“Trifles” is a one-act play written and produced by Susan Glaspell and first performed in Massachusetts in 1916. The play based on the actual murder of John Hossack of Iowa in 1900. His wife accused of murdering her husband but was found not guilty after the third trial. Susan Glaspell was the journalist for the trail (Susan 1). The play has seven characters, the county attorney (George Henderson), a local sheriff (Henry Peters), and his wife (Mrs. Peters) the neighbors of the Wrights (Lewis Hale) and his wife, (Mrs. Hale), John Wright (the murdered man), and his wife, Mrs. Minnie Wright (the suspect). In the play, the men go through the crime scene trying to collect evidence and answer the question of who killed John Wright. Throughout the play, the men search for tangible evidence but overlook small and significant facts in the case. The women quietly discover important clues to determine Mrs. Wright’s emotional state. Based on the rule of evidence, Minnie Wright should be found not guilty. Three major facts that help Minnie, her behavior,
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The play starts with the men entering into Wright’s farmhouse, and George Henderson asks the men to recount their visits to the farm and give information on what killed Wright. Hale recounts how he met Mrs. Wright, who was behaving strangely. When he asked why he could not see Mr. Wright she stated in a calm voice, “cause he’s dead” (Glaspell 762). Hale went upstairs and found Mr. Wright dead, with a rope around his neck. Mrs. Wright claimed that Mr. Wright was strangled by unknown people while she was asleep (Glaspell 762). The way Mrs. Wright was rocking in the chair, strange calm demeanor and not making eye contact are signs of a person in a state of shock. “Trifles” portrays the other two women, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, as sympathize and protectors of Mrs. Wright since they discover the truth about the murder but protect her from the
The play starts with the men entering into Wright’s farmhouse, and George Henderson asks the men to recount their visits to the farm and give information on what killed Wright. Hale recounts how he met Mrs. Wright, who was behaving strangely. When he asked why he could not see Mr. Wright she stated in a calm voice, “cause he’s dead” (Glaspell 762). Hale went upstairs and found Mr. Wright dead, with a rope around his neck. Mrs. Wright claimed that Mr. Wright was strangled by unknown people while she was asleep (Glaspell 762). The way Mrs. Wright was rocking in the chair, strange calm demeanor and not making eye contact are signs of a person in a state of shock. “Trifles” portrays the other two women, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, as sympathize and protectors of Mrs. Wright since they discover the truth about the murder but protect her from the