Trifles By Susan Glaspell Research Paper

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In Susan Glaspell’s 1916 play, Trifles, apparent evidence points to Minnie Wright as the murderer of John Wright. Signs include the fact that Minnie slept undisturbed while someone strangled John to death with a rope. Moreover, that Minnie was emotionless regarding John’s death. In addition, through the omission of Mrs. Hale, John and Minnie Wright rarely had visitors, due to the Wright’s rather depressing and lonely farmhouse (Glaspell, 1916). Finally, the canary and John’s death are similar in strangulation and neck injury, including the fact that a gun was somewhere within the Wright residence, but was not utilized to murder John (Glaspell, 1916). In addition, Minnie holds an emotionally fueled motive for the death of John due to …show more content…

The provided hearsay evidence, that would corroborate with testimonial evidence includes that prior to marriage, Minnie Wright, formerly known as Minnie Foster, characters described Minnie as the lively (Glaspell, 1916). In addition, prior to her marriage, Minnie wore pretty clothing, and to have enjoyed singing in the choir (Glaspell, 1916). Overall, Minnie’s life prior to marriage appeared joyful, happy, and …show more content…

Minnie, who worked and jarred her own cherries the following summer, purchased a canary, which was sold cheap last year (Glaspell, 1916). Because Minnie enjoyed singing, the canary brought Minnie joy. John, who wished for nothing but peace and quiet, was unaccepting of the singing. Therefore, when Minnie initially laughed when confronted by Mr. Hale about John’s whereabouts, Minnie suddenly turned scared. This displayed action shows a defensive and apprehensive gesture by Minnie in that Minnie displays fear from making too much noise as verbal and/or emotional abuse likely followed. Then, following Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peter’s discovery of Minnie’s quilt pieces, the stitching supports evidence that Minnie was started by something or at least nervous over unknown circumstances. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters then discovered a birdcage with its door ripped out and no bird inside (Glaspell, 1916). Shortly thereafter, the two women discovered a dead canary inside a pretty box, believed to have held Minnie’s scissors. The box, now representing a beautiful coffin for Minnie’s canary, held the dead canary whose neck was snapped, just like

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