Trifles By Susan Glaspell

Susan Glaspell was a journalist, novelist, short story writer, play writer and a theatrical producer and director. She was born in 1876 in Davenport, Iowa and worked for the Davenport Morning Republican after she graduated from high school for a year. “[She] is now widely recognized as one of the most influential playwrights in the development of American drama as an indigenous art” (Black). Her writings usually included the main character that never showed up or appeared ever. Glaspell play, “Trifles”, is about determining who killed Mr. Wright. The county attorney and the sheriff look around and ask the women that are with them about the cause or motive behind the murder. All the women are worried about are the trifles, and eventually the

“Trifles” by Susan Glaspell represents the conflict surrounding classic gender roles during the early 1900’s: moreover, both character versus character and character versus self-conflicts are also included to help further develop the primary conflict, character versus

Wright and Mr. Wright aids the conflict of gender roles in society. Before Mrs. Wright was married she loved to sing, and was a very happy and bright person. Mrs. Hale states, “She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir” (Glaspell 257). Mrs. Wright was an easy going, free spirited person before she was married, then she got married and her husband changed who she was. Once Minnie Foster became Mrs. Wright, she pulled away from society. Mrs. Hales states, “But I don’t think a place’d be any cheerfuller for John Wright’s being in it” (Glaspell 256). Because Mr. Wright was a cold man, Mrs. Wright life became dark and depressing. The only thing that she had left that was a reminder from her past was the canary bird. The bird was killed by Mr. Wright because it sang all the time like Mrs. Wright did before she was married. Mrs. Hale states, “She-come to think of it, she was kind of like a bird herself-real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and-fluttery. How-she-did-change” (Glaspell). When the bird was killed, it was the last straw for Mrs. Wright. Mrs. Wright changed who she was when she became married. This is an example of what women were supposed to do. Women in society then were supposed to change and do whatever their husband