Trifles

Where It All Goes Down: Significant Settings and Objects in 'Trifles' College

Looking over the course of time, women in every society have been expected to maintain the household living up to the old adage that they, like children, should be seen and not heard. In the play “Trifles” written by Susan Glaspell, this is clearly expressed. It takes place in a rural abandoned farmhouse where the reader is shown the abusive society women were forced to encounter on a daily basis. The reader is presented with the main characters of the play such as the court attorney, sheriff, Mrs. Peters, and Mrs. Hale. The setting presents a somber tone leading to some grisly discoveries as the sheriff arrives at the farmhouse. Finding the house in total disarray, they soon discover a dead bird, a dead man, and a distraught woman who had a story to tell. The importance in the setting is the rural scene that sets the stage for an unseen drama that might lead one to commit heinous acts against humanity. The solemnity of the countryside and feelings of loneliness tend to impact the behaviors of those who live alone, separated from the rest of the world. This leads the reader to decide who is to blame for the murder of John Wright. Susan Glaspell demonstrates her setting by focusing on the Wright’s kitchen, birdcage, and the...

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