Defined Roles: Hazardous or Beneficial

Throughout the 20th century, women were labeled by their gender roles in society. These roles isolate women from men in many aspects of life. The role of women during this time was centered on being an excellent mother and caretaker of the house. Women that achieved their gender role in this society were honored, but those who failed where subject to isolation from both classes.

The play Trifles illustrates some of the common gender roles associated with women and how it affected their interactions together. One of the very first examples of the differing views occurring by these roles is their different perspective of the house. From the women’s perspective, the house possesses meaning far deeper than a place of shelter. It is a place of refuge where privacy should not be comprised. Mrs. Peter’s reaction to the fruit is another example of the differing perspectives. She says “oh, her fruit: it did freeze. She worried about that when it turned so cold” (Glaspell 1970). This depicts very nicely how the gender role of women is encompasses the house especially the kitchen. This also illustrates that these roles provided a means of connection for women at this time. One of the reasons Mrs. Peter is concerned about Mrs. Wright fruit, is because she is familiar with this task and knows the time and effort put into it. The men are encumbered by their gender role and therefore react to the situation without this compassion. Instead, the men merely poke fun at the outlandish idea of a woman “held for murder and worrying about her preserves” (Glaspell 1970). The men do however notice the disorder of the house specifically the kitchen and immediately judge her as awful housekeeper. In this era, the primary job of the wife was to car...

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... unskilled in making decisions regarding her own health.

Throughout the story, John is seen controlling even the simplest actions of his wife. John inadvertently transforms her into a different person. She hides her true feeling afraid of how they would be interrupted. She completely looses herself in what John wants her to be. Her desires and feeling become masked, and only through the wall-paper does she express her true internal unhappiness. Since she was released from her role of caregiver and housekeeper, she turned to writing which was unacceptable for her recovery. She was driven to insanity because she was stripped of role that dominated her life.

In these societies, roles dictated many aspects of life. To many women the role of mother and housekeeper was enough. Yet, for the women who wanted to step out of this “norm” scrutiny awaited.