is when he decides live in the zoo with gorillas because the world had turned against him.
Conclusion
Glaspell and ONeal have successfully managed to show how gender stereotypes and traditions affect human life. They have used different ways to show how people perceive each other differently and this contributes to the problems they face in the society.
Susan Glaspells play Trifles dates back to 1916. The play was written in a period of great strife in both social and literary fronts. Glaspells play is based on real life events that she witnessed when working as a reporter. The play is based on the playwrights observations as opposed to real life events.
Trifles features a scarce character pool of main characters. There are three women and three men in the play. All the characters in this play a vital role to the plays development. Some of Glaspells characters in this play are flat while the others are more rounded. This essay explores the roundness or flatness of the characters in Trifles and their conformity to stereotypes.
The main difference between flat and round characters is that flat characters do not change as much as round characters do. Rounded characters seem more interesting because they develop in the course of the story. Round characters are also more believable because their complexity resonates with the audience.
On the other hand, flat characters remain static in the course of the play. In Trifles , the women characters are rounded as opposed to the men characters who are more flat. Glaspell uses a unique methodology of character development in her one-act play.
The main conflict in the play is the murder of John Wright. Although the murder is not solved in the course of the play, some characters are able to develop. The men characters are obviously flat characters. Mr. Hale and the sheriff are both middle-aged men who come to Mr. Wrights house to investigate his murder.
Mr. Hale is a neighbor to the Wright family. His character does not undergo any major changes or transformations. Hale only provides information to the audience. We learn about details of the murder from Hale. All of Hales statements are static from the beginning to the end.
The sheriffs character does not provide much input to the story. The only thing we know is that the sheriff is here on official duty. Most of his dialogue is used to reveal what is happening on the stage. Both the sheriff and Mr. Hale are not interesting characters and their input to the plays plot is negligible.
The county attorney George Henderson came to Mr. Wrights house in his capacity as an investigator. It is also probable that his job will also include prosecuting Mrs. Wright in case she is tried for her husbands murder. He is portrayed as a young professional who looks down upon women. His initial feeling is that Mrs. Wright is guilty for the murder of her husband and she should be charged in court for it.
His conviction does not change throughout the story and his distaste for Mrs. Wright is evident. For instance, at one time he criticizes her house keeping skills. All the men in the play conform to stereotypes in several ways. First, they are quick to dismiss any ideas that come from the women even though they are crucial to the investigation (Glaspell 1095). The men believe that women cannot be of any help to the investigation.
However, in the end it is the women who find a possible motive to the murder. Moreover, the men expect the women to obey them and that is why the attorney does not bother to check them for any concealed evidence when it is time to leave the Wrights house.
Both Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale are well-rounded characters and their character growth is evident throughout the play. Their characters development is verified through their feelings, emotions, and feelings. Mrs. Peters is the wife to the sheriff. She defends the men in the room by claiming that their actions are justified because they are only doing their jobs.
She does not seem very opinionated and tends to believe what the men-folk say. However, she is the first to discover that the birdcage is empty. She reckons that bullies are very hurtful and they too deserve to feel the pain they inflict on others. She moves from being a follower to being Mrs. Hales co-conspirator. She acts against the attorneys wishes when she colludes with Mrs. Hale and they hide the evidence.
Mrs. Hale is the most rounded character in the play. In the beginning of the play, she is standing in a corner with Mrs. Peters until the men beckon them to get closer to the stove to seek warmth. Mrs. Hale was acquainted with Mrs. Wright even before she was married. After a few recollections, she starts feeling guilty for having neglected Mrs. Wright (Glaspell 1048).
She genuinely feels sorry for Mrs. Wright and jumps at the opportunity to help her by hiding the dead bird. The women in the play do not abide to any common stereotypes.
For instance, the attorney assumes that Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Wright are friends just because they are neighbors. This assumption is based on the stereotype that all women are social beings. The women also defy stereotypes by keeping the information they found in Mrs. Wrights kitchen to themselves.
Works Cited
Glaspell, Susan. Trifles-The Heath Anthology of American Literature Vol D. Ed. Paul Lauter, Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 2006. Print.
