The Play Begins
The play begins when the country attorney, George Henderson, and sheriff, Henry Peters arrives with witnesses Mrs. Hales, Lewis Hale, and Mrs. Peters at the farmhouse of John Wright. The house is apparently a murder sean of Mr. Wright.
The Strange Behavior
Lewis Hales narrates his encounter with Mrs. Wrights where he realized that the woman was behaving bizarrely. According to Hales, Mrs. Wright told him that her husband met his death while she was asleep. Even though there was a gun in the house, Wright was strangled with a rope gruesomely. The men disparage the women for becoming worried at Trifles instead of the case. On the other end, Henderson grants the women the chance to collect personal items that can support the guilt of Mrs. Wright.
The Investigation and The Hidden Evidence
Mrs. Wright is still in police custody until there are proves of her innocence. As the men continue to perform their investigation upstairs, Mrs. Hales chants how Mrs. Wright lived a happy life before meeting and marrying Mr. Wright. While at the mist of the search for evidence, the women discover a quilt, then take it with them, even though the men mention their act of pondering about the quilt, while they enter the room to begin the investigation process. The woman then discovers an empty birdcage before finding a dead bird, which was strangled similarly. Mrs. Peter and Mrs. Hales hide the evidence away from the men whose intention is to clinch on evidence that would make Mrs. Wright experience a jail term.
Insights into Poor, Abused Rural Women
The play covers a murder trial of a farmer’s wife that the writer covered while working at the Daily News of Des Moines. Trifles give insights regarding the lives of poor, abused rural women. The play’s name is developed under the idea that men perceive the opinions and duties of women as trivial. Women usually receive critics for viewing issue under a smaller lens than having it in a bigger picture. Surprisingly, Glaspell end the story by informing the readers on the actual strength, courage, and cleverness of the audience, as well as the injustices they have to deal with, every day.
Cultural Perceptions of Sex and Gender Roles
The writer reflects the writer’s preoccupation with cultural perceptions on sex and gender roles. Just as the title ‘Trifles’ women concerns are usually considered in the midst of Trifles, less important to the society, as compared to men’s issues. The writer questions and even thrills the readers to question the relative value of women and men’s work and perspectives by developing a tension-filled drama which unfolds via the two distinct narratives; a man and a woman. For example, according to the play, men approach another man’s house (Mr. Wright’s house), where he met his death, as the “crime scene.” On the other hand, the women in the play, approach the man’s house as a “home,” not a “crime scene”. Men and women have varied functions and purpose for being in the play; men fulfill their responsibility as being the watchdog of the law, while women fulfill their obligation as those who prepare personal effects which can gang up to allow the imprisonment of Mrs. Wright.
A Deeper Concept
At first sight of the play, one can read Glaspell’s intention as deceptive, in a way that seems more straightforward and inconsequential. It even appears that Trifles is just about competing roles of both men and women. However, a critical look and evaluation of the play reveal that Trifles regards a concept, which is significantly profound. This is the same way, the society pursues a fact, interpret it, illustrate it, and value it. The process is usually as divisive and as divided as gender, although individuals should never assume that men and women cling to the beliefs regarding their gender.
Empowering Society
I think that Glaspell is one of the many activists who empowered the society by writings. She communicated and exposed the societal rot that existed within the gender platform. Honestly, the early 1900s was a time when the society regarded women in the low case. They had permanent space in the subordinate positions and could suffer brutality, humiliation, and violence within their marriages since they lacked the voice (social class) to fight for their rights.
Women's Intelligence and Empowerment
I agree with Glaspell's idea regarding “women power.” Towards the end of the play, she confirms that women are more intelligent, smart, sympathetic, and reasonable. Even though men believe that women do not rationally perceive issues, Glaspell proves that women indeed work out problems in intelligent ways when working together to hide evidence that almost placed Mrs. Wright behind bars.
Ongoing Gender Stereotypes
Even though Glaspell did excellent work in giving insight on issues that surrounded the gender fraternity, I feel that the male chauvinism and gender stereotypes exist to date. There are uncivilized communities who still believe in demeaning the significance of a woman or a girl child. However, the issue mainly exist in families and homestead where women are uneducated or lack financial capabilities. I believe that education empowers women, as financial capacity gives women the voice to act, unlike Mrs. Wright who evolves from a poor background and stays in unhappy marriage throughout her life, only to narrowly escape from a murder trial.
