Throughout the evolution of the modern-day woman, there have been endless instances in which women’s abilities have been belittled and underestimated. Yet, in these instances, women have overcome their circumstances and demonstrated the resilience of being a woman. Even though women have gained a substantial amount of social standing in the past century, there will always be those who view men as superior, more capable individuals. Susan Glaspell’s Trifles is a timeless feminist example of what can happen when women take a step out of the kitchen and into the world, as those around them neglect to acknowledge the magnitude of a woman’s impact within society. In the play, Glaspell uses the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wright to show the unrealistic
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As they wander through the house, both the men and women comment on Mrs. Wright's belongings and reveal her role within her marriage. Initially, as Mr. Henderson, the county attorney, goes to dry his hands after washing them, he exclaims, “Dirty towels! . . . not too much of a housekeeper” (Glaspell 986). This derogatory statement exposes Mr. Henderson’s outlook on the purpose of women; here, he clearly shows that he believes that a woman is meant to be a housekeeper. As a result of his statement, with irritation in her tone, Mrs. Hale replies, “those towels get dirty awful quick. Men’s hands aren’t always as clean as they might be” (Glaspell 986). Based on this conversation, the reader can conclude that Mrs. Hale is disgusted with the perspective that the men have of women, and she is not afraid to stand up for both herself and Mrs. Wright. Then, as Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale are looking around the kitchen, Mrs. Peters says, “She has bread set,” as she notices that Mrs. Wright does not get the chance to put it in the breadbox (Glaspell 987). This illustration is vital to understanding a woman’s role within the household; it shows that she is …show more content…
John Wright. Yet, as Mr. Henderson and Mr. Peters choose to ignore these, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters use this disregard to the importance of their femininity to their advantage as they solve the murder case of John Wright. This disregard is displayed when Mr. Henderson asks the sheriff if there is any important evidence downstairs, to which he replies, “Nothing here but kitchen things” (Glaspell 985). Ironically, these so-called “kitchen things” are vital pieces of evidence that help the women, not the men, to solve Mr. Wright's murder. The first symbol, the frozen preserves, is found in the kitchen, busted and destroyed from the cold temperatures. When finding these preserves, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are sympathetic towards Mrs. Wright, as they understand the hard work that the it takes to maintain the temperature for the jars. However, the women understand that the preserves do not only represent Mrs. Wright’s hard work, but they also represent the cold and broken relationship of Mr. and Mrs. Wright. The next, and perhaps the most important, symbol is Mrs. Wright’s canary and its cage. As the ladies are examining the empty bird cage, Mrs. Peters notices that the hinge on the door is broken. Mrs. Hale tells her, “Looks as if someone must have been rough with it” (Glaspell 990). The
As they wander through the house, both the men and women comment on Mrs. Wright's belongings and reveal her role within her marriage. Initially, as Mr. Henderson, the county attorney, goes to dry his hands after washing them, he exclaims, “Dirty towels! . . . not too much of a housekeeper” (Glaspell 986). This derogatory statement exposes Mr. Henderson’s outlook on the purpose of women; here, he clearly shows that he believes that a woman is meant to be a housekeeper. As a result of his statement, with irritation in her tone, Mrs. Hale replies, “those towels get dirty awful quick. Men’s hands aren’t always as clean as they might be” (Glaspell 986). Based on this conversation, the reader can conclude that Mrs. Hale is disgusted with the perspective that the men have of women, and she is not afraid to stand up for both herself and Mrs. Wright. Then, as Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale are looking around the kitchen, Mrs. Peters says, “She has bread set,” as she notices that Mrs. Wright does not get the chance to put it in the breadbox (Glaspell 987). This illustration is vital to understanding a woman’s role within the household; it shows that she is …show more content…
John Wright. Yet, as Mr. Henderson and Mr. Peters choose to ignore these, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters use this disregard to the importance of their femininity to their advantage as they solve the murder case of John Wright. This disregard is displayed when Mr. Henderson asks the sheriff if there is any important evidence downstairs, to which he replies, “Nothing here but kitchen things” (Glaspell 985). Ironically, these so-called “kitchen things” are vital pieces of evidence that help the women, not the men, to solve Mr. Wright's murder. The first symbol, the frozen preserves, is found in the kitchen, busted and destroyed from the cold temperatures. When finding these preserves, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are sympathetic towards Mrs. Wright, as they understand the hard work that the it takes to maintain the temperature for the jars. However, the women understand that the preserves do not only represent Mrs. Wright’s hard work, but they also represent the cold and broken relationship of Mr. and Mrs. Wright. The next, and perhaps the most important, symbol is Mrs. Wright’s canary and its cage. As the ladies are examining the empty bird cage, Mrs. Peters notices that the hinge on the door is broken. Mrs. Hale tells her, “Looks as if someone must have been rough with it” (Glaspell 990). The