A work of literature can be discussed from several standpoints, such as for instance, historical, political, ethical, historical, feminist, etc. There is a widely held opinion that psychological approach is the most of effective way of analysis because it provides a room for discussion and various interpretations. The development of psychological science has radically changed modern views on literature. Nonetheless, it should be pointed out literary analysis from psychological perspectives has certain standards, which must be met; otherwise the validity of the data can be easily questioned. It is possible to apply this method to such plays as Sophocles Oedipus Rex and Trifles by Susan Glaspell.
Sophocles tragedy has always been considered as one of the best works of ancient Greek literature. To a certain degree, it is quite possible to say that the author laid foundations of psychoanalysis (though unwillingly). For example, while developing his theory Sigmund Freud often referred to this play, namely to the so-called Oedipal complex.
Any person, who discusses Oedipus Rex from psychological perspective, should take into consideration that in the overwhelming majority of cases, the conclusions may be only hypothetical; it is permissible to speak only about probability but not about certainty, mostly because there is reliable information about the author. The same principle goes for Trifles, although this play is traditionally discussed within the frames of feminist movement. It should be taken into account the author makes the reader form his or her own conclusions, therefore, it is very difficult to analyze this work only from psychological perspective.
First, it is of the vital importance to pay extra attention to the author and particularly to the peculiarities of his or her character. In this respect, it should be noted that very little is known about Sophocles and his life, let only his inner world. The only thing that scholars know almost for a fact is his relationships with Aeschylus. At the beginning of his career, Sophocles was inclined to imitate his dramatic manner; however, soon he developed his own style. However, this information is clearly insufficient for psychological analysis. The question arises, what prompted the author to write this tragedy. What were the most stressing problems that Sophocles wanted to explore in his work. Probably, they were connected with his own life. It seems that it is more prudent to discuss this question from philosophical point of view, because Sophocles explores such themes as the relationship between freewill and destiny.
Moreover, this tragedy may be analyzed within political standpoint, particularly tyranny. It is believed that the political situation in the then Greek society affected Sophocles worldview. Psychological research methods require first-hand evidence, which is impossible to get in this particular case. Naturally, some hypotheses may be formulated about the personality of the author; under no circumstances they can be regarded as facts.
Certainly literary critics and psychologists know much more about Susan Glaspell, yet the motives, which drove her to compose her play, are ambiguous. It is believed that her work is mostly motivated by the development of feminist movement however; this play cannot be reduced only to gender problems, because the author explores some other problems particularly the perception of reality. She proves that very often people should never be one hundred percent sure of their rectitude as it is in the case of Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, who are trying to investigate a mysterious murder in order to find the culprit, but soon they understand that their actions may ruin life of an innocent person.
The main reason why Oedipus Rex is so often discussed from psychological perspective is the themes, which the author analyzes in his work, particularly, lust for domination, and inability to question ones own judgment. These are the factors, which shape the behavior of the main character. Furthermore, psychologist often refer to the so-called oedipal complex; however, it appears that Freudian interpretation of human psychology should not be regarded a universal way to interpret any work of literature. It seems that, it is hardly applicable even to Oedipus Rex, because sexual desire is not the most dominant motif in this tragedy.
While discussing Sophocles play within the context of Freudian psychology, it is necessary to single out the main principles of this approach. According to the famous therapist, the behavior of every person is shaped by two factors, the instinct of self-preservation (or the fear of death) and sexual or erotic desire. Judging from the development of the plot, Oedipus is mostly driven by Eros, the sexuality. First, he murders his father (though unknowingly), secondly, he marries his mother Iocasta. As Dr. Freud believed every person (or male to be more exact) feels sexual desire for his mother, at least subconsciously. It may seem that such explanation is quite applicable to this play.
Nevertheless, many literary critics do not agree with such interpretation of Oedipus Rex. They advance the following counter-argument: besides the storyline, there is virtually no evidence, suggesting that the protagonists behavior was influenced by love for his mother. In fact, each step that he makes is motivated by his care for his parents. Oedipus primary concern is to disprove oracles prophecy but not vice versa, as it is often stated by the supporters of psychotherapy.
