Irony in trifles by susan glaspell

1) What parts of the play were better/more meaningful to you seeing them on screen? Why?

2) What changes did you notice between the filmed version and the written play? Do you think they improved or hurt the play?

TRIFFLE BY SUSAN GLASPELL 4

“Trifle” by Susan Glaspell

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The word “trifle” refers to focusing on less important things. In the play, men perceive women as people who focus on irrelevant things. The "play" based on the murder committed at Mr. Wrights place indicates the position of men and women during the 20th century. In the "play," the word “trifle” is used as an irony. From the beginning Lewis Hales says, “Women are used to worrying over trifles.” (Glaspell, Susan, 1916). As men asserts that women belong to kitchen chores, the officers go ahead with the investigation. The women, Mrs. Hales, and Mrs. Peters take the initiative to search for the evidence in the kitchen. The kitchen was characterized as dirty by the investigating men. The sight of broken jaws of the fruits preserves leaves Mrs. Peters attentive and more interested. The women continue to look for minor evidence, and they tell the men that it is not wrong to look at some things while waiting for proof. In a real sense, the women were not waiting for evidence but discovering it and creating the picture of the life of Mrs. Wright.

At the beginning of the play, Mr. Henderson views Mrs. Wrights as an incompetent wife due to the unclean kitchen; Mrs. Hales jumps in and defends her. According to Mrs. Hales, the officers might have ambushed Minnie wright because she has ever experienced the same. She added up by saying that it might have been the fault of Mr. Wright (Makowsky, Veronica, 1993). Men think that women’s primary responsibility is in the kitchen. On the other hand, Mrs. Peters Mrs. Peters also feels what Minnie was going through as she had been lonely in her own home as well. The women are also properties to their husband and are not happy. The death of Mr. Wright symbolizes how free Minnie would be; however, the remaining women are still married.

Minnie Wright is the main character in this play; however, she is absent, and that makes her relevant to the plot. Minnie's absence allows the two women to solve the murder case by themselves and their worth is portrayed. The scenario brings them together as they have shared the similar experience in their marriages (Glaspell, Susan, 1916). The women sympathize with Minnie as she had been lonely and oppressed in her marriage. Lack of physical presence of Minnie allows her to represent every woman and their struggles in the era. There is no hero as there is no justification for committing murder no matter the situation.

References

Glaspell, Susan. (1916) “Plays.” Gutenberg.org. Language and Literature: American and Canadian literature. N.p., 1 Jan. 2004. Text. 19 Aug. 2014

Makowsky, Veronica A. (1993) "Susan Glaspell's Century of American Women: A Critical Interpretation of Her Work." New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. 59-64. Print