Symbolism In Trifles By Susan Glaspell

Susan Glaspell’s play “Trifles”, takes place in an abandoned farmhouse, where the owner, Mrs. Wright, had allegedly murdered her husband. The play is mainly based around Mrs. Hale, the wife of the man who found Mr. Wright, and Mrs. Peters who is the wife of the sheriff, who is investigating the murder. The women mainly stay in the kitchen, while their misogynist husbands investigate, however the women are the ones who solve the crime. Susan Glaspell’s theme of “Trifles” was how marriage can strip away women's happiness and freedom. Symbolism is utilized with the canary, which represents a women before marriage, and the birdcage, which represents the oppression of marriage. Lastly Mrs.Peters is an example of a round character, because she changes from being loyal to the law, to
Throughout the play the reader gets an understanding of Mrs. Wright’s personality before she became married. “She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir.” Mrs.Wright’s singing is mentioned multiple times throughout the play, and later the reader learns that she owned a canary, a bird known for singing. The canary is represents Mrs.Wright before marriage, while the cage found in her house represents the oppression of marriage. Throughout the play it is strongly implied that Mrs.Wright was in an abusive marriage. When the women started to look around, they realized their was evidence of a fight. Mrs.Peters finds a door that has been unhinged, to which Mrs.Hale replies “looks as if someone must have been rough with it.” Later the ladies found the dead bird, which the reader can assume the husband killed, and this action lead to Mrs.Wright heinous crime. Lastly Mrs.Wright was very calm after she committed the crime, leading the reader to believe she feels a sense of