Textual evidence, indicate that the major psychological issue, which Sophocles addresses, is the concept of blindness (or ignorance, to be more exact). Psychologists have always stated that perception of reality is always subjective, that is why a person should never be firmly convinced of his or her rectitude. Oedipus believes that he pursues a noble cause, and he is reluctant to accept the views of other people. He even derides Teiresias saying that it is very unlikely a blind man can know the truth (Sophocles, 88). Throughout the text, Sophocles analyzes the conflict between the knowledge and ignorance, truth and illusion. He shows that even the most intelligent person (as for instance Oedipus) may be gravely mistaken in his judgment. His actions, though they are motivated by good intention, bring only harm to other people.
This problem is also reflected in Susan Glaspells play. Mrs., Hale and Mrs. Peters are trying to assist the police in the investigation of a murder case. Soon they understand, who has committed this crime Mrs. Wright, this woman killed her husband, who abused her. Yet, they also understand that this woman, Mrs. Wright deserves a better life. Although, the main characters learn the truth, they choose to conceal it. Susan Glaspell shows that even pursuing a noble cause, we may still hurt other innocent people. The playwright emphasizes the fact that even the cleverest people may fall victim to a delusion. It seems, this is one of the features that these plays have in common.
To conclude, psychological approach as a method of literary analysis has certain drawbacks; in particular, it requires first-hand evidence, which is often extremely difficult to obtain, especially it concerns Sophocles play Oedipus Rex. Secondly, it should be mentioned that it is mostly based on induction: and the researcher may only advance hypothetical statements, but it is hardly possible to speak with any certainty. Additionally, according to the principles of psychology and philosophy, the perception of any literary work depends upon the personality of the reader; it is subjective (and subsequently biased) in its core. However, it has to be admitted that psychological analysis has certain advantages, namely, it enables to identify the key drivers of the main characters behavior, and his or relations with other people. Yet, it should be borne in mind that other approaches must not be disregarded because psychological interpretation cannot reflect all the complexity of such works as Oedipus Rex or Trifles. The main question or problem, which Sophocles and Susan Glaspell analyze, is human perception of reality, particularly the morality or immorality of ones actions. Both playwrights intend to prove that a human beings must never adamant in his or hers beliefs because otherwise they may destroy lives of other people.
Susan Glaspells play Trifles is a real example of feminist writing that addresses significant matters worth a debate. The setting is significant to the meaning of the work of writing as it influences its outcomes, the characters, viewpoint, and plot since it is connected to the principles, ideals, and feelings of characters. In her play, Susan Glaspell has employed tender, but successful aspects in the setting to build suspense as an effort to unravel the strange murder that has happened in John Wrights farm. Glaspell uses three men (county attorney, sheriff, and a neighboring farmer) who enter and leave the stage in an attempt to search for proof and intention of the murder (Glaspell 169).
The men discuss the little matters pertaining women, especially how Mrs. Wright was considering building the coverlet. The author puts across the setting in three spheres: time, geographical, and kitchen field. Together, the three features depict the characteristics, morals, and feelings of the characters imparting richer meaning to the plays effect. The time frame in which a work of writing is cast significantly influences the implication of the writing since principles, morals, and feelings of individuals vary with period and circumstances. Trifles was set and printed in 1916 during the period when women in America were not accorded the permission to make their own choices or chair any judicial panel (Cisneros 64).
Men commanded all areas of life during the period, apart from the domestic duties. Glaspell creatively applies the ideals and feelings of gender of this period where men view themselves as mentally superior in their effort to crack the assassination mystery. The three men further fail to grant the two ladies the chance to contribute their ideas and opinion in the inquiry. As a matter of truth, when women think of trifles, the men brush them off as irrelevant (Glaspell 170). It is during this era when the womans field was reduced to the house and principally the kitchen, where she spends all her time cooking, ironing, and talking with relatives as they visited.
