Trifles By Susan Glaspell Research Paper

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“Trifles”, a play written by Susan Glaspell, is based on the bloody murder of John Hossack, a farmer from Des Moines, Iowa. According to Iowa Cold Cases, Glaspell is featured in the book, Midnight Assassin, which tells all the gory details of the Iowa cold case. At the time of the murder, Glaspell was a journalist for the Des Moines Daily News. Glaspell created a very connectable character, Mrs. Wright. She is accused of murdering her husband by strangulating him with a rope. Glaspell’s use of symbolism in “Trifles” is based on one feminine perspective. Her use of symbolism focuses on trifles, things of little value or importance, that normal male readers as well as the male characters in the play would not normally understand. This domestic …show more content…

Mrs. Peters and Mrs Hale find the bird when they are looking in her sewing room. It had been placed in a pretty red box wrapped in a piece of silk. When they find the bird they notice that the neck of the bird has been rung. Most men would find the bird in the red box simply weird! However, Glaspell’s female characters are more insightful. The bird itself also symbolizes death in many superstitions. According to Audubon California.org, there are thirteen well-known superstitions. Number thirteen states, “A bird that flies into a house foretells an important message. However, if the bird dies, or is white, this foretells death” (Audubon California). The irony of the bird’s broken neck strongly parallels Mr. Wright’s death. Even though Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale continuously try to cover up the birds discovery, it symbolizes a harbinger of death even as Mrs.Peters tries to get it out of the house and out of the way of discovery. As a symbol of the end of the relationship and life, the bird is evidence for Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters that perhaps Mrs. Wright is guilty of strangling her …show more content…

Wright was nervous about an upcoming event. When they look at the quilt they notice the following: “....Look at the sewing. All the rest of it has been so nice and even, and look at this! It’s all over the place! Why it looks as if she didn’t know what she was about!” (Glaspell 1161) This statement shows how a simple break in domestic patterns, unnoticed by men, holds an importance that is seemingly insignificant. However, as it holds true with the entire play, the women use their intuition to determine that an event has occurred that caused an upset or nervousness in Mrs. Wright. The quilt is a symbol of the Wrights’ life unraveling. Everything was smooth, and then nothing seemed to come together or be quite complete. The use of the quilt by Glaspell attracts female readers to look closely at the patterns that Mrs. Wright has left. However, once again, the use of a feminine item, a quilt, leaves the male reader grasping at straws. Is the quilt a real piece of evidence, or is it once again a trifle that does not need further investigation. As the drama closes, Glaspell uses different symbols to show how and why Mrs. Wright could be the main suspect. The male characters did not find any evidence they could use against her. Therefore, they could not prosecute the case to the full extent of the law. The female characters choose not to share all the evidence. As the circle continues, one finds that Glaspell

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