The male-dominated society of the early 1900s was thriving at the time Susan Glaspell wrote her one-act play "Trifles" . Women did not have the right to vote and had very limited opportunities in the professional field. They were expected to remain autonomous, submissive to their husbands and to have children. In many ways, men viewed women as objects without personal goals, interests, original thoughts, or intellectual freedom. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay One of the major themes addressed by Susan Glaspell in "Trifles" is the legitimacy of a woman's fight for personal freedom. From the murder of John Wright to the decision to withhold information from law enforcement, the actions and dialogue of the play's female characters embody the theme of effective female empowerment. Minnie Wright's decision to murder her husband represents the consequential and unyielding nature of a woman's desire. for liberation. We learn that Minnie, whose maiden name is Foster, was a lively and fun-loving choir singer who cherished her singing canary before her marriage to John Wright. However, her overprotective husband abruptly stopped all activities that made Minnie happy, making her feel trapped in a loveless and oppressive union. Her extreme actions show her ultimate rejection of the lifestyle her husband imposes on her. Minnie's desire to free herself from her patriarchal chains outweighs her concern about the consequences of her actions. In Chapter 8, “Writing about Literature,” Edgar Roberts states that “characters and their actions can often be equated with certain ideas and values” (127). This is true in the case of Minnie Wright's battle for independence. Deciding to take her destiny into her own hands, she kills her husband the same way he killed his beloved bird: by strangulation. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, when talking about Mrs. Wright, reflect on the conditions that may have influenced her radical decision to murder her husband. MRS. ROCK. […] I saw [John Wright] in town. They say he was a good man. MRS. VIGOROUS. Yes, good; he didn't drink. And he kept his word as well as most, I suppose, and paid his debts. But he was a hard man, Mrs. Peters. Just to spend the moment of the day with him - Like a strong wind that reaches the bones (397-398). It is through this dialogue that the audience truly understands how John Wright's cold and callous character emboldened Minnie's desire for liberation. , transforming it into an impressive force. Although Minnie never appears in the play, the audience gets a sense of how unhappy and hopeless she was in her marriage after her husband took away her independence and identity. In the character of Mrs. Wright, Glaspell creates a radical and inspired rebel who best exemplifies the theme of the play. The female desire to gain freedom and independence can manifest itself as an unstoppable, and in this case, deadly force, especially if a woman is intensely oppressed. The conversations between Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters support the dominant theme of "Trifles": a woman's struggle for independence. Throughout the play, these two characters constantly express their sympathy towards Minnie Wright. At first, they express this sympathy idly by examining her possessions and even trying to help her sew her quilt. However, the more the two women continue their conversations, the stronger their loyalty to Minnie becomes as they realize the true value ofwomen who unite to become independent of men. A conversation takes place shortly after Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters discover Minnie's birdcage: MRS. VIGOROUS. …But I tell you what I wish, Mrs. Peters. I wish I had come sometimes when she was here. I wish I had it.MRS. ROCK. But of course you were very busy, Mrs. Hale: your house and your children. VIGOROUS. I could have come. I stayed away because it wasn't the happy case - and that's why I should have come. […] I would have liked to come see Minnie Foster from time to time. I can see now-MRS. ROCK. Well, you mustn't blame yourself, Mrs. Hale. Somehow we just don't see what's going on with others until something happens (397). Both women regret not having done enough to help their countryman, who was struggling to find peace of mind in his marriage before her. the situation has become irreparable. They feel that they have betrayed their own gender by not taking the initiative to free themselves and also realize that by doing nothing, they have succumbed to the male-dominated society. Their own marriages are similar to Minne's, which clearly pushed her over the edge. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters regret not being able to save Minnie from her life of oppression and isolation, and they decide to atone for their mistake by helping her now. As compensation for their negligence, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters withhold evidence of the play's central murder mystery from the sheriff and the county attorney. It is the ultimate demonstration of female empowerment against a patriarchal society. Throughout the play, the sheriff and county attorney pride themselves on their powers of detection and logical reasoning in solving the crime that brought them to the Wright house. However, it is the two women who discover the "smoking gun": a dead canary in a box that the two men had dismissed as an insignificant distraction. From this clue, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters deduce that Minnie Wright was probably entirely responsible for her husband's murder, the crime the men are trying to solve. However, because the sheriff and county attorney are constantly disrespectful and misogynistic toward them, Ms. Hale and Ms. Peters are reluctant to reveal the crucial evidence they find. MRS. ROCK. It's a good thing men can't hear us. Wouldn’t they just make you laugh! I get angry over a little thing like a dead canary. As if it could have anything to do with-with-they wouldn't laugh! MRS. VIGOROUS. [Under his breath] Maybe they would, maybe they wouldn't (399). Hale realizes that proper justice in this case would involve punishing everyone who neglected and isolated Minnie Wright, including the men of the law. At a time when law and order was crucial to the functioning of 20th-century society, hiding information from authorities would have been rather far-fetched, especially in a case where a woman was the culprit. When Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters realize that their alliance with Minnie is more important than the concept of patriarchal duty and justice, Mrs. Hale puts the box with the dead canary in her pocket, hiding the incriminating evidence from authoritarian men. The sheriff and county attorney search Minnie's house for clues to solve the murder, and without any evidence, they will fail to deliver their precious justice. Ms. Hale and Ms. Peters' decision is the "nail in the coffin" of this case, as Minnie cannot be charged without evidence. Their actions prove the power of a woman's quest for liberation. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get an article now.