How Does Susan Barpell Create Tension In The Play Triffles

In the play “Triffles”, written by Susan Glasspell, the denouement in the plot is satisfying and provides closure to the narrative. Tension is created between the male and female characters with use of dialogue. The dialogue has many instances throughout the play of demeaning and derogatory comments from the male characters directed toward the female characters. This sets up the motive for a silent defiance by the women. In the end, the women choose to conspire against the men and conceal evidence from them. When the men walk off stage, the women look at each other and silently agree to smuggle out the key piece of evidence, a dead bird, in the pocket of one of their aprons. This silent communication demonstrates that the women have an understanding
between themselves as to why the accused committed murder. Concealing the dead bird in a women’s apron pocket is especially satisfying and ironic because the important evidence is secretly concealed in a gentle way. The apron symbolizes the work done by women that is considered trivial to the men.
The denouement of the plot provides a quiet triumph for the female characters over their oppressive male counterparts thus creating a satisfying conclusion.