Susan Glaspell's Trifles
‘Trifles’- An interesting play written by Susan Glaspell in 1916, is a play dealing with mystery and murder, revenge and deceit, and is full of irony from beginning to end. Seven characters form the cast, although 2 are non-active and will not be viewed; only spoken of. The County Attorney is a young man who seems for the most part to have a solid interest in his work. Although the County Attorney has a professional demeanor, he still joins in and laughs at the comments that the Sheriff direct towards the ladies. The Sheriff is a middle-aged man with a demeaning attitude towards women. The Sheriff continuously and erroneously makes derogatory comments, laughing at Mrs. Wrights request for her preserved after she is held for murder, and
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at the quilt and other items that Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters gather together to take to the jailed Minnie Wright. (These items end up lending clues to the motive of the murder) John Wright is the owner of the farmhouse that the play takes place in.
Mr. Wright does not have an active role in this play (as he is passed away) but is described by the other characters as a good, non-drinking man who pays his bills. Contrarily, the neighbor Mrs. Hale describes that Mr. Wright was “like a raw wind that gets through to the bone”(1348) and that a “plac’d (not) be any cheerier for John Wright being in it” (1348) Minnie Wright is the wife of the late John Wright. Minnie also does not have an active role in this play as she has been jailed for suspicion of hanging her husband to death. Minnie is described by her neighbor as “real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and fluttery”(1352). And that she was “kind of like a bird herself”(1352). Mrs. Hale also notes the Minnie “has changed” after marrying John Wright, that he “killed” the bird-like traits in her. Mrs. Peters, the Sheriff’s wife, is described as a “slight wiry woman with a nervous face” (1345). Mrs. Peters seems to share her husbands law-enforcement interests as she at one point tells Mrs. Hale the “The law has got to punish crime”(1353), but ultimately helps Mrs. Hale to hide evidence found showing motive, and withholds vital information from her husband and the County
Attorney. Mr. Hale, who is about the same middle age as The Sheriff, is the key witness helping the murder investigation, being the first person to visit the Wright’s farmhouse after the murder occurred. Mr. Hale and his wife lived next door to the Wrights. Finally, Mrs. Hale is a heavy-set woman who is gathering items with Mrs. Peters to take to the jailed Minnie Wright. Mrs. Hale had a past friendship with Minnie, and becomes more and more sympathetic to her situation as the plot reveals evidence that Minnie is guilty of murdering her husband. In a proverbial ‘nutshell’, “Trifles” tells the story of a lady (Minnie Wright) who is accused of fatally hanging her husband by the neck. While the Sheriff, county Attorney, and Hale are doing a routine investigation of the crime scene, the ladies (Mrs. Hale and Peters) who are gathering requested items for Minnie in jail, begin uncovering clues (sudden erratic sewing in Minnie’s quilting, and Minnie’s bird with a broken neck) that define a motive implicating Minnie as the murderer. It seems that one of the few bright spots in Minnie’s life was her bird. After her husband who dislikes the bird kills it by breaking its neck, Minnie devises a way to avenge its death by hanging her husband. The ladies, both having recalled similar losses of life in the past, withhold the motive-creating information they find from the investigating men who are looking for it. While unfolding the plot, Glaspell makes use of irony right from the start. The word trifles typically stands for small and insignificant things. Trifles is the name of the play, and in it, represents the several small clues that eventually create the missing motive that is being sought throughout the play. This irony is accentuated by the professional investigating men poking fun at the ‘trifles’ that the ‘amateur ladies are finding. On page 1348 of the text, Mr. Hale derogatorily states that “woman are used to worrying over trifles”. Perhaps if the men had been more cordial to the ladies, they would have been encouraged to share their findings. Mrs. Hale sums up this irony very nicely when she states “I don’t know if there is anything so strange, our taking up time with little things while we’re waiting for them to get the evidence.”(1350) A great example of symbolism with a dark, ironic twist occurs in the last line of the play as Mrs. Hale answers the County Attorney’s sarcastic question about the stitching in the ‘trivial’ quilt she found with an equally sarcastic “we knot it, Mr. Henderson”. This remark, in this reviewer’s opinion, equates the knotting of the quilt with the knotting of the noose that Mrs. Wright uses to kill her husband. Both of the ladies tell stories from their past recalling their own personal losses. Mrs. Peters recollects a time in her youth when a boy cut off her kittens head in front of her with a hatchet. Mrs. Hale recounts the tale of the death of her first born child at the age of two. This tragic event leaves her alone and she was without an ‘other’ (1351) at the time. Both of these flashbacks help solidify the reasoning behind the ladies reluctance to offer the incriminating evidence to the investigating men.
In several places, Glaspell gives little clues of upcoming events in the play. This literary effect, known as foreshadowing, is demonstrated when Mrs. Hale defends Mrs. Wright remaking that the farmhouses dirty towels are caused by men’s hands that “aren’t always as clean as the might be”. (1348) The County Attorney responds “Ah, loyal to your sex I see” (1348) perhaps hinting at the ladies future defense of Mrs. Wright, and their decision not to share vital information on a motive with the investigators. Another fine example occurs on page 1350 where Mrs. Peters states that “all that was needed for the case was a motive” (1350). Little did she know at the time that a motive is exactly what she was going to find! Finally, Mrs. Hale through the pen of the author, describes John Wright “like a raw wind that gets to the bone” (1348). This chilling simile lends to the darkness of Mr. Wrights character, and add sympathy for the vengeful act that Mrs. Wright is reported to have committed. This is a wonderful play that I got something new out of each successive time that I read through it. There is much, much more to be discovered that I have not mentioned here such as the male/female conflict throughout, the descriptiveness of the setting, and irony abound. To get these details, you will just have to read for yourself
REFERECNCES
English 1102 Composition and Modern English II
Pearson Custom Publishing
2007. 970 pgs. 1345-1355
at the quilt and other items that Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters gather together to take to the jailed Minnie Wright. (These items end up lending clues to the motive of the murder) John Wright is the owner of the farmhouse that the play takes place in.
