Despite some differences between Minnie Foster from Trifles by Susan Glaspell and Ruth from Still Stands the House by Gwen Pharis Ringwood, they have many similarities. Although their relationships with their respective spouses are in stark contrast, they do share qualities like their seemingly inadequate femininity and lonesome lives. Firstly, Ruth Warren, the wife of Bruce Warren can be described as sweet, caring and even somewhat passive. When Hester Warren, her sister in law treats her coldly she replies with kindness, only saying “Please—I’ve never had a sister, and when Bruce told me he had one, I thought we’d be such friends—” (Ringwood, 6). Her characteristics also help maintain a tranquil relationship with her husband despite the many tribulations they face in their lives. Indeed, after a quarrel over selling the property they lived on, Bruce ends with, “I …show more content…
Hester says, regarding Ruth, “I’ve seen her at the window, looking at the town. Day after day she stands there” (Ringwood, 12). Ruth craves human interaction, and begs her husband to sell the house for that very reason. Likewise, Mrs. Wright’s house is described as being “down in the hollow and…lonesome” (Glaspell, 7). Mrs. Wright herself seems to be in stark contrast with her pre-marriage self; Minnie Foster. The latter is described as being pretty and lively whereas Mrs. Wright lives the life of an outcast, keeping to herself. The loneliness in the two women’s lives adds a dark atmosphere to the respective stories as well as an undeniable gloom. In conclusion, Ruth Warren and Mrs. Wright share many life experiences and struggles, but what makes them different is the way in which those struggles shape them. While Ruth Warren retains her cheerful attitude despite her gloomy situation, Mrs. Wright becomes a shell of her former self, yielding her happiness completely to her