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The average woman’s role in society today, starkly contrasts that of the female social norm expressed in eras predating the current; however, similarities do exist. Women once existed in the background, limited to lives of household responsibilities, compelled by overwhelming societal expectations to obey their male counterpart, and preform a set of domestic duties specific to their gender. Today this is not the case, however certain gender related expectations remain intact, and for this reason gender roles are still a prominent aspect of everyday social dynamics. The play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell exemplifies gender roles as they were practiced in the early 1900s, by identifying women's subordinate roles in their marriages, and domestic roles in their households. Multiple Historical accounts, which document women's social and domestic experiences, express similar instances of female inferiority. Even more examples of these gender roles can be observed from literary works of the time. "Trifles" is one such work, throughout which many examples of women's assumed social roles are portrayed. Ultimately Glaspell's play invites the audience to recognize the difference between women's societal role in the past and that of the present and then relate the two by identifying their similarities.
Throughout the entirety of "Trifles" the social norm for women of the era is made apparent and the everyday life of the average 1900s woman is distinctly depicted. One example of the influence of gender roles can be seen in the first two lines of the play when the men call to the women, asking them to come to the fire, this served as an example of the power the men had over their women. In this time period women did not possess the independe...
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...History, and the play "Trifles", were given very little credibility and we're denied what we in modern times consider to be unalienable human rights. The play reflects the struggles that women experienced in past eras, and the book exhibits the social practices which limited women to the subordinate roles they held in the past. History has shown the progress that women have made from being nothing more than chattel to the prominent and independent members of society they are today. Society has changed and with it women's responsibilities and rights. Women are no longer objects, they're people, and thanks to progress, they are being treated as such.
Work Cited
Bock, Gisela, and Allison Brown. Women in European History. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2001. Print.
Glaspell, Susan, Donna Haisty Winchell, and Susan Glaspell. Trifles. Boston: Thomson Wadsworth, 2004. Print.
The play, Trifles, written by Susan Glaspell, establishes the discrepancy between men and women’s perception and roles during the early 1900s. Its title, Trifles is tied to the concept that is reemphasized many times in the play, which illustrates that women’s thoughts, observations, and voices were considered as trifles or something of which that has least significance to the society and its values. Glaspell gradually builds the plot up to a controversial murder mystery by giving each character specific attributes and by developing symbolism with the objects mentioned in the play. However, if the play was elaborated to incorporate more details of some factors such as characterization and background of Mr. Peters, Mr. Hale, Mrs. Peters, and Mrs. Hale for a movie, then it could possibly lose its mysterious sensitivity and hinder imagination of particular components of the mystery in the readers’ mind.
The play Trifles was written by Susan Glaspell in 1916. It reflects the author’s assimilation with culturally tied views of gender and sex roles. As the title of the play, “Trifles”, evokes the concerns of women who are often regarded as trifles—insignificant subjects—that bear little or no significance to the true work of society which is, evidently, fulfilled by men. Glaspell (Susan Glaspell 1902) questions, and thus calls the viewer or reader to also wonder, the comparative value of men’s and women’s work and perspectives by introducing a taut-filled drama that stretches out the development of two different accounts, one female and one male. Holstein (Suzy Clarkson Holstein 2003) contends in her essay, though the questioning Glaspell (Susan Glaspell 1902) raises is not only on women’s roles in society, how knowledge and perspective are evaluated in specific circumstances.
Society’s gender roles have been changing and evolving, though not necessarily a positive change. Women’s expected and defined role have changed and broken by women who refuses to follow their expected roles in society and decide to rebel against the norm. The pages of history have their own evidence of evolution of these female gender roles into the roles they are following now. Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” and Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” both contain a female protagonist and make us observe and understand how society in their period of time expects of them and their roles. Both these plays let us rethink and compare a female’s role in their period of time with our modern time through points and events that led them into realization of their roles and identity.
“Ah, loyal to your sex, I see” (1389) when these words are said by the character George Henderson in the play “Trifles” you see it is the men against the women. The play, written by Susan Glaspell, published in 1916, was based on a murder trial; she was following when she was a reporter in Iowa. The play is about a murder of a man by his wife on a small farm; the catch is the motive and how it was done. Why did she do it? This who done it shows the way the women think and act; also you see the way the men treat the women in the 1900’s. There is an underlying tension between the men and women. Glaspell gives a small glimpse into the way women were treated as second-class citizens with nothing important to contribute to the world. The struggles for women’s rights were hard, but the women in the 1900’s took the challenge and accomplished a lot by doing small acts of defiance and solidarity; the voices of women would be heard.
