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Symbolism in Trifles by Susan Glaspell
In today's society, we generally view upon everyone as equal beings who deserve equal rights. At the turn of the 20th century, this particular view didn?t exist. Men clearly dominated almost every aspect of life and women were often left with little importance. The Wright?s embody this view of roles in Susan Glaspell?s play Trifles. Mrs. Wright was a typical woman who suffered the mental abuse from her husband and was caged from life. In Trifles, a mixture of symbolism of oppression illustrates Mrs. Minnie Wright?s motives to kill her husband and to escape from imprisonment.
In the play, the setting takes place in an "abandoned" and "gloomy" farmhouse out in the country. Almost immediately does the reader get the impression that it is a very secluded and cold place. The coldness of the setting in many ways resembles the aloofness of Mr. Wright who is described as "hard man" and "a raw wind that gets to the bone." Most of the play revolves around the women and the kitchen. While the men scramble throughout the house looking for evidence or hints of a motive for death, the women stumble upon the entire mystery while remaining at the place where they were told to remain and gather items Mrs. Wright. The kitchen too seems like a remote place and much resembles the marriage between Mr. and Mrs. Wright. The kitchen is the spot where Mrs. Wright (and most women of the time) spent most of their time in. Like the cage to the canary, ...
Trifles” is a play written in 1916 by Susan Glaspell. The play’s audience consists of young adults to those in their late 50’s. Mrs. Glaspell takes a serious matter of domestic violence and uses her platform as an author to raise awareness about the issue. In the play “Trifles” a neighbor went to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wright only to find Mr. Wright dead in his bed. He had been strangled to death by a rope. The neighbor questioned Mrs. Wright about the matter and her response was odd and suspicious. Mrs. Wright was taken to jail while the home is being investigated for further evidence. Mrs. Glaspell’s play “Trifles” effectively achieves the goal in raising awareness on domestic violence by the evidence of the crime and through pathos.
When a woman marries she is expected to give up her family, her last name, and her virginity. In other words she is expected to give up the life she knew. Susan Glaspell’s play Trifles tells the story of a woman that gave up her all to please society and her husband. The story examines a woman who sacrificed her tranquility, her talents, and her individuality. In the end, the woman even gave up her freedom.
The single act play “Trifles” is loosely based on the murder of a farmer in the state of Iowa in the early nineteenth century, which Glaspell reported on while working as a journalist. The farmer’s wife was accused of the murder, and was initially convicted, but later acquitted. Literary analysts note that Glaspell “approached the case like a detective” (Bryan and Wolf). More than a decade after that incident, when she was a career writer, analysts describe, “in a span of ten days, Glaspell composed a one-act play” being inspired from that real life murder event (Bryan and Wolf). In “Trifles,” while the county attorney and sheriff, along with Mr. Hale are investigating the murder of Mr. Wright, the female companions Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters sort through Mrs. Wright’s kitchen and closets to collect her belongings. The investigators are certain that Mrs. Wright is the murderer, but they are looking for clues to establish a motive, and they ignore looking into the kitchen carefully assuming it to be unimportant. Through the voices of the characters, Glaspell criticizes the opinionated patriarchal society. In this play, although Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters find some incriminating evidence against Mrs. Wright, they find her not guilty of her husband’s death based on their knowledge of Mrs. Wright’s character, the strong imposition of her husband, and also because of their sympathy for her.
A friend can be a remarkable thing. Unfortunately, many lack the powerful bonds that all humans need to survive and lead healthy, happy lives. In Susan Glaspell's play Trifles, Mrs. Wright is starved of the human interaction and relationships she so desperately needs. Consequently, she is never rescued from her loneliness, is brought to the point where she cannot handle any more of life's saddening struggles, and kills her husband in his sleep. Through powerful and often ironic symbolism, such as Mrs. Wright's kitchen, the names of the characters, and the bird, Susan Glaspell clearly displays the power of human relationships and how truly devastating a lack of this absolute necessity can be.
During the 1900’s women were viewed as nothing more than house wives. They were expected to cook, clean, and take care of their children and husbands. The lack of respect women received during this time is extremely evident in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell. In this play women are depicted as incapable, and these ladies are very much aware of this. Mrs. Peters, the sheriff’s wife practically says throughout the play we cannot do this we are women, and she seems quite content with that; whereas Mrs. Hale is a little edgier, and converts Mrs. Peters to the “dark side.” This play is not only a great read, but a great example of the lack of knowledge men give to women, the unity of women, and the women’s rebelliousness to their insignificant status.
...mpletely dependent upon men. Playwright Susan Glaspell cleverly causes the reader to question the way that women and men are viewed in society. The women in Trifles, though they were overlooked by the men, solved this case while the men failed to do so when they were supposedly in charge. In failing to recognize the women’s ability to contribute to their work the men succeed in causing the women to unite, giving them the real power and knowledge to solve this mystery. All the while the women are moving a little closer together and moving forward toward their rights.
