Inequality In Trifles

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Inequality In the play “Trifles,” by Susan Glaspell, there lies a strong case of gender equality. Since the play was written in the 1800’s, a time where women were often seen as inferior to men, there’s no surprise that male dominance is apparent in the play. The play itself is about a housewife named Minnie Wright who murders her husband. The fact that she killed her husband is oblivious to the men who are sent to investigate the death. The men scold the women accompanying them by claiming that they are too invested in trifles while there is a death at hand. Little do the men know that it is those clues that lead to Mrs. Wright’s motives. The author reassures the audience that women are not inferior to men. Therefore, the author uses sexism, the setting of …show more content…

Especially with Mrs. Wright, she was once a happy girl who would sing like a songbird. Her happiness was then caged as she felt her husband kept her captive and in isolation. Hence the symbolism of the birdcage as she feels like a caged bird whose wings of freedom flap no more. The songbird is representation of Mrs. Wright as stated in the play, “…a bird herself-real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and-fluttery” (778). Even when the songbird is killed, it symbolizes Mr. Wright killing the life that Mrs. Wright once had. The songbird’s death symbolizes the amount of pain Mr. Wright inflicted to Mrs. Wright, as it was the final straw to end him. Just as Mr. Wright tried to make the bird stop singing by snapping its neck, Mrs. Wright snapped his neck to stop the pain he gave her. Susan Glaspell showcases that the female stereotype of the time that “Trifles” was written is invalid by using sexism, setting and symbolism. She provides examples throughout the play of how shallow people can be if invested in society's stereotypes. It doesn’t matter whether a person is male or female, what matters is how they

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