Ironically, it is a woman who discovers the proof of the intention for the assassination in her kitchen, one place where men never bothered to inspect. Therefore, the setting feature of time fixes the stage for the dealings of all characters and the author moulds the events of the play in firm contrast to the gender view and mindsets of the day. Glaspell perfectly demonstrates the aspect of women perception in this play when the two women notices domestic items, which men consider as trifles that eventually contribute to the establishment of a plan for Minnies offence. She attempts to suggest that women have powers that can match and enhance those of men, and a culture that restricts womens utilization of their gifts is inferior (Keller 127).
The geographical setting of a work of writing is significant than even the aspect of time and Glaspell applies geographical scenery that matches to the seasonal period. While she prepares the play in the cruel and dead chilly atmosphere of winter, she also places the farm in a dead and abandoned situation. This setting suggests the significance of characterizing Mrs. Wrights life as meaningless and solitary on her companions farm. Glaspell supports this when she indicates that because there was a lot of work to be finished in the farm, Mr. Wright spent long hours in the farm whereas Mrs. Wright stayed in their home (Glaspell 463).
The author also applies this chilly and abandoned setting to compare some solitude that Mrs. Wright had with that of infertility. Even more definite than the period setting and the geographical setting is the application of the kitchen as a stage aspect. Susan applies the kitchen aspect to illustrate the structure of mind-sets toward femininity and masculinity. The kitchen aspect plays as a cage for Minnie Wright where she is pinned by her dominating husband and secluded from the world. Glaspell uses symbolism when the three women discover a birdcage and the dead canary (Glaspell 172).
The bird represents Minnies character while the cage represents the domination of her free will by her husband. Glaspell also uses the stove, cold house, and broken jars to represent the miserable lives of Wrights family. When the stoves flames extinguish, temperatures decrease below sub-zero point and everything apart from one of the preservation jars crack. The flames seem to symbolize Wrights marriage, and possibly they extinguish prior to or soon after the assassination.
The zero point temperatures that break the preservation jars signify Minnies intellectual ability. The jar that is left unbroken is metaphorical of the little piece of intellectual well being left to her, and the expectation for a brilliant future that these two women envisage for her. Glaspell uses the symbol of a rope to represent Mrs. Wrights violation of male authority since strangling is a mans technique of murder. This leads to her revolt against her authoritarian husband when she masters the strength to kill like a man, thereby defiantly affirming her equality (Glaspell 173).
Works Cited
Cisneros, Sandra. The house on Mango Street. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010. Print.
It should be noted that both Trifles by Susan Glaspell and Naked Lunch by Michael Hollinger are one act plays. Despite the fact that these writings are rather short in length, their core is rather in-depth and carries a significant message. The purpose of this paper is to compare the two readings and analyze their symbolism.
Comparison of Themes
The play written by Glaspell covers several important topics. First, it dwells upon the gender differences that existed at the time of the play. The environment of that time implied that women were treated wrongly. That is to say, their main occupation was taking care of household chores, and their actual opinions were regarded as insignificant, irrelevant, and many men believed that only banal things bothered women. Second, the other topic, which the play intended to consider, was the issue of isolation. The women in the play were united by the feeling of isolation and alienation from other women and from society in general.
Mrs. Wright was a lonely woman who felt isolated living on the farm with her husband. Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale understood her feelings precisely and many people of that time could share this sentiment. Third, violence is another topic of this play. Despite the fact, that, as a rule, people and the law condemned murderers, this text made it possible to justify killing since it was the only way to set the woman free.
The work by Hollinger covers the themes that are close to the ones considered in Trifles . However, Naked Lunch dwells upon the other manifestations of gender differences. In particular, the major theme is the idea that women had to be submissive to their husbands or partners. Vernon considered that he had the right to force Lucy into eating the steak he made because he regarded his personal opinion more objective and truthful.
Therefore, he believed that he could make his ex-girlfriend quit her views and it would not be disrespectful or humiliating. The other topic that is addressed throughout the play is psychological violence endured by many women of that time. Violence can take many forms, and psychological harassment is one of the trickiest ones. Both main characters were not able to recognize the presence of violence in which the man was forcing the woman intellectually and emotionally to submit to him. Thus, it can be assumed that the two plays cover the similar topics, which are gender difference and violence; however, each of the readings considers them from the different sides.
