Trifles and Suppressed Desires

A detailed Summary of Trifles and Suppressed Desires

The play's Trifles and Suppressed Desires wrap around a central theme of sexual tension between women and men. The characters are in search of life's meaning and seeking self-definition. In Trifles, ignorance of sexism is exposed as a major theme. The play Suppressed Desires explores new feminist theories between a married couple. Both plays were written in the 1920's way before the women's movement began But this traditional way of thinking has surprisingly continued even today and is a very important issue in our society. This is what makes both plays very appealing to us now.

The play Trifles is a true murder mystery by Susan Glaspell. The setting is in a lonely, cold landscape of the Wright's kitchen, where the action of the play takes place. The kitchen is in disorder with unwashed dishes, a dirty dishtowel and a loaf of bread sitting out. The scene gives the impression of a lonely household with little attention having been paid to cleaning up either recently or ever.

Mrs. Wright is placed in the kitchen in her rocking chair but does not speak during the production. She gives off much information by her expressions used throughout the play. I have read that in the original transcript of the play, the key c

At the start of the play Henrietta Brewster and Stephen Brewster are drinking coffee and talking among themselves. It is already seen to the audience that Henrietta has a strong female role in the household. She is not being oppressed by being a woman but by her ideas of psychoanalyses by her husband. The play depicts her analysis of her thoughts of her sister's dreams in a humorous way. It also shows how she starts driving her husband crazy by her new education in psychoanalytic theories. Both Mabel and Brewster play a joke on Henrietta and make her realize that she must stop over analyzing everything and get on with her life.

The costumes of all three characters were a great expression on the class and fashion ideas of the characters. Stephen wore a very rich looking outfit that was specifically light colored in a shade of tan and yellow. Henrietta and Mabel both wore very long and eloquent dresses. Mabel wore more of a light colored outfit that seemed to go with Stephen's outfit better. Henrietta on the other hand wore more darker shades that seemed to go against the other outfit's being worn by her sister and husband but it did not clash with the other colors. All the costumes were great and universal to the time period and too now.

The play shows a woman looking for her role in society. She is a strong woman with her own career of becoming a writer, who does not need her husband to represent her in the world. She is her own person with her own views. The play discusses areas of monogamy that would seem wrong at the time the play was written. Mabel is told that she might be in love with Henrietta's husband Stephen and Henrietta seems all right with the idea even though she still loves her husband very much. Henrietta tells her sister that maybe it is best for her to follow up on her desires becuase their shrink said so. The play seems more like a 1990's play more than a 1920's production. Suppressed Desires represents its own idea of women in society, a far different idea from the one in Trifles.

The lighting of the play helped to depict a very gloomy atmosphere. The stage seemed very gray and dark. Mrs. Wright was placed in the spot at times for the audience to see her expression and give her more attention because she did not speak during the play. At the end of the play the two women acknowledge her presence and the whole room goes dark except the three women. This helps the audience see the understanding the women have for each other because they are living in this sexiest and domineering environment of men.

The acting in this play was exquisite. Portrayal of Mrs. Wright was done excellently even though she did not speak a word. It is very hard to act without speaking, but this actor did a fantastic job by her presentations. The other two women did an excellent job also. Mrs. Hale seemed very stern and cold but you knew that she had a good heart. Mrs. Peters seemed very timid and di

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Approximate Word count = 1988
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English