Trifles By Susan Glaspell Research Paper

“Trifles” occurred in the early 19th century, at a time when women were underestimated and unable to do anything else but home duties, be at kitchen or in front of knitting needles, activities that did not require much creativity or attention according to the social opinion. It was almost impossible to a men that women could have any imagination or intelligence; therefore, they used to see female gender as weak and incapable to hide a crime from them. The writer first marks the difference between the male and female characters when they enter into Wright's farm at the beginning of the play. Men are the first to enter decisively and strongly. Meanwhile, women, through the darkness and the terror in the house, enter nervously and stand close to each other just behind
the door. An important detail is that they always refer to their married names only, never use their first name. As the play unfolds, we see how men do not respect or pay any attention to what the ladies want to say, an example of how they underestimate women is when Mrs. Peter’s comments “Oh, her fruit; it did freeze, (to the LAWYER) She worried about that when it turned so cold. She said the fired go out and her jars would break” (Glaspell 1916: 186) the sheriff says to his partners “Well, can you beat women!
Held for murder and worrying’ about her preserves” (Glaspell 1876-1948: 187). The menfolk approve the Sheriffs comment, “Well, women are used to worrying over trifles” (Glaspell 1916: 187), says Mr. Hale. Among the comments between the sheriff and Mr. Hale, we see mockery and not respect for Mrs. Peter's comment, thus showing ignorance from the males in the room. Another example of how they despised the opinion of women in the room is when Mrs. Hale rise to Minnie’s defense, and the county attorney mocks them for simply trying to be “loyal to your sex.” (Glaspell 1916: 187) For that path of thinking when the sheriff and his companion arrived to the crime scene they addressed to where they thought it would be more obvious to find the evidence they need, and missed all the right clues to solve the mystery, in the end, these were in the kitchen and that place for them was of little importance, not to mention that they knew very little of it. The men in the play are stereotyped characters, their actions and arguments show personalities that are arrogant, egoistic, and
conceited. The women, meanwhile, allowing their spouses to make errors at the scene of the crime and when they have the opportunity to be alone, open to each other and express a strong sense of feminine instinct that allows them to solve the mystery of the work very rapidly.