Trifles (Susan Glaspell)
- Characters. HENRY PETERS, SHERIFF AND HUSBAND OF MRS.
- Summary. The play is set in the Wright's abandoned farmhouse. It is a lonesome, gloomy place down in the hollow where the road cannot be seen.
- Understanding the text. Answer the following questions. ...
- Reference to the context. What is the main theme of the play? ...
- for Class 11 Optional English Note
What is the setting of trifles by William Shakespeare?
The setting of Trifles helps us understand character and also moves the plot along. The play takes place in an empty farmhouse, but the setting is more complicated than that. The men go to the bedroom where the murder occurred, while the women focus on the kitchen.
What is the plot of the play Trifles?
Trifles is a one-act play that concerns the murder of Mr. Wright, an abusive husband who was killed by his wife. The characters of the story intend to piece together the events that led up to the death, and they do so by exploring the singular and confined setting of the play.
What is the purpose of trifles by Susan Glaspell?
On of such literature works is Trifles by Susan Glaspell. Trifles play was authored in 1916 with a view of highlighting the role played by women during the contemporary society of early twentieth century. It is a classic illustration of the male dominance that was popular during this period.
How do I track the themes in trifles?
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Trifles, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. The play opens on the scene of John and Minnie Wright ’s abandoned farmhouse. The kitchen is in disarray with unwashed dishes, a loaf of uncooked bread, and a dirty towel on the table.
What is the plot in Trifles?
The play is loosely based on the murder of John Hossack, which Glaspell reported on while working as a journalist for the Des Moines Daily News. On December 2, 1900, Hossack's wife, Margaret, reported to the police that an unknown person broke into their house and murdered John with an axe while she slept next to him.
What time of year is Trifles set?
Turn of the 20th century, America It's a wee bit tricky (because Glaspell doesn't give us an exact year) but we do know the play was first performed in 1916. So we'll go ahead and assume it's set somewhere around then, but probably a little earlier.
Where does the first scene take place in Trifles?
The opening scene of the play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell takes place in the abandoned farmhouse of John Wright. The author describes a gloomy, messy kitchen. The reader has a feeling that things never were put in order in this kitchen.
What is the conflict of Trifles?
The major conflict in this play is external -- the men versus the women. The male sheriff, country attorney and neighbor look for evidence, while Mrs. Hale, the neighbor's wife, and Mrs. Peters, the sheriff's wife, gather clothing to take to Mrs.
What is the theme of Trifles?
Perhaps the single most important theme in Trifles is the difference between men and women. The two sexes are distinguished by the roles they play in society, their physicality, their methods of communication and—vital to the plot of the play—their powers of observation.
What is the mood of Trifles?
Dark, Opinionated. This play is definitely dark. We're got a brutal murder, the corpse of dead bird, and the first stage direction tells us we're in "gloomy kitchen" of a "now abandoned farmhouse" (1).
What is the climax of Trifles?
The turning point, or climax, of a play occurs at the high dramatic point of the story, when the conflict begins to be resolved. In Susan Glaspell's play "Trifles," the climax occurs when Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale decide to hide a dead bird from authorities investigating a murder case.
Why is the play called Trifles?
The title of the play refers to the concerns of the women in the play, which the men consider to be only “trifles.” This includes such things as the canning jars of fruit that Minnie Wright is concerned about despite being held for murder, as well as the quilt and other items that Minnie asks to have brought to her at ...
What type of play is Trifles?
Drama, Mystery, Parable.
Why is the setting important in Trifles?
Finding the house in total disarray, they soon discover a dead bird, a dead man, and a distraught woman who had a story to tell. The importance in the setting is the rural scene that sets the stage for an unseen drama that might lead one to commit heinous acts against humanity.
What is the resolution of Trifles?
Resolution (Denouement) Hale delivers a snarky comment to the County Attorney while pressing her hand against the dead canary in her pocket. The men are clueless, but we know the women won this round. The story is resolved, and the case is closed—for the ladies and the audience at least.
What does the bird symbolize in Trifles?
Bird = Minnie Foster The canary represents Minnie Foster: that sweet, fluttery girl who was transformed into the lonely, depressed Mrs. Wright by years of her husband's neglect and emotional abuse.
What is the irony of Trifles?
Written in the early 1900s, “Trifles” deals with the rights of, expectations for and assumptions about women in society at the time. In an ironic twist, the audience knows that the women have solved the murder mystery while the men remain oblivious of the truth because of their assumptions.
What does the dirty kitchen symbolize in Trifles?
The disarray of Minnie's kitchen demonstrates a distressed mind and that Minnie's act of killing her husband was more emotional and dramatic than her demeanor indicates. In addition, the mess in the kitchen symbolizes the ways in which the men in this play expect women to fulfill certain gender roles.
Why is the play called Trifles?
The title of the play refers to the concerns of the women in the play, which the men consider to be only “trifles.” This includes such things as the canning jars of fruit that Minnie Wright is concerned about despite being held for murder, as well as the quilt and other items that Minnie asks to have brought to her at ...
Why did Glaspell move back to Davenport Iowa when she was 24?
After covering the conviction of a woman accused of murdering her abusive husband, Glaspell abruptly resigned at age twenty-four. She moved back to Davenport to focus on writing fiction.