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Gendered Perspectives and Societal Critique in Susan Glaspell's “Trifles”

In "Trifles" by Susan Glaspell, the seemingly insignificant details of domestic life reveal

important insights into gender roles and societal expectations. The play is based in a farmhouse

and revolves around a murder trial where two female characters, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, find

evidence that the male characters fail to notice. In their attempt to find clear motives, the men

disregard the kitchen and everything in it as insignificant, not realizing that the objects they

ignore are the ones that could provide clues to the crime. In the play, Glaspell successfully

portrays the theme of women's marginalization during the early twentieth century through the

setting of the play and the relations between the characters. The play portrays women's opinions

and their limited role as housewives and explores the themes of gender inequality of the era. In

the play "Trifles," Glaspell shows how the things considered petty by the male society are the

most important.

Analysis of Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters as Representatives of Women's Marginalization

Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peter's views are ignored by the male characters, which reflects how

women are marginalized in the community. Their good grasp of domestic affairs makes them

discover crucial evidence that the men dismiss as insignificant. The male characters dismiss the

views and clues put forward by the women. For instance, Hale notes that women are "used to

worrying over trifles." (Ensemble 11:03-11:11). Despite being restricted to the kitchen, the two

women show how their roles allow them to discover things that the men cannot. Therefore, this
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critical awareness is a commentary on gender prejudices in the play since the female characters'

perceived ignorance is essential to solving the crime. Male opinions often overshadow women's

views due to the existent social structures (Ayesha 3). Glaspell highlights women's passive

rebellion against the social order that diminishes women's worth and disregards their

contributions to society as insignificant.

Conflict Between Male and Female Perspectives

The conflict between the male and female characters shows the disparity in gendered

experiences and their effects. The men dismiss the women's claims from the kitchen as "mere

rifles. The women present some vital cues that may help in finding evidence. However, The

sheriff claims "nothing here but kitchen utensils." (Ensemble 10:18). The attitude starkly

contrasts the women who acknowledge these details as significant, which shows their better

grasp of Minnie Wright's domestic sphere. The women reveal essential details men fail to notice

by investigating the cluttered kitchen and the destroyed birdcage. Therefore, this conflict reveals

the problem of the male-centered legal and social structures that fail to recognize women's

knowledge and agency. According to Balqis Majesty (53), women's voices are ignored and

oppressed within the male-dominated systems, which also contributes to the play's message

about the injustice of gender roles (Balqis Majesty 53). Hence, this portrayal underscores how

women's perspectives are often undervalued and silenced within patriarchal frameworks.

The Setting as a Reflection of Gender Inequality

The farmhouse setting, particularly the kitchen, vividly reflects the constraints and

undervaluation of women's roles. For instance, the state of the kitchen with "dirty towels" and

the frozen fruit represents the loneliness and imprisonment of Minnie Wright and all women in

domesticity (Ensemble, 11:20). The setting promotes the theme of gender inequality in the sense
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that women had to work under deplorable conditions. The men's disdain for the kitchen; they

treat it as a heap of 'futilities. Conversely, the women appreciate the kitchen's significance, which

can help find evidence. Thus, this discrepancy reveals how the men's lack of understanding

reinforces the limitations and dismissive attitudes toward women's domestic contributions.

Glaspell employs this setting to condemn the roles and recognition denied by women as a

reflection of the play's general social analysis of gender.

Conclusion

Glaspell effectively employs characters, conflict, and setting to convey the theme of

women's oppression in society. The roles of Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters demonstrate how

women's insights, which men ignore, provide a more profound understanding of the protagonist's

psychological condition. The clash of the male characters' indifference and the female characters'

compassion underscores the societal disregard for women's suffering. The domestic surroundings

of the Wright household and the everyday objects and tasks depicted as unimportant are made to

symbolize the disregard of women's opinions. This critique is relevant today as society continues

to debate gender roles, and it is crucial to acknowledge and appreciate the role and input of

women. Thus, Glaspell's play serves as a reminder of the necessity to widen the vision of human

experiences and strive for further progress in the fight for gender equality.
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Works Cited

Edge Ensemble. “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell, Performed by the Edge Ensemble Theater

Company.” YouTube, 28 May 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhpO0Uq5Jug.

Accessed 16 Aug. 2024

Farooq, Ayesha. "Gendered perceptions in Punjab, Pakistan: Structural inequity,

oppression and emergence." Journal of Gender Studies 29.4 (2020): 386-402.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09589236.2019.1635876

Wahana, Balqis Majesty. The Representation of Strong Women Among Male Domination

in Churchil’s Top Girls Drama: Feminist Approach. Diss. Prodi Sastra Inggris,

2022. http://repository.upbatam.ac.id/id/eprint/1911