OL194: Literary Analysis of Susan Glaspell's Play, Trifles

This essay offers a literary analysis of Susan Glaspell's play, Trifles, examining its themes, characters, and feminist undertones. The play, a one-act murder mystery set in the kitchen of the victim's house, highlights the investigation conducted by the sheriff, county attorney, and their wives. The analysis focuses on the contrasting roles and perceptions of men and women in the early 20th century, emphasizing how the female characters, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, solve the case through their observations and understanding of domestic details. The essay explores the play's critique of societal norms, the emotional and empathetic nature of the female characters, and the potential for a feminist interpretation, as it showcases the oppression and loss of identity experienced by Mrs. Wright. References to relevant scholarly articles are included to support the analysis.

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TRIFLES – A LITERARY ANALYSIS
Trifles is one of the most celebrated plays that have been scripted by Susan Gospell. The
play was composed in the year 1916 and is considered to demonstrate a murder mystery
(Glaspell). The play highlights the initial level of investigation that was conducted by the sheriff,
the country attorney along with the two witnesses accompanied by their wives who had visited
the house of the murder victim, Mr. Wright. The following essay attempts a literary analysis of
the play in discussion, Trifles.
The play in discussion is a one-act play and is observed to have been taking place in the
kitchen space and hallway of the house wherein Mr. Wright had been living. The enactment of
the play is observed to have been completed in an area that is not the scene of the crime nor does
it represent the official settings like that of a police station. The play had been taking place in the
kitchen space and demonstrated the skills of investigation as had been adopted by two of the
female members of the cast of the play. These members are observed to be the wives of the
witnesses and are not authorized to solve the case (Chaisilwattana et al. 15). The play highlights
the private domain and the use of the intellect by the female cast thereby defying all the norms of
the then society which prioritized the male members of the society.

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The play reveals that the case was resolved by the women members in a very short
timespan after they had taken some time to peruse through the kitchen area and the box
consisting of the sewing equipment of Mrs. Wright. the women however are considered to be in
possession of a lower intellect as compared to the men of the play. The women were considered
to be capable of completing only the household chores which according to the male members of
the era were insignificant work. It might be stated that the play might be analyzed from a
feminist viewpoint as it attempts to establish the equality stature that should be enjoyed by the
women living in the society (Hernando-Real 86). The ease and deft with which the women in the
play solve the case portrays the equality in the capacity of men and women top analyze and solve
a situation that is presented to them.
The play further reveals that the wife of the murder victim had changed the ways of her
existence after she got married. The play reveals the fact that Minnie, who post-marriage turned
to Mrs. Wright, had lost the essence of her existence after she got married to Mr. Wright. The
play continues and almost compels the audience to judge as who might be the actual victim of
murder. Mr. Wright might have been killed in the physical manner but Mrs. Wright was
continuing with her breaths and merely living. She had lost all her spirit due to the high amount
of abuse that was meted out on to her by her husband (Carpentier and Jouve). The play
demonstrated the male characters to be emotionless and cold in nature. The female characters on
the other hand are observed to be attached, empathetic and emotional in nature.
In conclusion it might be stated that play attempts a challenge on the stereotypical
conditions that have been stated by the society which state women to be inferior to their male
counterparts in the society.

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References
Carpentier, Martha C., and Emeline Jouve, eds. On Susan Glaspell’s Trifles and “A Jury of Her
Peers”: Centennial Essays, Interviews and Adaptations. McFarland, 2015.
Chaisilwattana, Yuwapa, et al. "The housewife and the stage: A study of domestic space and
homemaking in Susan Glaspell’s Trifles." Journal of Liberal Arts Thammasat
University 15.2 (2015): 1-23.
Glaspell, Susan. Trifles. Frank Shay, 1916.
Hernando-Real, Noelia. "Susan Glaspell's Poetics and Politics of Rebellion." The Theatre
Annual 71 (2018): 85-88.