In the play “Trifles,” by Susan Glaspell, there lies a strong case of gender equality. Since the play was written in the 1800’s, a time where women were often seen as inferior to men, there’s no surprise that male dominance is apparent in the play. The play itself is about a housewife named Minnie Wright who murders her husband. The fact that she killed her husband is oblivious to the men who are sent to investigate the death. The men scold the women accompanying them by claiming that they are too invested in trifles while there is a death at hand. Little do the men know that it is those clues that lead to Mrs. Wright’s motives. The author reassures the audience that women are not inferior to men. Therefore, the author uses sexism, the setting of
Gender roles determine how males and females should think, act, speak, dress and interact with society based upon our assigned sex. Because these roles change with what society deems acceptable, it has only been a short time since women have been equal to men. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that women began to challenge the patriarchal society and view marriage and motherhood as the only suitable careers for women. Author Susan Glaspell, challenges society’s set ideas of gender roles through her one-act mystery play “Trifles”. First, the crime Minnie Wright commits lashes out against her defined role as a woman during this time.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, women’s and men’s roles were drastically different. It was believed that the woman’s place should be in the kitchen and the home while the man worked outside. This statement is false considering the fact that women not only worked inside, but they also assisted men outside. Men were respected and considered superior to women, while women were treated with discrimination and disrespect. The play Trifles, by Susan Glaspell is the perfect illustration of these gender differences, and women’s changing role in society.
Trifles by Susan Glaspell tackles the problems of the patriarchal systems that women have lived in. The focus of Trifles is bringing the oppression of women to the public. However, I believe that understanding the different roles men played in Trifles and will give a new perspective of the trials women went through in this proto-feminist play. As such, this essay will explore the roles men played in the lives of women. Specifically, what aspects of the writing illustrate the implied authority of men and the active oppression over Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters.
“Trifles” by Susan Glaspell is a play that is largely based on stereotypes. The most prevalent one is the inferiority of women over men, though the play also explores the differences between genders in general.
During the 1900s they were not seen as equal, presumed inferior and uneducated creatures only good to own for labor and reproduction. Not slaves, but women who were seen as property and lived unfair lives. Susan Glaspell wrote Trifles to raise a controversial subject that was overlooked by society during the 1900s; the oppression of women, which is depicted throughout the play. Glaspell uses stereotypes, symbols and irony to distinguish the different roles between genders during the period the play was written in. The female characters in the “Trifles” are the main victims of stereotypical implication: showing how women were viewed by society in the early 20th century.
Trifles by Susan Glaspell is a play that explores ideals in an intriguing and fascinating way. It is about the investigation into life of Minnie Wright after the discovery of her husband’s death. Three men and two women dive into the home of the Wright’s to uncover some of the mystery surrounding their lives and Mr. Wright’s untimely death. These men being the county attorney, Mr. Hale, and Mr. Peters. The women in the play being Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters. By doing the investigation it is revealed the gender roles and the inequality among genders during that time period. Glaspell uses many elements within this play to bring a new depth. This play explores the inequality of genders and how this type of society impacts on individuals within that
Susan Glaspell's play, "Trifles", attempts to define one of the main behavioral differences between man and woman. For most of the story, the two genders are not only geographically separated, but also separated in thought processes and motive, so that the reader might readily make comparisons between the two genders. Glaspell not only verbally acknowledges this behavioral difference in the play, but also demonstrates it through the characters' actions and the turns of the plot. The timid and overlooked women who appear in the beginning of the play eventually become the delicate detectives who, discounted by the men, discover all of the clues that display a female to be the disillusioned murderer of her (not so dearly) departed husband. Meanwhile, the men in the play not only arrogantly overlook the "trifling" clues that the women find that point to the murderer, but also underestimate the murderer herself. "These were trifles to the men but in reality they told the story and only the women could see that (Erin Williams)". The women seem to be the insightful unsung heroes while the men remain outwardly in charge, but sadly ignorant.
"Trifles," a one-act play written by Susan Glaspell, is a cleverly written story about a murder and more importantly, it effectively describes the treatment of women during the early 1900s. In the opening scene, we learn a great deal of information about the people of the play and of their opinions. We know that there are five main characters, three men and two women. The weather outside is frighteningly cold, and yet the men enter the warm farmhouse first. The women stand together away from the men, which immediately puts the men against the women. Mrs. Hale?s and Mrs. Peters?s treatment from the men in the play is reflective of the beliefs of that time. These women, aware of the powerless slot that has been made for them, manage to use their power in a way that gives them an edge. This power enables them to succeed in protecting Minnie, the accused. "Trifles" not only tells a story, it shows the demeaning view the men have for the women, the women?s reaction to man?s prejudice, and the women?s defiance of their powerless position.
One woman’s Trifles is another man’s clues. The play Trifles, was written by Susan Glaspell based on the murder of John Hossack, which Susan reported on while working as a news journalist for Des Moines Daily News. Susan Glaspell was an American Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, actress, novelist, journalist, and founder of the Provincetown Players. She has written nine novels, fifteen plays, over fifty short stories, and one biography. At 21 she enrolled at Drake University even after the prevailing belief that college make women unfit for marriage. But many don’t know that her work was only published after the death of her husband George Cram Cook. Trifles is an example of a feminist drama. The play shows how male dominance was
However, they got the last chance to prove that their role is not trifles as presumed by the oppressive society. The effort of the two women to control their fate is evident when they decide to stay loyal to their sexes as a sign of rebellion towards their men who have been controlling their fate. Glaspell succeeds in discussing poignant issues of gender discrimination and oppression. Thus, the choice of the title “Trifles” is appropriate for this drama because the issues highlighted throughout the drama are the unimportant roles played by women in everyday life. The women that are trivialized and dismissed by the male-dominated society win over male prejudice, which disregards the dominant beliefs of gender