Symbolism in Trifles by Susan Glaspell - Essay Example

The play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell is one that holds several layers of meaning in which one has to understand other aspects of the play outside of the dialogue.  One of the concepts which are used as a main literary technique is symbolism.  The use of symbolism works effectively to display and reflect on the personality of the character of Mrs. Wright and the situation she is in.  Glaspell is able to use this specific technique to ensure that there is an understanding of the position of Mrs. Wright while reflecting on her character.  The use of trifles as symbols is able to create a specific connection to Mrs. Wright and the situation which led to the main conflict that is throughout the play. 

The first set of symbols which are associated with the trifles are the kitchen items that are seen, all of which are referred to first as being in a mess.  The set of noticed items include fruit that has frozen, preserves that Mrs. Wright was working on and pans that are under the sink.  The main association is with the fruit that is frozen and with the preserves that haven’t been cared for.  This is significant as it becomes a meaning which is related to the marriage and how it wasn’t cared for or preserved.  This is what led to the cold and icy relationship that both were a part of.  This is followed by the pans that are kicked under the sink leave the same impression, which shows that the cooking and care is one which is stuffed into a corner and hasn’t been used properly, similar to the marriage which Mrs. Wright is in. 

The next item which becomes symbolic is the loaf of bread.  This isn’t significant except it hasn’t been placed in the bread box, which causes it to dry quickly and isn’t a way of caring for the items in the kitchen.  The loaf of bread becomes symbolic with the marriage not being set in the right place and instead becoming one based on the wrong understanding within the relationship.  While the men state that this is related to bad housekeeping, the women that are speaking notice that the uncommon changes in the kitchen are related specifically to Mrs. Wright not being able to create the right approach to the idea of being a wife and having a husband which is able to care for the marriage. 

The clothing is another symbol which is noted.  This becomes significant because of the types of clothing that is expected.  The first is an apron which Mrs. Wright has requested.  The apron is significant because it shows how Mrs. Wright only believes the marriage was good so she could offer housekeeping chores, as opposed to having a true marriage.  The second is a shawl that is required.  There is also a quilt which is mentioned and which the women notice that she is piecing together.  The statement which is made with this is based on knotting the quilt, instead of sewing it.  The knots are significant to the thoughts of Mrs. Wright, which doesn’t offer a proper way of putting together the quilt but instead shows that her marriage is tied together loosely. 

The significance of the individual items are also identified with the state that each of the pieces are in.  The sewing left behind is noted as being good half way through the piece then changing.  Mrs. Hale states that “Here, this is the one that she was working on, and look at the sewing!  All the rest of it has been so nice and even.  And look at this!  It’s all over the place!  Why, it looks as if she didn’t know what she was about!” (Glaspell, 962).  There are also noticed changes with half of the counter being clean and the other half being a mess.  The concept of the items being half way clean and the other half messy continues with a hinge that is half way pulled off of the door.  Each of these indicates that the marriage was one that was also becoming a mess and was falling apart, similar to the items seen. 

The last trifle which works as a symbol is the bird.  This is significant because of the cage which is found; however, the bird is gone.  The women looking at the trifles note that Mrs. Wright used to like to sing but stopped.  They also note that the bird may have gotten away.  However, the trifles tell a different story when the bird is found inside the scissor box with a neck that has caused the bird to die.  The concept of the bird is then one that becomes symbolic of how the marriage died, as well as how Mrs. Wright died because of the treatment which was received by her husband.  This shows how things were falling apart because of the situation that Mrs. Wright was in and because of the knot that the women refer to at the end which Mrs. Wright was in. 

Each of these then leads to an understanding that since Mrs. Wright was like the bird and locked in the cage, something had to die to free the situation.  The trifles are then able to describe the situation between Mrs. Wright and her husband and are symbolic of the marriage that she was in.