Does Hale Create Suspense In Susan Glaspell's Play Trifles?

In Susan Glaspell’s play “Trifles,” five members of a small town come together to investigate the murder of a neighboring farmer, John Wright. While George Henderson, the county attorney, Henry Peters, the town sheriff, and Lewis Hale, John Wright’s neighbor who discovered the murder, investigate the farmhouse for evidence, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters gather clothing and other belongings for their neighbor and murder suspect, Mrs. Wright. However, while the women are inside the house, they discover incriminating evidence against Mrs. Wright. Instead of providing this evidence to their husbands and Mr. Henderson, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters cover up the evidence due to the guilt they feel for not being there for Mrs. Wright. Because the women interfere

Hale. To explain, Glaspell depicts Mrs., Hale as strong and forceful when she “pulled at a knot and ripped the sewing” (1266). Through having Mrs. Hale display strong characteristics through her actions, Glaspell is able to create suspense for the audience as to how Mrs. Hale will handle the investigation. Additionally, Glaspell further creates suspense for the audience through Mrs. Hale’s interference with the investigation. To explain, at the end of the play, Mrs. Hale “snatches the box and puts it in the pocket of her big coat” (1269). Glaspell utilizes stage directions to create suspense for the audience through the uncertainty of Mrs. Hale getting caught for covering up evidence. Susan Glaspell builds on the initial suspense of the murder investigation through the actions and mannerism of her unpredictable character, Mrs.

Peters. For example, while setting the initial scene, Glaspell describes Mrs. Peters as “a slight wiry woman, [with] a thin nervous face” (1259). Because Glaspell depicts Mrs. Peters as a nervous and timid character, the audience feels suspense as to if Mrs. Peters is going to be able to successfully cover up evidence from her husband. Also, Glaspell creates suspense for the audience through her stage directions pertaining to Mrs. Peters and the dead bird. To clarify, while Mrs. Peters is attempting to hide the bird from the men, she "opens the box, starts to take the bird out, cannot touch it, goes to pieces, [and] stands there helpless” (1269). Because Mrs. Peters is passive and timid towards the bird, Glaspell is able to create suspense if Mrs. Peters is going to be able to successfully hide this incriminating evidence for the audience. Because Glaspell utilizes stage directions to characterize Mrs. Peters as passive and timid, she is able to further build the suspense in her play due to the uncertainty the audience experiences regarding Mrs. Peters’ ability to successfully cover up the