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Trifles By Susan Glaspell Research Paper

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Women have battled to be recognized from ancient times since men have always been considered to be superior to them. The difficulties faced by women in the 1920s patriarchal culture are portrayed in Susan Glaspell's one-act drama "Trifles." Glaspell illustrates how women were treated unequally, disregarded, and dismissed by the men in their time. The play "Trifles" provides numerous examples of how women were mistreated. The men in the play refuse to take the women seriously, referring to them as "trifles" and disregarding their opinions. They also overlook crucial evidence that the women notice, such as a broken birdcage and a quilt that Mrs. Wright had been working on before her husband's death. The men assume that because these items …show more content…

Hale makes a comment about Mrs. Wright being lonely and trapped in her marriage, Mr. Hale quickly dismisses her opinion, stating that Mrs. Wright could have left if she wanted to without even considering what she might have gone through to get there. This is another example of how the men disregard any insight or feelings that the women might have had on the situation which ultimately leads to their failure in solving the murder mystery.
This is mainly seen in the scene where the women discover the dead bird in Minnie Foster's sewing box. While the men dismiss the bird's significance, the women understand that it symbolizes Minnie's lost freedom and happiness. Through this scene, Glaspell highlights the ways in which women's perspectives and experiences were often ignored or dismissed by …show more content…

Throughout the play, the male characters, including the sheriff and the county attorney, dismiss the women's concerns and belittle their intelligence, referring to them as "trifles." The attitudes of the males toward the women are a reflection of the gender roles prevalent at the time, where women were commonly considered less important than men and their concerns were frequently disregarded. Ultimately, “Trifles” serves as a powerful piece of the gender roles and power dynamics of the time and highlights the importance of valuing and respecting women's perspectives and

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