Mr. Wright does not have an active role in this play (as he is passed away) but is described by the other characters as a good, non-drinking man who pays his bills. Contrarily, the neighbor Mrs. Hale describes that Mr. Wright was “like a raw wind that gets through to the bone”(1348) and that a “plac’d (not) be any cheerier for John Wright being in it” (1348) Minnie Wright is the wife of the late John Wright. Minnie also does not have an active role in this play as she has been jailed for suspicion of hanging her husband to death. Minnie is described by her neighbor as “real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and fluttery”(1352). And that she was “kind of like a bird herself”(1352). Mrs. Hale also notes the Minnie “has changed” after marrying John Wright, that he “killed” the bird-like traits in her. Mrs. Peters, the Sheriff’s wife, is described as a “slight wiry woman with a nervous face” (1345). Mrs. Peters seems to share her husbands law-enforcement interests as she at one point tells Mrs. Hale the “The law has got to punish crime”(1353), but ultimately helps Mrs. Hale to hide evidence found showing motive, and withholds vital information from her husband and the County
Attorney. Mr. Hale, who is about the same middle age as The Sheriff, is the key witness helping the murder investigation, being the first person to visit the Wright’s farmhouse after the murder occurred. Mr. Hale and his wife lived next door to the Wrights. Finally, Mrs. Hale is a heavy-set woman who is gathering items with Mrs. Peters to take to the jailed Minnie Wright. Mrs. Hale had a past friendship with Minnie, and becomes more and more sympathetic to her situation as the plot reveals evidence that Minnie is guilty of murdering her husband. In a proverbial ‘nutshell’, “Trifles” tells the story of a lady (Minnie Wright) who is accused of fatally hanging her husband by the neck. While the Sheriff, county Attorney, and Hale are doing a routine investigation of the crime scene, the ladies (Mrs. Hale and Peters) who are gathering requested items for Minnie in jail, begin uncovering clues (sudden erratic sewing in Minnie’s quilting, and Minnie’s bird with a broken neck) that define a motive implicating Minnie as the murderer. It seems that one of the few bright spots in Minnie’s life was her bird. After her husband who dislikes the bird kills it by breaking its neck, Minnie devises a way to avenge its death by hanging her husband. The ladies, both having recalled similar losses of life in the past, withhold the motive-creating information they find from the investigating men who are looking for it. While unfolding the plot, Glaspell makes use of irony right from the start. The word trifles typically stands for small and insignificant things. Trifles is the name of the play, and in it, represents the several small clues that eventually create the missing motive that is being sought throughout the play. This irony is accentuated by the professional investigating men poking fun at the ‘trifles’ that the ‘amateur ladies are finding. On page 1348 of the text, Mr. Hale derogatorily states that “woman are used to worrying over trifles”. Perhaps if the men had been more cordial to the ladies, they would have been encouraged to share their findings. Mrs. Hale sums up this irony very nicely when she states “I don’t know if there is anything so strange, our taking up time with little things while we’re waiting for them to get the evidence.”(1350) A great example of symbolism with a dark, ironic twist occurs in the last line of the play as Mrs. Hale answers the County Attorney’s sarcastic question about the stitching in the ‘trivial’ quilt she found with an equally sarcastic “we knot it, Mr. Henderson”. This remark, in this reviewer’s opinion, equates the knotting of the quilt with the knotting of the noose that Mrs. Wright uses to kill her husband. Both of the ladies tell stories from their past recalling their own personal losses. Mrs. Peters recollects a time in her youth when a boy cut off her kittens head in front of her with a hatchet. Mrs. Hale recounts the tale of the death of her first born child at the age of two. This tragic event leaves her alone and she was without an ‘other’ (1351) at the time. Both of these flashbacks help solidify the reasoning behind the ladies reluctance to offer the incriminating evidence to the investigating men.
In several places, Glaspell gives little clues of upcoming events in the play. This literary effect, known as foreshadowing, is demonstrated when Mrs. Hale defends Mrs. Wright remaking that the farmhouses dirty towels are caused by men’s hands that “aren’t always as clean as the might be”. (1348) The County Attorney responds “Ah, loyal to your sex I see” (1348) perhaps hinting at the ladies future defense of Mrs. Wright, and their decision not to share vital information on a motive with the investigators. Another fine example occurs on page 1350 where Mrs. Peters states that “all that was needed for the case was a motive” (1350). Little did she know at the time that a motive is exactly what she was going to find! Finally, Mrs. Hale through the pen of the author, describes John Wright “like a raw wind that gets to the bone” (1348). This chilling simile lends to the darkness of Mr. Wrights character, and add sympathy for the vengeful act that Mrs. Wright is reported to have committed. This is a wonderful play that I got something new out of each successive time that I read through it. There is much, much more to be discovered that I have not mentioned here such as the male/female conflict throughout, the descriptiveness of the setting, and irony abound. To get these details, you will just have to read for yourself
REFERECNCES
English 1102 Composition and Modern English II
Pearson Custom Publishing
2007. 970 pgs. 1345-1355