In the early nineteen- hundreds society operated tremendously different compared to society now in the twenty-first century. In the early nineteen-hundreds, women did not have the same opportunities as men. Women’s role in society included conforming to their husbands’ wishes, cooking, cleaning, and raising children. A woman who wanted to obtain an education or one who did not want to get married or raise children was viewed negatively by society. Women did not have any voice in marriage, the husband made all decisions regarding finances, family issues, and even controlled what activities the woman could or could not participate in. The short play Trifles, written by Susan Glaspell has many important symbols that are used to exemplify the oppression
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Wrights imprisonment in her marriage. Glaspell writes, “Mrs. Peters: [Examining the cage] Why, look at this door. Its’s broke. One hinge is pulled apart. Mrs. Hale: [Looking too.] Looks as if someone must have been rough with it” (184). Once can infer that Mrs. Wright faced emotional abuse throughout her marriage, as did most women in this era. The cage represents the mental abuse Mrs. Wright faced in her marriage. As her marriage progressed, she felt increasingly enslaved, thus resulting in the decline of her happiness and her health. Mrs. Wright is described as a fragile bird; furthermore, the cage is symbolic of her marriage, restricting her from expression and preventing her from taking flight on her own. Mrs. Wright withstood abuse from her husband; the abuse eventually became too much for her to bear. Marriage was a cage women in the nineteenth century could not escape; men bossed women around with little to no thought on how the demand would make women feel. The broken cage also represents Mrs. Wright’s fight for independence. The cage is broken and the door is permanently open, allowing Mrs. Wright a way to escape the oppression she faced in her marriage. Although Mrs. Wright’s marriage damaged her beyond repair, she would not conform to become a spineless woman. Mrs. Wright persevered and broke the shackles that bound her to
Wrights imprisonment in her marriage. Glaspell writes, “Mrs. Peters: [Examining the cage] Why, look at this door. Its’s broke. One hinge is pulled apart. Mrs. Hale: [Looking too.] Looks as if someone must have been rough with it” (184). Once can infer that Mrs. Wright faced emotional abuse throughout her marriage, as did most women in this era. The cage represents the mental abuse Mrs. Wright faced in her marriage. As her marriage progressed, she felt increasingly enslaved, thus resulting in the decline of her happiness and her health. Mrs. Wright is described as a fragile bird; furthermore, the cage is symbolic of her marriage, restricting her from expression and preventing her from taking flight on her own. Mrs. Wright withstood abuse from her husband; the abuse eventually became too much for her to bear. Marriage was a cage women in the nineteenth century could not escape; men bossed women around with little to no thought on how the demand would make women feel. The broken cage also represents Mrs. Wright’s fight for independence. The cage is broken and the door is permanently open, allowing Mrs. Wright a way to escape the oppression she faced in her marriage. Although Mrs. Wright’s marriage damaged her beyond repair, she would not conform to become a spineless woman. Mrs. Wright persevered and broke the shackles that bound her to