Comparison of the Plays "Trifles" and "Fences".
A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE FENCES AND TRIFLES PLAY
“Trifles”, is an acclaimed play by Susan Glaspell which has been studied widely in theatre. The play was first shown in 1916.The play is acknowledged as one of the earliest feminist dramas and as an engrossing and compelling story. The play is about two women, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters who slowly unravel the cause of a gruesome murder, as the men are blinded by lack of sensitivity and their ignorance. The women take a deep look into the “trifles” of the suspect in order to uncover hidden facts and finally provide an answer to a mystery which appears as a tragedy. “Fences”, on the other hand, is a play performed later, written by August Wilson in 1983 and set in the 50s.It was the tenth production of Wilson’s Pittsburgh cycle. The main character, Troy Maxon is a former baseball player who is a garbage collector. Though he has his own flaws he symbolizes the fight for justice and equality in the 1950s.He also depicts human unwillingness to accept and adapt to change in society. Similar to other plays in that cycle, Wilson mainly examines racial interactions and explores the ever changing African-American history. In fences, there’s the strength in that his choice for setting was simplistic yet powerful. It’s all recorded in one scene: the yard of the main character. This gives the play a powerful aspect as it allows the audience to concentrate on the sentimental issues in the relationship of a father and his son. The nature of the setting allows the audience to appreciate and relate the emotional experience of the main character Troy. The play is very educational as the playwright informs the audience at the onset of the play about the experience of African Americans at that time. He says that they sold the work of their hands, they did people’s laundry and cleaned homes, and they were quietly desperate and outwardly proud. He continues to say that the African-Americans sometimes stole asnd that they too chased a
“Trifles”, is an acclaimed play by Susan Glaspell which has been studied widely in theatre. The play was first shown in 1916.The play is acknowledged as one of the earliest feminist dramas and as an engrossing and compelling story. The play is about two women, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters who slowly unravel the cause of a gruesome murder, as the men are blinded by lack of sensitivity and their ignorance. The women take a deep look into the “trifles” of the suspect in order to uncover hidden facts and finally provide an answer to a mystery which appears as a tragedy. “Fences”, on the other hand, is a play performed later, written by August Wilson in 1983 and set in the 50s.It was the tenth production of Wilson’s Pittsburgh cycle. The main character, Troy Maxon is a former baseball player who is a garbage collector. Though he has his own flaws he symbolizes the fight for justice and equality in the 1950s.He also depicts human unwillingness to accept and adapt to change in society. Similar to other plays in that cycle, Wilson mainly examines racial interactions and explores the ever changing African-American history. In fences, there’s the strength in that his choice for setting was simplistic yet powerful. It’s all recorded in one scene: the yard of the main character. This gives the play a powerful aspect as it allows the audience to concentrate on the sentimental issues in the relationship of a father and his son. The nature of the setting allows the audience to appreciate and relate the emotional experience of the main character Troy. The play is very educational as the playwright informs the audience at the onset of the play about the experience of African Americans at that time. He says that they sold the work of their hands, they did people’s laundry and cleaned homes, and they were quietly desperate and outwardly proud. He continues to say that the African-Americans sometimes stole asnd that they too chased a