Trifles By Susan Glaspell Research Paper

Sydney Charles

Professor Hurst

English 111

16 April 2023

Throughout her 1916 drama Trifles, playwright Susan Glaspell immerses her audience in a story about women who turn the patriarchy on its head. Even though the play was published over 100 years ago, Glaspell’s depiction of the patriarchal oppression of women is still relevant in today’s society, especially as it relates to women in politics. By including subtle literary details and creative symbols and themes, Glaspell brings the reader into a suspenseful story of feminist struggle and triumph.

Glaspell uses multiple symbols to illustrate Mrs. Minnie Wright’s state of mind as a result of her isolating marriage to Mr. Wright. Firstly, the quilt depicted in the play is observed by the

As Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale uncover bits and pieces of evidence, they recall Minnie’s drastic change in behavior after her marriage to Mr. Wright. More specifically, they discuss her previous cheerful nature and love for singing: “She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir. But that–oh, that was thirty years ago” (Glaspell 988). After marrying Mr. Wright, Minnie became quiet and empty, as depicted in the state of her house. Mrs. Hale recalls, “I stayed away because it weren’t cheerful–and that’s why I ought to have come. I–I’ve never liked this pace… I dunno what it is, but it’s a lonesome place and always was. I wish I had come over to see Minnie Foster sometimes. I can see now—” (Glaspell 990). In this moment, Mrs. Hale realizes the abuse Minnie was subjected to after being married to Mr. Wright. The men in the drama even critique the disorder of the house, commenting on Mrs. Wright’s failures as a housewife based on a dirty kitchen towel. Much like the men’s derisive discussion of Ms. Wright’s role in the house, Pamela Johnson investigates the subordination of women in India in her work, “The Oppression of Women in India.” To describe this oppression of women she states, “For the most part, women are viewed and treated as inferior to men. As a result of this domination by men, women are economically dependent on men and have fewer choices in terms of occupation, education, and life course. From the day she is born until the day she dies, an Indian woman is expected to be under the control of a man and to serve him without question” (Johnson 1054). Unlike this direct example of misogyny, Glaspell never includes direct scenes between Minnie and her husband. However, the inferences the women make based on