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An analysis of trifles
Analysis of Trifles by Susan Glaspell
Short critical analysis of trifles
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Death of a Bird Critical Perspective Analysis In the play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell, the play approaches the psychoanalytic perspective. As the play approaches many different angles from many characters, it is discussed from two women the behavior she accumulated. The inner mind of an individual develops unconscious thoughts which in result proceeds to the psychoanalytic perspective. The woman in this story is affected by it because of the environment that cages her in turmoil. The psychoanalytic perspective was first discovered by Sigmund Freud which uncovers the nature of the mind and leads to the discovery of the unconscious. The unconscious is layered underneath as the proprietary element of the individuals mind, it is built over time and is only revealed through dreams, and slips. The development of the unconscious can be built at an early stage, as it shapes our personality. The individual does not have access to the unconscious as it’s deep in the mind and we find these events and feelings unacceptable for our conscious. As the play trifles proceeds the psychoanalytic perspective is seen in one of the earliest scenes towards letting the unconscious slip. For example in this short conversation, “County Attorney: And how did she look? Hale: Well, she looked queer. County Attorney: How do you mean queer? Hale: Well, as if she didn’t know what she was going to do next. And kind of done up.” After the initial conversation the suspect displays a confirmation of abnormal behavior which displays a reflection of something done. This psychoanalytic perspective discussed in the first scene creates a point of view of someone holding something deep in the mind as they finally let it loose, as they ponder wondering over what just occ... ... middle of paper ... ...rying it later on, the only thing she really loved at that moment, which is buried in the unconscious. Works Cited Glaspell, Susan. "Trifles." Making Literature Matter. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford St.Martins, 2012. 94152. Print. Wolff, Tobias. "The Rich Brother." Making Literature Matter. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St.Martins, 2012. 32336. Print. Boyle, Coraghessan. "The Love of My Life." Making Literature Matter. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St.Martins, 2012. 55669. Print. Hurston, Zora. "Sweat." Making Literature Matter. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St.Martins, 2012. 73140. Print. Carter, Angela. "The Company of Wolves." Making Literature Matter. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St.Martins, 2012. 1085092. Print. Harris, Scott Duke. "Online Memorials: Internet Adds New Dimension to Grieving Process." Making Literature Matter. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St.Martins, 2012. 67173. Print.
Meyer, Michael, ed. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 5th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999.
Gardner, Judy. "Literature." Library Journal 15 May 1982: 997. EBSCOhost. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. .
Roberts, Edgar V., Jacobs, Henry E. “Literature.” The Lesson. 470-475. Toni Cade Bambara. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. 2001
In “Trifles” there are two plots occurring simultaneously, the men have a story offstage while the women have the attention on stage. This adds a dynamic to the play to further emphasize the sexism within it, Glaspell separates them physically as well as mentally to demonstrate that the men do not think that the women were clever enough to find any evidence. By
Schilb, John and John Clifford. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. Print.
Burke, Kenneth. "Literature as Equipment for Living." The Critical Tradition (1998): n. pag. Web. 7 May 2014. .
In the late 18th century to the early 19th century, women in the the society have been looked down upon by men. Susan Glaspell’s play, “Trifles”, was written in 1916, which reflects on the preoccupation of women’s role in the society. “Trifles” suggests, the concern of women are often considered as an unimportant issue, or even no importance to the true work of society, which is being carried out by men. Trifles is about a murder case where the wife, Minnie Wright, was accused for the murder of her husband John Wright. The sheriff, the county attorney, and the neighbours, Mr. and Ms. Hale explains how he paid a visit to the house the previous day, and searches for the evidence to prove Mrs. Wright guilty for the murder. The play subtly illustrates how the female characters, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, spots many small evidences to prove Mrs. Wright’s murder. However, the male characters do not spot these evidences, even though the female characters were subtly revealing the evidences through their testimonies. Glaspell uses the characters of the play, symbolism, and the message of the play to convey the notion of women’s inferiority.
Glaspell, Susan. Trifles. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin's, 2000. 127-137.
“Trifles”, a play written by Susan Glaspell, is based on the bloody murder of John Hossack, a farmer from Des Moines, Iowa. According to Iowa Cold Cases, Glaspell is featured in the book, Midnight Assassin, which tells all the gory details of the Iowa cold case. At the time of the murder, Glaspell was a journalist for the Des Moines Daily News. Glaspell created a very connectable character, Mrs. Wright. She is accused of murdering her husband by strangulating him with a rope. Glaspell’s use of symbolism in “Trifles” is based on one feminine perspective. Her use of symbolism focuses on trifles, things of little value or importance, that normal male readers as well as the male characters in the play would not normally understand. This domestic
Susan Glaspell's play Trifles explores male-female relationships through the murder investigation of the character of Mr. Wright. It also talks about the stereotypes that women faced. The play takes place in Wright's country farmhouse as the men of the play, the county attorney, the sheriff, and Mr. Hale, search for evidence as to the identity and, most importantly, the motive of the murderer. The attorney, with the intensions of proving that Mrs. Wright choked the husband to death, was interviewing Mr. Hale on what he saw when he came in to the house. The women, on the other hand, were just there to get some clothing for the wife who was in jail for suspected murder of her husband. However, the clues which would lead them to the answer are never found by the men. Instead it is their female counterparts who discover the evidence needed, but they choose not to tell the men what they found since the man were degrading them the whole time. After searching the house several times, tow of the men choose to stop and they leave while the attorney stays behind to find any sort of clue that could convict Mrs. Wright of the murder. The women withhold all the evidence they find, therefore getting back at them men for all the stereotypical and degrading comments they said. Thus allowing the attorney to attempt to find his own evidence and ending the play. Gaspell's play represents the misjudgment and stereotypes the women faced and how they dealt with those issues.
Glaspell, Susan. Trifles. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin's, 2000. 127-137.
Susan Glaspell’s one-act play “Trifles” centers around the murder investigation of Mr. Wright (John) in his own home. Minnie Wright is almost assuredly the murderer as when asked by Mr. Hale about his whereabouts she calmly answered that he is dead upstairs with a rope around his neck. Reacting
Schilb, John, and John Clifford, eds. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. Boston: Bedford/St. MartinÕs, 1999.
Glaspell, Susan. Trifles. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin's, 2005.
Susan Glaspell’s Trifles (1916), is a play that accounts for imprisonment and loneliness of women in a patriarchal society. The plot has several instances where women issues are perceived to be mere trifles by their male counterparts. The title is of significant importance in supporting the main theme of the story and developing the plot that leads to the evidence of the mysterious murder. Trifles can be defined as things of less importance; in this story dramatic, verbal and situational irony is used to show how the insignificant trifles lead to a great deal of truth in a crime scene investigation. The title of the story “Trifles” is used ironically to shape the unexpected evidence discovered by women in