Susan Glaspell Gender Roles

Susan Glaspell’s Trifles is a one-act play from the early 20th century that explores the themes of gender roles, misogyny, and female solidarity in a patriarchal society. Mrs. Peters’ and Mrs. Hale’s traditional roles in their rural country surroundings and their struggles against misogyny and gender stereotypes are central gender issues in the play. The characters of Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale helps Glaspell demonstrate how traditional gender roles and the perspectives of women were marginalized and dismissed in the early 20th century by highlighting Mrs. Peters’ and Mrs. Hale’s awareness at the crime scene, their actions, their attitudes towards the male characters, and the symbolism of the “trifles” they discover. Susan Glaspell was a journalist

Peters’ and Mrs. Hale’s awareness at the crime scene and the men’s sneering attitude towards it represents the dismissal of the women’s intellect during the early 20th century. Through their awareness and observations, the women challenge the investigation led by men and reveal their competency as women in a society that often ignored their opinions. The male characters show their snide attitudes towards the women when Mr. Hale states, “Well, women are used to worrying over trifles.” (Glaspell 3). Mr. Hale’s use of the word “trifles” represents the dismissive attitude towards women’s interests, which reveals the power dynamics between the two genders in the play. When Mrs. Hale describes the “stillness” of the dead bird, Mrs. Peters responds, “(something within her speaking) I know what stillness is. When we homesteaded in Dakota, and my first baby died-after he was two years old, and me with no other then-” (Glaspell 8). Mrs. Peters’ response highlights the shared experiences and interests of women and demonstrates the growing solidarity with Mrs. Hale in challenging traditional gender norms. Glaspell’s portrayal of the women’s awareness at the crime scene challenges the investigation led by the male characters and reveal their competency, leading to their actions in uncovering and hiding evidence of the

The broken birdcage and the dead bird the women discover represent the silencing of women in a patriarchal society, and their successful attempt to hide their discoveries signifies the solidarity of women. As Mrs. Peters looks in the cupboards for paper and string, she states, “(looking in the cupboard) Why, here’s a bird-cage, (holds it up) Did she have a bird, Mrs. Hale?” (Glaspell 6). The significance of the birdcage Mrs. Peters finds represents Mrs. Wrights desire for freedom which also highlights the isolation of women in the early 20th century. As Mrs. Hale investigates the quilt Mrs. Wright was working on, she states, “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 6). The quality progression of the quilts made by Mrs. Wright starting from the beginning of her marriage to the end represents the violence she endured from Mr. Wright. The symbolism of the “trifles” they discover such as, the broken birdcage, the dead bird, and the quality of the quilts represents the oppression and silencing of women in the early 20th