Man and Wife in Sure Thing and Trifle - Assignment Example

This discussion seeks to identify the key issues involved by highlighting the traits specific to each gender.

Before a comparison may be made between the apparent gender issues in the two plays it may be prudent to compare the background and situation in which they are set. While Sure Thing seems to involve a modern setting, Trifle paints more of a mid-20th century picture. It is interesting to note the difference in the dealing of the two genders with each other in the plays. What would instantly become apparent is the degree of informality involved with a greater boldness registering itself in the female. It is asserted that this may be attributed to a greater awareness today of equal rights for women, but more importantly to the women recognizing their potential.

In this light, both plays may be examined to contrast the difference in the manner of interaction of women with men. At the same time, it can also be made out from both plays that as opposed to men women possess a more sensitive and understanding nature that seems to be missing in men. Interestingly it would appear that it is because men lack in this area that they sometimes struggle to ask a girl out and fail miserably if they can pluck up enough courage.

Owed to this nature it may also be said with some conviction that women would prefer that men tell them the truth when asked as that may reflect to them the degree of sincerity a man possesses. Ironically they may not sometimes like the truth and the man may end up in a worse position than before. It should be noted here that this notion seems to put women in a superior position often requiring men to measure up to them. This may also be one of the changes that time has brought about in the female gender. Women once generally regarded with contempt may today be surrounded by men on the verge of worshipping them.

It is interesting to note another difference between the setting of the two plays here. It appears that all characters in Trifles were married while this was not the case in Sure Thing. Can it then be argued that women lose the aforementioned superiority after a man can successfully marry her? Or to put it more crudely, when the man has had his way with her? Would it be correct to say that women-with an air of superiority regard their would-be suitors with contempt and are themselves regarded with equal contempt after those suitors are through with them? The answer to these questions would lie in giving Trifles are contemporary setting. Only then would it become obvious whether this reversal of contempt has been remedied over time.

It may also be asserted with confidence that while men sometimes fail miserably to understand the psyche of women, the latter would have no such trouble. Often a man would only be successful in asking a woman out if he can understand what the woman wants-it is true that he would have to agree to most of it. This is well illustrated by the final situation depicted in Sure Thing and it would appear that the maxim “opposites attract” would have no application here whatsoever.

All said, it is also true that the modern woman no matter how sensitive and romantic would be practical enough to choose success over failure in her man. This is well illustrated by the “Harvard” line in Sure Thing. The final situation in the said play adds to this requirement by also requiring the ‘sophisticated’ suitor to be like-minded. What is of significance here is how women might not ‘fall in love’ in a manner of speaking but would rather calculate their choice before making it. This may be argued in light of the superior understanding displayed by the women characters in Trifles whereby they were able to cover up the one thing the men were hunting for while the latter gloated with a false sense of superiority-not being the wiser. The question thus arises of whether, even the most sensitive girl would deliberately calculate her chances of practical success with a certain man, owing to her instinctive superior mental maturity.

That may be too many requirements put together but the foregoing illustrates how intricate male/female dealings can become. It may perhaps be that one of the two is always on the defensive but that may also depend on which stage of a relationship they are at. In conclusion, it is asserted that while it may be great if both genders had little to contend for and could understand each other perfectly, then all the spice would disappear and perhaps with no false sense of superiority on either side the battle will rage on.