Gender Roles In Susan Glaspell's Play Trifles

In Susan Glaspell’s play Trifles written in 1916, reveal about a fascinating murder investigation to find out the real culprit behind it. The setting of Trifles is in a kitchen, the sphere, and everything surrounding shows the women’s lives. Mrs. Wright is suspected of strangling her husband to death. The reader can figure out from this play that the writer is being preoccupied with the culture, which is bound by the sex and gender roles. The title of the play Trifles means something of little or no importance. The women in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s is described as the trifles, which has no importance. They are only found in the kitchen. They do not seem to be supportive, but men are seen as significant according to what they do. Janet Grose in her article says that “Whereas Trifles, opening as it …show more content…
She is timid and happy before marriage. However, after marriage she becomes unhappy. In addition, she is not bearing a child after marriage. Therefore, she became depressed. Minnie Wright kept a bird to combat her loneliness. Mrs. Wright got mad when her bird got killed. Also, bird was the only company in Mrs. Wright’s life, and that too killed by her own husband. Therefore, she strangulated her own husband. She is confined to her kitchen, and her house alone. In addition, she has to limits her social life. Moreover, she is not given any importance from her husband just like a bird in a cage. The words, “While the vast majority of eighteenth-century women worked within the home, many also engaged in business activities where they encountered few legal or social restraints” (“Women”). It means that most of the women’s work are associated with home. Thus, in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s, the women have to stay away from their social life. The women were not allowed to do any other work outside of their home, but men the entire power. In addition, women are not permitted to discuss or confront with their