Introduction
“Trifles,” a provocative drama by Susan Glaspell, explores the experiences of country women in early twentieth-century America. The drama, which debuted in 1916, is about a murder investigation in a small town where the female characters are instrumental in cracking the case. The powerful examination of gender roles, wealth, and social norms in early 20th-century America in Glaspell’s play is still pertinent today. The essay will meticulously analyze a passage from “Trifles,” paying particular attention to the setting, class, time, situation, characters, characterization techniques, verbal communication, and supporting text.
Play Analysis
Setting
The Midwest during the early 20th century serves as the backdrop for the scene set in a rural farmhouse. The stage directions’ description of the farmhouse depicts a chilly, unwelcoming place. The kitchen, which is completely furnished, is in the left foreground. An entrance to the parlor is located in the back, and a door to the porch is located to the right.
The play’s main location, the kitchen, is made abundantly obvious as neither a cozy nor welcoming space. The stage instructions specify that Hale and the ladies enter first, then the county solicitor and the Sheriff. The women are described as having entered slowly and standing close to the entrance. The sheriff and county solicitor are middle-aged males, with the latter appearing somewhat preoccupied. The men’s engrossment suggests that they are not particularly interested in the women’s presence or viewpoint, and the fact that the women are standing together close to the door suggests a sense of unease.
Class and Time
The location of the play implies a rural and isolated area where residents are removed from modernization and urban centers. The characters’ speech patterns and lack of formal education suggest that they are members of a lower socioeconomic class who do not have access to the same chances and resources as city dwellers. The play is set in the early 20th century when societal expectations regarding gender roles were rigid and constrained women’s liberties. Women were mainly in charge of household chores and family care and had little influence or agency in public life. Thus, the setting emphasizes the restrictions imposed on women during this period and the difficulties they encountered in expressing themselves and claiming their individuality.
Plot
The play’s scenario centers on the investigation of a murder that happened in a farmhouse. Two women, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, the spouses of the county solicitor and a farmer, respectively, are among the characters. They have come to the farmhouse to gather some possessions for Mrs. Wright, the suspect who is being detained on suspicion of killing her husband. The women are left alone in the farmhouse’s kitchen to collect Mrs. Wright’s belongings while the men, including the County Attorney, the Sheriff, and a nearby farmer, conduct their investigation there.
Characters
The two women, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, are depicted as typical rural residents aware of the struggles and daily lives of other women in their neighborhood. As they begin to assemble Mrs. Wright’s belongings, they find some clues that might suggest Mrs. Wright was driven to murder her husband by his abuse. The women begin to empathize with Mrs. Wright as they put together the circumstances leading up to the murder and wonder if she should be held accountable for her actions.
On the other hand, the male characters are shown to be callous and dismissive of the women’s views and insights. They disparage the women’s labor and intellect by calling them “trifles” and implying that the work they do in the kitchen is unimportant. The gender and power disparities present in the play’s time and location are highlighted by this dynamic.
Characterization Techniques
Glaspell employs various characterization methods to paint her characters in a vivid and realistic light. Dialogue is a method that is employed in the scene in the play. Characters’ personalities, relationships with one another, and perspectives on the circumstances they are in are all revealed through the dialogue they exchange. For instance, the conversation between the two women, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, emphasizes their strong friendship as neighbors and their common experiences as farmwives. They appear to have a close friendship based on shared understanding because of how they talk.
Moreover, Glaspell employs the motions and actions of the characters. Characters reveal much about their personalities and attitudes through physical gestures and moves. For instance, Mrs. Peters’ tender handling of the deceased bird in a piece of cloth demonstrates her empathy and sympathy for the animal, in contrast to Mr. Hale’s rough treatment of the items in the kitchen, which reveals his disregard for the women and their work.
Stage directions are another way Glaspell employs to shed light on the characters. The stage directions shed light on the characters’ personalities, mannerisms, and feelings. Finally, Glaspell reveals the characters’ personalities through their encounters with one another. For instance, the men’s dismissal of the women’s observations and viewpoints demonstrates their condescension and sense of superiority towards them.
Verbal Communication
In “Trifles,” verbal exchanges serve various purposes, including character development, setting power relationships, and creating tension. The characters’ word choices and speech patterns reveal information about their motivations, personalities, and perspectives on the current circumstance. For instance, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are reluctant to talk candidly in front of male characters to avoid offending them. The power dynamics of the era, in which women were expected to submit to males and refrain from questioning their authority, are reflected in this reluctance to speak up.
In contrast, the men’s terminology denigrates and disparages the women, displaying their patriarchal attitudes. Verbal contact also ups the ante as the characters engage in a subliminal battle of wills. The men disregard the women’s observations as unimportant and undervalue their intelligence, while the women are cautious not to divulge too much information or disclose their suspicions to them. The audience is aware of the women’s increasing comprehension of the situation while the men remain unaware, which creates a sense of dramatic irony.
Supporting Text
In the play, the stage directions reveal significant details about the characters, their acts, their feelings, and the setting and mood of the play. Moreover, they reveal what the author intended for the play’s performance style. Aside from being gloomy, the kitchen is also described as having uneven chairs and an old-fashioned cooking table. These specifics help the viewer understand the characters’ hardship and poverty.
The stage instructions also shed light on the personalities and feelings of the characters. For instance, it is stated that Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are nervous and hesitant when they first appear. This implies that they are uneasy and unsure of what to anticipate in the strange surroundings. In a later scene, Mrs. Hale finds the dead canary in the box, and according to the stage instructions, she is stunned and frozen. This demonstrates the intensity of her shock and emotion upon learning the news.
Proposed Play Production
I would select a proscenium stage for the production of the play scene. A proscenium stage is a conventional theatre setting with a sizable, rectangular stage area that is divided from the crowd by a substantial frame known as the proscenium arch. Trifles, for starters, is a realistic drama with a traditional structure that necessitates a proscenium stage. A proscenium stage would enable a clear separation of the audience and the stage, making it simpler to present a realistic setting with distinct sightlines. The play calls for a realistic setting and precise stage direction.
Second, the proscenium stage would enable complete use of the lighting and stage direction, both of which are crucial to this play. The proscenium stage would enable the complete execution of Glaspell’s stage directions as they are precise. A proscenium stage would enable the effective use of lighting techniques to produce the desired ambiance and mood since lighting also plays a significant role in the play.
Finally, a proscenium stage would enable the actors and their actions to be the main emphasis of the play. The audience would be able to completely concentrate on the actors and their interactions on a proscenium stage because the play’s themes and messages heavily rely on the interactions between the characters.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Trifles by Susan Glaspell is a potent drama that illuminates the difficulties faced by women in the early 20th century. The play examines the themes of gender roles, isolation, and identity through a carefully designed setting, well-defined characters, and effective characterization techniques. The play’s impact is further increased and helped overall by the use of verbal communication and stage instructions. The play is still relevant today because it emphasizes the importance of treating everyone equally and with respect, regardless of their gender or socioeconomic standing.