Symbolism
The symbolic significance of the steak dinner in Naked Lunch lied in the fact that it was very difficult for women to comprehend that they did not have an obligation to obey to what men used to say. Despite the condition that Vernon was no longer Lucys partner, it was easier for her to agree to do what she was reluctant to rather than stand out for her views. Nevertheless, there is another side to this issue.
Having agreed that the steak was juicy, the woman understood that it was her ex-partner who used to poison her life but not her personal views or behavior. The symbolic meaning of the birdcage and the dead bird is also quite intense. Importantly, it was not a simple act of rebellion. This occurrence manifested the presence and criticality of emotional and political violence experienced by females and their intention to fight it.
Conclusion
Thus, it can be concluded that the two readings carry a similar meaning. Both of them addressed the existing gender difference and its ugly manifestations. Each text considered this issue differently; nevertheless, the plays stressed that women in the world endured it and it was irreconcilable.
Susan Glaspells Trifles is a complex piece of literature to analyze. Beginning in the middle of the action without an introduction laying out the situation, it forces the reader to rely fully on dialogue to understand what happens in the story. The single act gives a glimpse into the investigation of the murder of John Wright, who is believed to have been killed by his wife, Minnie. Although not a single line is spoken by either of those characters, one can assess their relationship based on the cues from the text and historical evidence.
The first clues appear when Hale describes Minnies behavior shortly after the murder. As Lewis Hale enters the house, he finds Minnie rockin back and forth in her chair, looking emptily into the distance and patting her apron (James et al. 9: Power and Responsibility ). When he finds out about the murder, Hale notes Mrs. Wright was looking unconcerned (James et al. 9: Power and Responsibility ). Minnies remark and behavior indicate her indifference toward the matter. This shows a troubling relationship between the spouses, which is soon confirmed by the discovery of a dead canary-bird by Lewis Hales wife, Mrs. Hale, and the Sheriffs wife, Mrs. Peters.
When Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters find a broken birdcage, the neighbors wife comments that Minnie used to be a good singer. She continues to tell that Mr. Wright was harsh, and spending time with him was unpleasant. As they discover a dead canary-bird, strangled similarly as was Mr. Wright, Mrs. Hale makes an insightful statement: No, Wright wouldnt like the bird a thing that sang. She used to sing. He killed that, too. (James et al. 9: Power and Responsibility ) Furthermore, the interaction of the two women makes it evident that the couple did not have children and did not live in harmony. As Mrs. Hale says, I know how things can be for women, she hints toward difficult spousal relationships in her neighborhood, possibly indicating abusive and unhappy marriages (James et al. 9: Power and Responsibility ). As such, Glaspell carefully plants cues that allow the reader to solve the crime.
Apart from the highlighted remarks, it is important to remember the historical context of this play. It was written in 1916 when the Womens Suffrage Movement in the US was at its peak, giving Glaspell a platform to highlight the difficult place of women in her society (Karagoz Gumuscubuk 398). This contributes to the readers understanding of the Wright family dynamic, suggesting a lack of freedom for Minnie that could have led to the murder. Similarly, Chaisilwattana et al. suggest that Trifles is about the repression of womens domesticated farm life, further substantiating the above assumption (4). Thus, a combination of academic research and literary analysis lets the reader fill in the blanks for Minnies motive to murder her husband.
In conclusion, a reader can assemble the hints placed by the author in the text, together with the historical context of the play into a vague representation of the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Wright. Indifference toward her husbands death, a dead bird, and personality differences of the spouses indicate an unhappy marriage. The historical context suggests limited opportunities for females to express themselves or defend their rights. Together, these clues help a reader imagine Mrs. Wrights everyday reality.
Works Cited
Chaisilwattana, Yuwapa et al. The Housewife and the Stage: A Study of Domestic Space and Homemaking in Susan Glaspells Trifles . Journal of Liberal Arts, vol. 15, no. 2, 2015, pp. 1-23.
