What Is The Theme Of Marriage In Trifles By Zora Neale Hurston

Toshiba Williams

Marilyn Edwards

ENGL 1102

October 26, 2017

Marriage is something most people believe in, but not all have a fairytale ending. This is true for wives, who are subjected to both physical and mental abuse by their husbands. The play Trifles by Susan Glaspell and the story “Sweat" by Zora Neale Hurston take place in the early 1920’s when men controlled women and women did not have a voice. The two pieces of literature could be considered feminist. In each piece, the antagonists’ wives suffer from repression, domination, and domestic abuse. Trifles antagonist is Mr. John Wright a local farmer, he was considered a good, decent man, but he also neglected his wife. He’s the person that kept her caged up, stripped away her happiness,

Mr. Wright was guilty of dominating and suppressing his wife. The suppression she dealt with made her unable to be a part of society “she didn’t even belong to the Ladies Aide” (Glaspell 1328). A suppressed and emotionally hurt individual sometimes make unreasonable decisions. Marriage for most women should be the time, she blossoms into a beautiful person. Thus, Mr. Wright was guilty of bringing out the worst in his wife. She was once thought to be a beautiful woman with a lovely voice “she used to wear pretty clothes and be lively” (Glaspell 1328). Mr. Wright was thought to be a man of few words “all he asked was peace and quiet” (Glaspell 1324). When Mrs. Wright got a bird, it symbolizes something to disturb his peace. It can be concluded that the Wright’s did not have children because Mr. Wright wouldn’t like the liveliness children might bring. He was considered not to be good company, and it’s imagined to be the cause of his wife loneliness. Mrs. Hale did not visit the couple because it wasn’t a pleasant environment “but I don’t think a place’d be any cheerfuller for John Wright’s being in it” (Glaspell 1327). The bird brought Mrs. Wright companionship and joy. When, Mr. Wright, was murdered by his wife, inside the

He’s the type of individual that most people love to hate. Skyes abuses his wife Delia both physically and mentally. Like Mr. Wright, he also suppresses his wife by parading his mistress around town. Thus, because Delia tries not to be seen “she avoided the villager and meeting places” (Hurston 626). Skyes is loud and obnoxious, completely opposite of Mr. Wright’s personality. Delia is the sole financial provider in the home. Skyes doesn’t contribute financially to the household. Instead, he spends all her hard-earned money on his mistress, Bertha, “Everything b’longs tuh me an’ you sho kin have it” (Hurston 626). Although Skyes does not work he resents the way Delia washes white folk’s clothes for a living. He does hateful things to keep her from working in peace “he stepped roughly upon the whitest pile” (Hurston 623). Skyes’ wife like Mrs. Wright also, was once considered beautiful before marriage “she wuz ez pretty” (Hurston 625). The marriage is physically abusive, ever since he began beating her two months after the wedding (Hurston 623). The village men in town discuss Skyes’ behavior and frown upon him “There oughter be a law about him” (Hurston 625). Delia finally has had enough of her husband’s abuse, and decides to stand up to him. Skyes didn’t take kindly to the idea of his wife finally standing up to him: “A little awed by this new Delia” (Hurston 623). So, Skyes decides to bring