I have been reading the play “ Trifles” by Susan Glaspell. In the play, I notably observed that women did not have a significant place in society. First, women were not allowed to vote, and they were deemed as professionally deprecated. Thus the professional arena had limited opportunities for women. In several ways, men viewed women only as objects who had no individual goals, intellectual freedom, or unique thoughts. As such, one of Glaspell's highlighted themes in the play is the fight for women’s liberation. To put this theme into context, I will highlight the strong points and weak points of Minnie Wright’s character.
Minnie Wright has an unyielding and harsh spirit. Her decision to murder her husband shows her unyielding nature that represents a strong desire for liberation (Ben-Zvi, 1992). Initially, we find Winnie, a lively choir singer, before she gets married to her husband, John Wright. However, soon after marriage, John manifests his callous and emboldened character when he decides to forcefully put a stop to her normal lifestyle. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peter’s talk about Minnie’s husband is evidence of his impulsive character. “ MRS. PETERS. … I have seen [John Wright] in town. It is said that he is a good man. MRS. HALE. Yes, he's good; he doesn't drink, and he is good at keeping his word, I guess and pays his debts too. But he is a hard man” (Glaspell 2010, 1. 47. 397-398). Furthermore, before murdering her husband, Minnie had attempted to maintain happiness and peace in her marriage, but it was all in vain. It is at this point when Minnie made a hard decision to do away with one who could not get her free to express herself.
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Minnie's strong-will and resilience reveal her strong points of character. Glaspell suggests that in the struggle for freedom, a woman can do anything as long as she achieves her objective. Minnie represents this kind of character. In the play, it is somewhat eerie that Minnie is the female protagonist. Her actions prove how powerful a woman's quest for freedom from oppression can be. Minnie’s strong stand for what she believes is right shows objectiveness and persistence as the strongholds of her character. Minnie’s actions show that when a woman gets the slightest hope for liberation from oppression, she can go to any length to secure herself freedom. To achieve her objective, Winnie stood fast, unmoved, and resolute. Although it was an extreme decision to kill her husband, Minnie demonstrated that she could be depended upon by society to fight for the rights of women and to represent their interests. Both Mrs. Peter and Mrs. Hale conceded to this. “ MRS. HALE. […] I wish I had visited with Minnie Foster. I now see. MRS. PETERS. Well, you should not reproach yourself, Mrs. Hale. We don’t always see how it is with others until-something happens” (Glaspell 2010, 1. 51.397).
The setting of the play and its tone (liberalization from male chauvinism) molds the character and defines the actions of Minnie. When Glaspell wrote the play, women were denied the right to vote. They were never required to wield their professional muscles in taking up some careers in society. “Women’s place in society, looked upon with contempt and lowly held, violence wrought against them, and their subservience to men, are not restricted to Glaspell's conception alone; they are facts observed in the localized way of life ” (Calens, 2000 ). John's unrelenting spirit and her callous sentiments towards Minnie's quest for justice emboldened Minnie's justified desire for liberty. Minnie’s quest for liberation had turned into a strong and unbeatable force of nature.
References
Ben-Zvi, L. (1992). Murder, she wrote”: The genesis of Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles. Theatre Journal, 44 (2), 141-162. https://americanfiction.qwriting.qc.cuny.edu/files/2010/06/Trifles-Genesis.pdf
Calens, D.(2000). Ed. Drama for Students, Gale Research Group , Vol. 8.
Glaspell, S. (2010). Trifles . Baker's Plays.