James, Missy et al. Reading Literature and Writing Argument, 6th ed. Pearson, 2016. Pearson Education E-book. Web.
Karagoz Gumuscubuk, Ozlem. Domestic Space: A Terrain of Empowerment and Entrapment in Susan Glaspells Trifles. Dokuz Eylul University Journal of Graduate School of Social Sciences, vol. 21, no. 2. 2019, pp. 397407.
Susan Glespells 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 divides into two teams; the first constituting the men, and the second constituting the women. The actions of the two teams present a view toward modern day society that strongly brings the play forth as a feminist work.
The character of Minnie Wright in Susan Glespells Trifles is a very interesting character since it is never seen and yet she steers the play ad influences it more than any of the other characters. It is imperative to note at this point that Trifles is mainly a feminist work and advocates against the traditional housewife concept.
In this regard, the character of Minnie Wright plays a key role by serving as the source for the turns that the plot takes (Glaspell). As the women look around the house, each object they find and scrutinize provides a deeper insight into Minnie Wrights persona. Through this relationship, Minnie Wright continues to drive the other characters in the play.
When the women come across the dead canary in Minnie Wrights belongings, the dead bird serves as a development of Minnie Wrights character and this development in her character serves to have an almost immediate influence on the decisions taken by the women in the play (Glaspell).
It can therefore be observed that as Minnie Wrights personality is explored through the investigation that the women carry out through the house, Minnie Wrights character continues to develop significantly. Eventually, the termination of the plot is also influenced by an act that owes its origin to Minnie Wrights character.
It can therefore be surmised that Trifles is mainly a feminist play. Through the character of Minnie Wright, the play seeks to speak out against the growing prevalence of the male-dominated model of society (Glaspell).
The actions of the female characters in the play are symbolic for the manner in which Susan Glespell seeks to highlight the need for the role of women in society to be realized. Susan Glespell stresses upon the need for women to stick together while shedding a blunt and somewhat generalizing light on the men. She gives very little attention to the men but makes sure that the men are shown to be in power every time they come forth.
Susan Glespell tops off her play by showing that the men consider themselves to have done all the work, whereas the decision has been modeled silently by the women (Glaspell). By doing so, Susan Glespell seeks to highlight the need to realize the actual power that women have in society.
It can also be observed that Susan Glespell highlights the need for women to assist each other. By pocketing the dead canary, the female character protected the murderer and allowed the murderer to live even though she realized that this would be wrong.
Through this act, Susan Glespell highlights that the quest for right and wrong requires the realization of integrity and respect for women in society (Perkins and Perkins). It can therefore be justly concluded that Susan Glespells Trifle is indeed a feminist work and seeks to engage in feminist objectives through the plot and the characters.
Susan Glaspell, the author of the play Trifles, exhibits the behavioral nature of major and minor characters, which groups them as either round or flat characters. She constructs the play after working as a journalist researching on the murder of John Hossack hence categorizing it as a real story. In Glaspells play, the characters display stereotypes especially the gender and cultural stereotypes.
According to Wiehardt, round characters are the main characters in a piece of writing who face problems in their life that become their turning point (1). They undergo an awful experience that pressure them to change their character.
On the other hand, a flat character is an unprogressive minor character in a story that remains in the same position throughout the story (Wiehardt 1). In the play Trifles, the author strategically features two round characters like Minnie Foster and John Wright. However, the play has a good share of the flat characters like Mrs. Hale and Mr. Hale among others.
In her early days, Minnie Foster is a felicitous, melodious and always in good spirits girl (Glaspell 7). All her dresses have bright colors hence making her famous among other girls. Unfortunately, after her marriage to Mr. Wright her cheerful character turns into sorrow hence only somber mood prevails in her house.
One of Mrs. Wrights neighbors, Mrs. Hale describes her character as a beautiful, fearful and cautious but all her behaviors disappear immediately after the marriage ceremony (Glaspell 5). Mr. Wright is Minnies husband whose character as uncouth, crude harsh turns him oppressive especially to his loyal wife. Minnies thirty year of marriage is void of happiness.
