“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” There is no mention of women in the declaration of Independence. “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell, is based in 1916 and tells a story about women’s suffrage. The play tells the story of a murder mystery that incorporates society during a time when women’s social status was viewed as beneath that of a male. The play shows the discriminatory behavior commonly accepted among men towards women in 1916, as well as demonstrating the significant role comradery plays for women. These themes are portrayed through the plays expositions, dialogue,
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Mrs. Peters gives input on how Mrs. Wright worried about her fruit freezing. Immediately, the Sheriff fires back, speaking to his male partners, “Well, can you beat the women! Held for murder and worryin’ about her preserves” (Glaspell 892). The men are poking fun at the women’s insignificant problems. Hale responds to the Sheriff’s comment, “Well, women are used to worrying over trifles” (Glaspell 892). Making even more innapropriate comments, the county attorney kicks the pans in the kitchen enraged by the lack of clean towels. During a time when the kitchen was dominated by women, the dialogue of the play shows the ignorance and lack of respect given to any of the women in the play. The men practically harass the women as if their role in the home is meaningless. The prejudice from the men is obvious and at this point in the play the reader must tell the role the women and men put on to fit …show more content…
When Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters do their best to get together a collection of Mrs. Wrights belongings, they find a dead bird in a box of string used for knitting. Mrs. Hale feels emotionally connected to Mrs. Wright and wishes she could have been there for her, as a woman and as a friend. Mrs. Peters notices, “She used to sing. He killed that too” (Glaspell 988), explaining the type of marriage Mrs. Wright had. The bird with a rope around its neck symbolizes the life Mrs. Wright lived after marriage with her husband. She was a free woman and after she got married she was restricted and isolated from the things she loved. Mrs. Wright missed the days she “...stood up there in choir and sang” (Glaspell 988). Her voice, in the house and on stage, was shut out from her life and the rope around John Wright’s neck took away his life in the same way. The compassion held for Mrs. Wright is obvious from both of the
Mrs. Peters gives input on how Mrs. Wright worried about her fruit freezing. Immediately, the Sheriff fires back, speaking to his male partners, “Well, can you beat the women! Held for murder and worryin’ about her preserves” (Glaspell 892). The men are poking fun at the women’s insignificant problems. Hale responds to the Sheriff’s comment, “Well, women are used to worrying over trifles” (Glaspell 892). Making even more innapropriate comments, the county attorney kicks the pans in the kitchen enraged by the lack of clean towels. During a time when the kitchen was dominated by women, the dialogue of the play shows the ignorance and lack of respect given to any of the women in the play. The men practically harass the women as if their role in the home is meaningless. The prejudice from the men is obvious and at this point in the play the reader must tell the role the women and men put on to fit …show more content…
When Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters do their best to get together a collection of Mrs. Wrights belongings, they find a dead bird in a box of string used for knitting. Mrs. Hale feels emotionally connected to Mrs. Wright and wishes she could have been there for her, as a woman and as a friend. Mrs. Peters notices, “She used to sing. He killed that too” (Glaspell 988), explaining the type of marriage Mrs. Wright had. The bird with a rope around its neck symbolizes the life Mrs. Wright lived after marriage with her husband. She was a free woman and after she got married she was restricted and isolated from the things she loved. Mrs. Wright missed the days she “...stood up there in choir and sang” (Glaspell 988). Her voice, in the house and on stage, was shut out from her life and the rope around John Wright’s neck took away his life in the same way. The compassion held for Mrs. Wright is obvious from both of the