Trifles By Susan Glaspell: A Sparknotes Review
Susan Glaspell's Trifles is a one-act play that explores the lives of rural women in the early 1900s. The play is based on a real-life murder case that the author covered as a reporter. This article will provide a Sparknotes review of Trifles, including its plot, themes, and characters.
Plot Summary
The play is set in a farmhouse in the Midwest, where a farmer named John Wright has been murdered. The sheriff, Henry Peters, and his deputy, George Henderson, arrive at the farmhouse to investigate the crime. They are accompanied by the county attorney, who is interested in prosecuting the case.
Meanwhile, a group of women, including Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, who are married to the sheriff and a neighboring farmer respectively, also arrive at the farmhouse. They have come to gather some belongings for Mrs. Wright, who has been taken into custody as a suspect in her husband's murder.
As the men search for evidence and question the women, the latter begin to uncover clues that the men have overlooked. They discover a broken birdcage and a dead canary, which suggest that Mrs. Wright had a motive for killing her husband. The women also notice other small details that the men dismiss as "trifles".
Themes
Trifles is a play that explores themes of gender roles, isolation, and justice. The play highlights the ways in which women were marginalized and dismissed in early 20th-century America. The men in the play are dismissive of the women's observations and intelligence, and they fail to recognize the importance of the "trifles" that the women uncover.
The play also explores the theme of isolation, both physical and emotional. Mrs. Wright is isolated from the rest of the community, and her husband's murder may be seen as a result of this isolation. The women in the play are also isolated from the men, both in terms of their gender and their social status.
Finally, the play raises questions about justice and the legal system. The men in the play are interested in prosecuting Mrs. Wright, but they fail to recognize the complex social and emotional factors that may have contributed to her actions. The women, on the other hand, are able to empathize with Mrs. Wright and understand the context of her life.
Characters
Trifles features a small cast of characters, each of whom plays a significant role in the play's themes and plot.
Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale are the two most prominent female characters in the play. They are both married to farmers and are intimately familiar with the world that Mrs. Wright inhabits. They are able to empathize with her and understand the context of her life.
Sheriff Peters and County Attorney George Henderson are the two most prominent male characters in the play. They are dismissive of the women's observations and intelligence, and they fail to recognize the importance of the "trifles" that the women uncover.
Conclusion
Trifles is a powerful play that explores themes of gender roles, isolation, and justice. The play's plot and characters are deeply rooted in the rural Midwest, but its themes are universal and timeless. By highlighting the importance of small details and the voices of marginalized groups, Trifles continues to be a relevant and thought-provoking work of literature.
If you haven't read Trifles yet, we highly recommend that you do. It is a short but impactful play that will leave you thinking long after you finish reading.
So, what are you waiting for? Pick up a copy of Trifles today and discover the power of this classic work of literature!
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