Symbols in 'Trifles' by Susan Glaspell
Added on 2023-04-20
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Running head: SYMBOLS IN 'TRIFLES' BY SUSAN GLASPELL
Symbols in 'Trifles' by Susan Glaspell
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Author Note:
Symbols in 'Trifles' by Susan Glaspell
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author Note:
1SYMBOLS IN 'TRIFLES' BY SUSAN GLASPELL
Susan Glaspell in her ‘Trifles’ has focused on discussing the division between the
psychology of the men and women. The social roles of these two categories have allowed to see
different aspects of Minnie’s life from different points of view. In this play the playwright has
shown that the women need the sense of community as they cannot handle the loneliness
whereas the men can cope up with the solitude. The author named Ben-Zvi, L. (1992) has
correctly pointed out the situation of the women of that time by stating “Women who kill evoke
fear because they challenge societal constructs of femininity-passivity, restraint, and nurture”. In
this particular play, Susan Glaspell has used a huge number symbols to present this particular
theme of feminism. In these symbol, the images of bird cage, canary, rope, red box and broke
fruit jars seem to be the key symbols which connects to the character of Mrs. Minnie Foster
Wright.
The symbol canary and its cage are quite frequent images presented in this play. The little
yellow song bird is the representation of Mrs. Minnie Foster Wright. Just like the canary, the
bright young woman loves to sing in the church choir and enjoys her lonesome as well as
isolated house. Minnie owns this bird and experiences pleasure in its songs and connects herself
with her past when she was not married. This particular songbird in the symbolic analogue
representing Minnie, a free-spirited and single woman happy with her life singing. Minnie is
associated with the idea of being timid and fluttery like a canary by Mrs. Hale. She is suffering
from her the behaviour of her husband’s cold and heartless nature. She is associated with dead
canary in her danger “Wouldn't they just laugh! Getting all stirred up over a little thing like a—
dead canary”. It represents as if the free-spirited girl had died and Mrs. Wright has taken the
place of her.
Susan Glaspell in her ‘Trifles’ has focused on discussing the division between the
psychology of the men and women. The social roles of these two categories have allowed to see
different aspects of Minnie’s life from different points of view. In this play the playwright has
shown that the women need the sense of community as they cannot handle the loneliness
whereas the men can cope up with the solitude. The author named Ben-Zvi, L. (1992) has
correctly pointed out the situation of the women of that time by stating “Women who kill evoke
fear because they challenge societal constructs of femininity-passivity, restraint, and nurture”. In
this particular play, Susan Glaspell has used a huge number symbols to present this particular
theme of feminism. In these symbol, the images of bird cage, canary, rope, red box and broke
fruit jars seem to be the key symbols which connects to the character of Mrs. Minnie Foster
Wright.
The symbol canary and its cage are quite frequent images presented in this play. The little
yellow song bird is the representation of Mrs. Minnie Foster Wright. Just like the canary, the
bright young woman loves to sing in the church choir and enjoys her lonesome as well as
isolated house. Minnie owns this bird and experiences pleasure in its songs and connects herself
with her past when she was not married. This particular songbird in the symbolic analogue
representing Minnie, a free-spirited and single woman happy with her life singing. Minnie is
associated with the idea of being timid and fluttery like a canary by Mrs. Hale. She is suffering
from her the behaviour of her husband’s cold and heartless nature. She is associated with dead
canary in her danger “Wouldn't they just laugh! Getting all stirred up over a little thing like a—
dead canary”. It represents as if the free-spirited girl had died and Mrs. Wright has taken the
place of her.
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