However, one night, Mr. Wright dies when he is asleep. Surprisingly, Minnie says that someone strangled her husband while she is deep asleep. Unfortunately, her husbands friend Mr. Hale discovers the death and reports to the authority. The Sheriff and attorney ignore her claims hence choose to put her in remand. After critical investigations, the law convicts her of murder because there is no trace another person as she claims.
According to Wiehardts description of a round character, Minnies unchanging character categorizes her as one. Although Minnie has subservient and scheming character, her husbands oppressive nature turns her into a murderer and outrageous woman hence kills her him after three decades of marriage. John Wright stands out as a round character dominated by chauvinism.
John Wright chauvinistic character makes him an oppressor especially to his wedded wife. He disrespects, hates and abuses his wife all the time hence turning his wife against him. Although he is uncouth, unfriendly and selfish, his wife overpowers him killing him instantly. John Wright becomes powerless and weak loosing his ability to overpower or control his wife.
The ability of Mr. Wright to change his domineering nature describes him as a round character. However, Gorge Henderson is a round character who is tough as presented by the author.
The county attorney, Mr. George Henderson is among the flat characters as described by Wiehardt. He is one of the law enforcers carrying out the murder case of Mr. Wright. He bases on his professional qualifications and experience to carry out the investigation. He is tough, serious and dismisses opinion from other people. Ironically, as a crime expert, he does not concentrate on Mrs. Wrights Kitchen, which is woman place.
However, he focuses in the bedroom and the barn where her husband spends most of his time. As a law enforcer, he convicts Mrs. Wright to prison yet he has inadequate evidence. Additionally, he is unable to unfold one of the main evidence, a box, which describes Mrs. Wright as a murderer. The inability of the attorney to consider and be keen to other people especially women puts him under a flat character.
The other law enforcer at the crime scene is the Sheriff, Henry Peters. He backs up the attorney during the investigation. Likewise, he overlooks the areas in the house like the kitchen, which could nail Mrs. Wright down. Additionally, he has a contempt character hence kicks a basket belonging to Mrs. Wright yet it might the source of evidence. Peters has a non-dynamic, unchanging character categorizing him as a flat character. Mrs. Hale stands out as an ignorant but obedient flat character as the play unveils.
Mrs. Hale is the wife to Mr. Hale. Additionally, she is a neighbor to the Wrights but due to frequent fights in the home, she abandons the family. However, she turns up when a calamity hits the family, the death Mr. Wright. Although the sheriff and the attorney disapprove her contribution to the murder case, she loiters around the crime scene hence discovering a box that contains evidence against Mrs. Wright.
As a woman, she decides to ignore the law officers and hides the box. She displays her submissive and quietness as the society expects from her. Mrs. Hales character as obedient and submissive describes her as a flat character, she is not ready to break the law, therefore, secretly keeps the box with evidence.
Lewis Hale is a farmer, neighbor and a friend to the Wrights family (Wade 2). When he comes to visit his neighbors, he discovers the death of Mr. Wright from the wife. He decides to report the murder case to the police station. During the investigation, he follows the Sheriff and attorney because he is determined to unravel the truth.
However, his presence at the crime scene does not change situation. Mr. Hale character as a good neighbor, friendly and loyal to his character is non-dynamic even after he discovers a crime. The issue of stereotypes assumes a good share in the play through the way the author strategically allocates the different roles to her different characters who in turn successfully depicts the stereotypes ranging from gender to cultural.
The characters in the play display a high level of stereotype. There is both cultural and gender stereotyping. The men oppress women in the society, a situation women are unable to change. The play describes the kitchen as the womans place and not bedroom or barn. Due to discrimination, Mrs. Hale decides to protect Mrs. Wright as a fellow woman hence keeps away the evidence that she is a murderer.
In summary, there are two types of character in the play; round and flat characters. Mr. and Mrs. Wright are the round characters because of their dynamic nature. The rest of the characters fall under flat characters because their situation and behavior is stagnant in the play. Finally, stereotyping is an issue that the author fully exhibits in the play. The women are submissive standing out as ones who face oppression from the society, a role they willingly accept.