The Struggle Of Women In Susan Glaspell's 'Trifles'

Triumph over Trifles

The struggles of women have subsisted in countless pieces of literature. Stereotypically speaking, women are not always seen as strong leading characters. Often women are found confined in stories as they are in life. Literature frees women in a way that real life simply cannot. Female authors as well as characters gain that feeling of freedom, due to the less constricting binds of literary writing. Susan Glaspell, the playwright of Trifles relays feminist drama in a fascinating and psychological way. This play introduces women helping women in confinement to find freedom. Confinement can tear a woman apart, but the desire for freedom from society is embedded deep in the heart of all strong women. Trifles was written

The men in Trifles may be detectives, but they are incompetent to the case, due to their ignorance. Ken Jaworowski, the author of a segment for the New York Times, wrote, “The women examine the details -- the trifles -- of the suspect's life to discover a deeper meaning and in the end solve a mystery by exposing a tragedy.” The women, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, are overlooked often in this play by the men. Hale, one of the male characters from the play states, “Well, women are used to worrying over trifles.” (Glaspell) This statement reveals how the men go straight to stereotypes with the women. Trifles, something of little importance, is the opposite of what the women are distraught about. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters find several items that were “women things”, such as an unfinished quilt and a bird in a box with its neck snapped. These items are key symbols, not only to the play, but to the motive of the murder. Mrs. Wright never revealed that her husband had done cruel things to her, but her husband was known to be harsh at times. Mrs. Hale brings up how Mrs. Wright lived before she married, “I heard she used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir. But that-oh, that was thirty years ago.” (Glaspell) After marrying to John, Minnie did not have a multitude of freedoms as before. She became confined to being a

Trifles is also timeless, it may have taken place in 1916 but women can still relate to this story in innumerable ways. It also has to be taken into consideration that this play was written and performed close to the era known as the Roaring Twenties. Women went wild in the nineteen twenties, becoming flappers, drinking in public, smoking in public, most important of all, women became more free and independent. This story is a sort of jumpstart into those Roaring Twenties. Women defying men to save other women. Freeing themselves, not only from men but from society’s submissive stereotype. Trifles will always be taught in American Literature because it is too profound not to be read. Susan Glaspell wrote this play for the women who felt confined, yearning for freedom. She is still pleasing audiences with this lovely play and always will. Strong and Brave women will continue to be powerful, just as Glaspell was. Confinement can tear a woman apart, but the desire for freedom from society is embedded deep in the heart of all strong