Trifles

Susan Glaspell's drama "Trifles" revolves around Mr. Wright's murder and the accompanying inquiry led by the County Attorney, George Henderson, and the Sheriff, Henry Peters. Mrs. Wright is accused and arrested for her husband's murder before the play begins. As the men search the house for evidence, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale join in.

The guys reject the messy and disorganized state of the house as proof of Mrs. Wright's failure as a housekeeper. However, the women detect traces of unfinished work and a poorly quilted quilt, which they attribute to Mrs. Wright's worry. As they look for evidence, the women come across a shattered birdcage and a dead canary in a box, raising the possibility that Mr. Wright killed the bird and then committed himself.

Despite the proof, the men continue to mock the women's attention to detail and interest in what they regard as "trifles," like the quilt and the dead bird. However, the women's chats highlight their common experiences and comprehension of the difficulties women confront in miserable marriages and oppressive countries.

Finally, the women conceal the box with the dead bird from the males, demonstrating their togetherness in rejecting male control. The play's title emphasizes the male bias that women's lives are shallow and trivial, yet the women's study of the "trifles" demonstrates their ability to comprehend and solve complicated issues. The play emphasizes the obstacles that women encounter when exploring their own identities and pursuing their ambitions in patriarchal countries.

Some Important Questions

1. Discuss the setting of the play. Does it have an impact on the theme of the play?

ans: This play takes place at Mr. John Wright's abandoned home. The house is a lonely, dismal place deep in the hollow, where the road cannot be seen.
Yes, it affects the play's theme. The play occurs in a rural setting, notably at an abandoned farmhouse. Because the setting is rural, the characters are intended to resemble genuine people. And, despite this being situated in America's heartland, the considerably greater distance between neighbors in rural farming communities conveys a sense of loneliness similar to Mrs. Wright's. In this sense, the setting influences the theme of the play.

2. Do you believe that Mrs. Wright killed her husband? Explain.

ans: Yes, I believed Mrs. Wright had slain her husband. Following a conversation between two women, they compared Mrs. Wright's life before and after marriage. Mrs. Wright had a fantastic life prior to marriage, but her life after marriage was uninteresting. She couldn't sing or talk to anyone; she was miserable, and her husband had killed her bird. So, in an act of vengeance, she killed her husband.

3. What is the main theme of the play?

ans: The fundamental themes of Trifles are gender, isolation, and justice.

Gender: The male individuals simply want to speak out about Minnie's crime, while the female characters grow to comprehend the inner suffering that prompted Minnie to murder her husband.
Isolation: Minnie Wright is secluded from her fame and family due to her controlling violent husband.
Justice: The man and woman have distinct ideas about justice. The man wants Minnie to be convicted of murder, but the woman conceals evidence that would have led to Minnie's conviction out of respect for the years of abuse she endured.