Mrs Wrights Actions

Drama Analysis on Mrs. Wrights Actions and Their Justifications
“Trifles” first written in 1916 is labeled one of the first artistic pieces written about feminism and sheds new light on the conditions involving females in a day and age where they were second class citizens: unable to vote, make any decisions, or do anything without their man’s consent before so if at all.
First and foremost, to justify Mrs. Wright’s actions the reader must first acknowledge the fact if her husband was abusive or not towards her. Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Wrights neighbor, says “I've not seen much of her of late years.” (Glaspell) Normally two neighbors would see each other on dozens of occasions throughout a couple years. Yes, both ladies live in farmhouses but work

on the outside never ceases so the likely hood of never seeing each other is highly low if not implausible.

When Mrs. Wright was younger, before she met her now husband, John Wright, she was part of the church choir, but when she joined Wright in holy matrimony she stopped singing and doing everything she once loved. While this isn’t proof of abuse this is for sure a sign that something was wrong with her. This is also pointed out by Mrs. Hales quote, “She—come to think of it, she was kind of like a bird herself—real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and—fluttery. How—she—did—change.” (Glaspell) Mrs. Hales talks about how sweet and pretty she was and then she changed [after she met the now husband]. This change could also be attributed to the fact that she moved on to a farm that requires constant upkeep which would limit her time to do community events. One unsettling piece of evidence toward the likelihood of abuse, was the dead canary. Mrs. Wrights little canary was said to be one that she cherished deeply, because it reminded her of what she used to love, to sing. To the point that she was going to “bury it in that pretty little box.” (Glaspell) The canary died from a traumatically broken

neck and the two women found it in a small red box. The only reason someone would have to murder someone’s bird, their happiness even, is just out of spite, or to control someone. While we do not know who killed the bird, we can only make assumptions as to who would do it. There is not enough physical evidence to either announce or denounce the fact if Mrs. Wright was abused.
While evidence on Mrs.

Wright’s abuse is indecisive, Mrs. Hale also shows sign of abuse and when her and Mrs. Peters find the dead bird they decide to hide it from the Sheriff because they fear it will incriminate Mrs. Wright. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Wright were childhood friends who participated in the community youth choir together. Mrs. Hale feels guilty for never visiting Mrs. Wright much. She admits that she didn't because the place was not "cheerful"(Glaspell). She describes the house as a "lonesome place"(Glaspell) but admits that that is more reason that she should have visited her childhood friend sooner. She feels if they could have been closer and talked to each other they both would be in better places, which hints that Mrs. Hale may also be abused? This is strengthened when she says that she, “hates men snooping and criticizing in her kitchen." (Glaspell) Mrs. Hale's making this statement lets the reader know that she has had men verbally criticize her which can be labeled as verbal abuse. This is all important for the reader to understand because it explains why Mrs. Hale helped hide evidence from the Sheriff. She sympathizes with Mrs.

Wright.
Mrs. Peters, the Sheriff’s wife, throughout the story also sympathizes with Mrs. Wright because she feels she shares similar issues with her. She reminisces on how the dead bird reminds her of when a boy had once killed her cat when she was young. She recalls that if no one would have held her back that she would have "hurt" him. She believes that Mrs. Wright may have felt the same way about her bird as Mrs. Peters and her cat complete justifying Mrs. Wright’s actions in her mind. Then Mrs. Hale talks about how, “If there'd been years and years of nothing, then a bird to sing to you, it would be awful—still, after the bird was still.” (Glaspell)

So, after it is stated how horrible it would be the bird dying after so long of nothing else Mrs. Peters brings up how she, “know what stillness is. When we homesteaded in Dakota, and my first baby died—after he was two years old, and me with no other then—.” (Glaspell) She trails off on the subject leaving the reader to imagine how tough it was on her and allowing the reader to connect that same emotion with Mrs. Wright. Mrs. Peters also knew along with Mrs. Hale that any evidence against Mrs. Wright would all most surely be enough to send her to the brig for killing a man while if the situation happened vice versa the man more then surely get off with just a slap on his wrist.