Trifles by Susan Glaspell

Susan Glaspell’s, one act play, “Trifles” provides an interesting outlook on gender relations and cultural norms during the nineteenth century.  During this male-dominated time period in history, the roles of men and woman in society appear vastly different.  The two sexes are very distinguishable throughout the story in their physicality, their methods of communication, and their power of observations.   In the play the men present themselves as tough, serious detectives in search of evidence to solve the murder case of John Wright.  The men’s tendencies to be aggressive, rough, and egotistical were in large contrast to the woman’s deliberative, intuitive, and sensitive natures.  Glaspell alludes to the fact that woman pay attention to small details, to the “trifles” which helps them solve the murder case. 

From the moment the characters enter the Wright’s house, the men make it unmistakably evident their thoughts on the woman’s role in society.  While in custody Minnie shows concern about her fruit freezing due to the cold weather.  As the women enter the house, Mrs. Hale makes the observation that her fruit did freeze.  The men joke that she should be worrying over greater issues such as the accusation of murder.  Mr. Hale comments “well, women are used to worrying over trifles.”  As the men enter the kitchen they are quick to comment on the disarray of the house.  Making comments such as “Here's a nice mess.”  The county attorney also ensures to make a scene of the dirty towels.  He then says “Not much of a housekeeper, would you say, ladies?”  From early on in the play the woman’s role of a home maker is made evident.  The men view the unclean kitchen as a sign of laziness and neglect on the part of Minnie Wright.  As a result the men quickly pass through the kitchen thinking there is “nothing here but kitchen things,” “nothing that would point to any motive.”  However, as the women enter the kitchen they immediately notice the ruined fruit preservatives, bread that was left out of its box and the half cleaned table top.  It is by making observations such as these that lead the women to uncover the truth behind the murder. 

As the men are busy throughout the play examining the dead body and scanning the surrounding area for evidence and clues, the woman uncover evidence in the kitchen area.  One of their observations involve Minnie’s unfinished quilt.  The beginning of the quilt is sewn meticulously but as they continue to scan the quilt they notice messy and uneven stitching. The quilt is symbolic of Minnie’s life, once orderly and neat and now a now in complete state of confusion. Mrs. Hale speculates why Minnie was so nervous sewing the quilt; however, Mrs. Peters excuses her poor sewing as a result of tiredness.  While examining the quilt the women also contemplate whether Minnie “quilted it” or “knotted it.”  This simple inquiry seems irrelevant.  The Sheriff jokes by saying “they wonder if she was going to quilt it or knot it.” Little did they realize that this minuscule detail would be extremely significant in the trial. 

As the women continue to gather Mrs. Wright’s belongings, Mrs. Peters comes across an empty birdcage in the cupboard.  The door on the birdcage was broken and the hinge pulled apart.  It “looks as if someone must have been rough with it.”  The canary and the birdcage are very representative of Mrs. Wright’s life.  The caged songbird embodies the previous bright and cheerful personality of Minnie Foster before she wed.  Minnie now became the focus of the abuse and degradation from her husband, Mr. Wright, a “hard man”. Minnie attempts to fend off her depression and dreary life by getting a cheerful song bird who she kept cage in a cupboard.  As a result of Mr. Wright’s exasperation with the bird’s singing, it was clearly evident that he had wrung the canary’s neck.  The killing of the canary is directly linked to Mr. Wright’s domination of Minnie and her spirit. 

Between the dead canary and the unfinished quilt, the women’s abilities to deal with the trifles of life allow them to understand the truth behind Mr. Wright’s murder.  Their eyes meet; a look of growing comprehension, of horror. The strangling of the canary’s neck was performed in the same fashion as Mr. Wright’s murder.  Minnie chooses to use strangulation as her method for murder as it is typically a male’s method for killing.  Minnie gains the strength to murder as a male which represents her rebellion against her dominating husband thus asserting her equality.  At the end of the play the county attorney asks the women if they had determined whether Minnie “quilts it” or “knots it.”  Mrs. Peters replies “we think she was going to knot it.”  The knots used for her quilt appear to be the exact knot used to strangle her husband. 

At the end of the play the women have a clear understanding of who murdered Mr. Wright.  However, instead of coming forward they choose to hide the evidence as an act of compassion for Mrs. Wright.  By stealing the box with the dead bird, it is an act of loyalty to the female gender in a male governed society.  The men in the play are still at a loss for a motive and lack evidence to convict Minnie.  “Trifles” are important and valuable.  Women’s thoughts and talents should be considered equal to those of the other gender. Perhaps if the men in the play were to see the women in an equal light, the case of Mr. Wright would see a conviction. In many ways, Glaspell’s “Trifles” reflect certain cultural, gender and power struggles that are still seen even today.

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