Trifles An Old-fashioned Play with Modern Notions

A detailed Summary of Trifles An Old-fashioned Play with Modern Notions

Trifles, written by Susan Glaspell, is a one-act play that clings to its old-fashioned notions, yet still is in tune with the more modern times. It tells of the investigators of a murder and their wives. A silent battle of the sexes is waged while the men look condescendingly upon the woman and their domain: the kitchen. The men's lack of respect will be their down fall in the end. Had they taken time to notice the clues in the kitchen they may have been able to solve the murder. However, with their old-fashioned lack of respect, the men lost the modern battle of sexes and victory goes to the women.

"Trifles" is a short plat that holds old-fashioned ideas for the roles of men and women. The women characters of "Trifles" are given no respect from the men in the play. The sheriffs comment, "Well, can you beat the woman! Held for murder and worrying about her preserves" (Glaspell 1202), show what little respect he has for women and their role that has been forced upon them. Mr. Hale mirrors those feelings with his own degrading comment, "Well, women are used to worrying over trifles" (Glaspell 1202), that implies that all of women's work is only "trifles." The men had no respect for the women's trivial role as a homemaker and m

Though "Trifles" cling to its old-fashioned notions of the role for sexes it also introduces the modern theme of the battle of the sexes. In today's society we have game shows and high schools games that pit men and women against each other. A game show titled "Sex Wars" is a show that asks question to a team of men then to a team of women. Whichever team has the highest score wins and is considered the dominant sex. Powder Puff, common to many high schools, is a foot ball game where the roles of the sexes are reversed. The men become the cheerleaders and the women become the players. "Trifles" has it's own dispute between the sexes. When the men enter the farmhouse they "go at once to the stove," yet the women "come in slowly and stand together near the door" (Glaspell 1200). The battle lines have been drawn from the opening of the curtain. Mrs. Hale says to the county attorney "those towels get dirty awful quick. Men's hand aren't always as clean as they might be" who con!

Susan Glaspell's one-act play "Trifles" is a play filled with deeper meanings. Not only do the men show little interest or respect to the women or their aspects of life, but also they assume that they will win the battle of sexes just because they are men and are stronger than the average woman. I e

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Approximate Word count = 864
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous

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