Sexism In Susan Glaspell's Trifles '
James Craig
28 September 2014
Trifles
“There’s a great deal of work to be done on a farm” (1389), Mrs. Hale stiffly replies to the Court Attorney’s trite comment about the untidy appearance of Mrs. Wright’s house. Trifles, by Susan Glaspell, was a play written for the Cape Cod Provincetown Players in 1916. Glaspell exposes sexism during this time period. Her play would later become the benchmark of the feminist movement and give her a reputation as a writer sensitive to these issues. Glaspell characterizes social stigma in this play with the murder of John Wright, the insensitive husband of Mrs. Wright. The key evidence is covered up by Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters when they take justice into their own hands. Just as the men in the play consider women's interests "trifles," and miss vital evidence, so did many in 1916 overlook the humanity of women. …show more content…
While waiting for the detectives in Mrs. Wright’s kitchen, Mrs. Hale reflects to Mrs. Peters back thirty years before Minnie’s marriage. “I heard she used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Mini Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir” (1390). Mr. Wright had suppressed the vibrant personality of his wife and was not interested in her happiness. For thirty years Minnie Foster was the Mrs. Wright her husband wanted her to be. Her only remnant of joy was in her caged songbird; however, even this, Mr. Wright took from her. In the same sexist attitude, the Sheriff and County Attorney would overlook vital evidence to the murder of Mr. Wright, “Nothing here but kitchen things” (1388), the Sheriff commented. This early scene from the play accentuates the disrespectful treatment of women not only by Mr. Wright, but the men in this society as
28 September 2014
Trifles
“There’s a great deal of work to be done on a farm” (1389), Mrs. Hale stiffly replies to the Court Attorney’s trite comment about the untidy appearance of Mrs. Wright’s house. Trifles, by Susan Glaspell, was a play written for the Cape Cod Provincetown Players in 1916. Glaspell exposes sexism during this time period. Her play would later become the benchmark of the feminist movement and give her a reputation as a writer sensitive to these issues. Glaspell characterizes social stigma in this play with the murder of John Wright, the insensitive husband of Mrs. Wright. The key evidence is covered up by Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters when they take justice into their own hands. Just as the men in the play consider women's interests "trifles," and miss vital evidence, so did many in 1916 overlook the humanity of women. …show more content…
While waiting for the detectives in Mrs. Wright’s kitchen, Mrs. Hale reflects to Mrs. Peters back thirty years before Minnie’s marriage. “I heard she used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Mini Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir” (1390). Mr. Wright had suppressed the vibrant personality of his wife and was not interested in her happiness. For thirty years Minnie Foster was the Mrs. Wright her husband wanted her to be. Her only remnant of joy was in her caged songbird; however, even this, Mr. Wright took from her. In the same sexist attitude, the Sheriff and County Attorney would overlook vital evidence to the murder of Mr. Wright, “Nothing here but kitchen things” (1388), the Sheriff commented. This early scene from the play accentuates the disrespectful treatment of women not only by Mr. Wright, but the men in this society as