Social Inequality In Susan Glaspell's Trifles

Backs straight, posture up, no slouching, be polite. In the early 1900s it was a necessity for women to be as elegant and as feminine as possible to be well received during this time period. Early twentieth century America was a time for numerous technological, medical and economical advancements, but was sadly two to three generations away from experiencing equal opportunities amongst the two genders. Throughout the play Trifles, Susan Glaspell illuminates the underlying theme of social inequality faced by women living in the early 1900s through dialogue and placement of characters. Gender inequality was demonstrated by highlighting social dominance, lack of opportunities, and the opposition to a corrupt legal system. In the early twentieth century America women were often viewed as the “weaker sex but the more virtuous one” (chrc-ccdp.ca) due to living in a male dominated society. During this time period, women were often subjugated to harsh and strict social standards and were viewed as an inferior class in society. Glaspell introduces this theme by the order the characters are introduced and their placement on stage. During the opening scene the male characters would enter first and stand by the stove while the female character would enter last and stand anxiously by the door. This had …show more content…
Through analyzing the play Trifles, the major theme portrayed by Susan Glaspell was the social inequality faced by women living in the early 1900s. Gender inequality was demonstrated by highlighting social dominance, lack of opportunities, and the opposition to a corrupt legal system. Through analyzing the historical time period of this play, it is understandable why the women decided to hide incriminating clues. Had the women lived in the modern day society, they would have been arrested with Mrs. Wright for tampering with the