The year is 1916. Women did not have many rights and were expected to stay at home and tend to their husband's needs. John Wright was in control of everything and did not allow his wife to have much of a social life. Before the play opens up, Glaspell sets the scene for the audience. "In the abandoned farmhouse of John Wright, a gloomy kitchen, and left without having been put in order, -..." (p.1006). The description given at the beginning of the play, establishes an atmosphere that will influence our judgment of Mrs. Wright. The gloomy, unkempt kitchen allows one to envision the uninviting place where Mrs. Wright spent her time. It is later mentioned that John Wright was a "hard man" and never showed too much expression. Glaspell's choices of words, "signs of incomplete work," suggest that there may have been problems within the marriage.
As Susan Glaspell’ play, “Trifles”, centers around the murder Mr. Wright, Mrs. Wright as the primary suspect, meaningless objects such as a bird cage, a bird, rope, and apron uncover the reason behind the crime to the women, who are in the kitchen, while the men scavenger around investigating elsewhere in the home. This unveils the men’s belief in the early 1900’s of a woman’s ability and purpose in a domestic setting at home and the oppression that might be felt, but not spoken about the women, who suss the corruption of innocence in the marriage of Mrs. Wright by Mr. Wright that is also prevalent in other marriages.
The birdcage represents how Mrs. Wright was trapped in her marriage, and could not escape it. The birdcage door is broken which represents her broken marriage to Mr. Wright. It also represents Mrs. Wright escaping her marriage from Mr. Wright. When the door is open it allows Mrs. Wright to became a free woman. At one point in time the cage door use to have a lock that locked the bird inside the cage. This represents how Mr. Wright kept Mrs. Wright locked up from society. Mr. Wright knew that by keeping Mrs. Wright locked up, she would never be able to tell anyone how he really acted. Mr. Wright was very cruel to his wife.
Hamlet is intense, and immensely rude; while speaking alone, he says, “ you should not have believed me: for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it: loved you not” III,iL.122. Hamlet is dishonest of his emotions as he shows no signs of love or respect towards Ophelia, especially while alone, this being because of him forcefully staying in the closet. This secrecy causes his actions hurt to Ophelia. She is ultimately being used as a beard, which is evident, because he speaks towards her in an unkindly manner in private. Along with this, Hamlet shows great deal of affection while in the public eye. This is shown when following Ophelia’s passing. While in front people, as well as her loved ones, he says, “I loved Ophelia; Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love,” V,iL.263. He confesses a false statement proclaiming his love for Ophelia in front of a large group of people. This is done in hopes of convincing any doubt of his sexuality to the public.Something to take into consideration, is the fact that their relationship never advances. This could possibly be due to the fact that he is a homosexual and does not want to make Ophelia his bride. The last words spoken to her in the script are, “It
Wright life. The Sherriff states, “It dropped below zero last night” (Line 12). Also Hale stated, “"How do, Mrs. Wright, it's cold, ain't it?" And she said, "Is it?" (Lines 37-38). The cold temperature in the house is interpretation of her seclusion. Glaspell’s description of the setting is a sign of her solitude which I believe is what cause of her unhappiness in their marriage. Mrs. Wright lives in a “gloomy” home. Mrs. Wright feels that she lives in a home that is cold as the outside weather. The reader might have had a different perspective on the setting if it would have been described as a place that was warm with joyful children running around
Mr. Hale gives an account of what he came upon the day of the murder. He found Mrs. Wright in a state of shock and nervousness. Mr. Hale states that Mr. Wright didn't care much for talking to people; all he wanted was peace and quiet. This foreshadowing will be used by the women, mainly Mrs. Hale, to connect the motive to the dead bird that they find later on in the play. Additional foreshadowing facts are the broken jelly jar and the "very cold" kitchen atmosphere. Again, the women feel that this coldness was what drove Mrs.' Wright to murder. Mrs. Hale informs the County Attorney that Mr. Wright was not a very cheerful man, which may be why the farmhouse does not look or feel cheery. The audience learns that Mr. Wright was a cold, uncommunicative, selfish man.
From the title Trifles, Susan Glaspell symbolizes women as insignificant beings from men’s viewpoint and, the small and detailed things, which are of great importance and value, are considered inessential to men. The symbols of Trifles have shown the social, and psychological oppression of women. The play criticizes the culture which is inherently patriarchal and society’s conservative views of women, and shows that female’s sense of empathy and protection, as well as female principles of judgment can actually cause a big deal – changing a matter from happening in a way that it should actually be.
In the play “Trifles” the women solve a murder mystery as they tend to stereotypically trifling “women’s work” such as mending and cleaning, making preserves and caring for pets. As these women discuss each “trifle” of the accused murderer, Mrs. Wright, they women see through her daily activities that her life consisted of cold male domination and psychological abuse. Therefore, they find the real evidence behind the murder as the men cannot find a single clue as to the motive or proof. The men completely overlook the important clues in the stereotypical belief that a women’s place is insignificant and so can have no valid input towards solving such an important thing as the murder. This play suggests that men and woman skil...
The play taking place in the kitchen is not a coincidence, this is a place regarded as central to the family, specifically a housewife. To compare the duties of housewives to that of servants would be an overstatement because there are some who prefer the domestic lifestyle. Nevertheless, things becomes problematic when women are put in a position where they feel unappreciated rather than a loving wife or mother who choose to provide a nurturing environment for her loved ones. The characters in this play are an example of that. As everyone enters Wright’s home the house feels cold, a suggestion of a ghostly presence. The Wright’s kitchen was left a mess (Glaspell, 1938) which symbolizes the mental state o...