Susan Glaspells Play Trifles as a Manifestation of Womens Oppressed Position - Essay Example

Susan Glaspell’s Play “Trifles” as a Manifestation of Women’s Oppressed Position Today women have almost full equality with men, that is gained by them after a feminist struggle for their rights in the last century when house has been considered as females’ main place in the eyes of the public. In fact, women’s life mission could be realized in their role of a wife, a homemaker and a mother of their children according to the views of both traditionally thinking men and women. Still, such a treatment of the weaker sex without consideration of its other needs and necessities of self-realization cannot be perceived as a sound one. Moreover, an experience of the past shows that very often males’ attitude towards females turns into selfish and even mocking one with some hints of humiliation, as men think women are their property, so they may and must tolerate such a handling of their so-called masters. In such a context, mutual support and union of ladies within their inner circle of aid has been the only way out. The peculiarities of women’s state at the beginning of the twentieth century become evident on the pages of Susan Glaspell’s play “Trifles”. To begin with it must be said that Susan Glaspell’s play “Trifles” brings up an issue of women’s dire state in wifehood, as it was at the beginning of the twentieth century. The world belonged to men, and women accepted it as such. The property was owned by men, while women’s responsibility was to manage it. The honor of being a sound steward went to husbands, when their wives were supposed to bow down before their mind. A man roared like a bull, if there was a splinter driven under the nail, just as a woman aborning had to stifle her moans in order not to disturb the rest of her husband. Males were not restrained in phrasing, could insult their women, and were often drunk. Females shut their ears to rude words and did not allow themselves reproaches towards their drunken husbands putting them into bed. Men did not hesitate in expressions, might pour upon their spouses discontent, and women were to endure, as they were supposed to be patient, kind and forgiving. It is obvious that females were treated as a kind of second-rate or subdued humans, which had no right even for manifestation of their thoughts, without saying about their self-realization outside their house completely belonging to their husbands. There was a common belief that women were unable to have serious reflections in their small heads, so every courageously expressed thought might be shot down in flames. Men felt themselves responsible for every decision in the respect of their own affairs or issues of their wives, though there was not such a burning need in this. Furthermore, such a selfish treatment of women by their men did not left the latter another inspiring area than house holding and children’s upbringing, which had become a field for presentation of women’s creativity. As a result, women appeared on the edge of oppressed position when their opinion even could not be perceived as a solid one, as it was produced by persons who were considered as unable to express sound ideas. So, one way or another, females were almost deprived of their human rights being seen as just obedient wives, caring homemakers and loving mothers without even a slight hint of a need to find their realization outside of their spouses’ place. In practice, Susan Glaspell’s play “Trifles” appears to be an ironic one, and its irony finds its very first reflection in its title. Here we must take into consideration the fact that the play mainly represents females’ arguments on the subject of another woman’s life (their neighbor Mrs. Wright), which is analyzed for understanding of her state on the eve of her husband’s death. At that matter there are cannot be trifles, as every even the smallest detail is of a great importance for the whole picture of John Wright’s death. The ironic meaning of the play is developed in its contents. As we can see, attorney and sheriff are unable to mention many details of the case as they just look for direct evidence of Mrs. Wright’s involvement in her husband’s strange death: she is supposed in killing him at night through stifle. At the same time the two women, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, in their turn pay attention to minute particulars of Wrights’ house noticing those details which are hidden from the eyes of the officials. The author underlines significance of many things from the immediate surroundings of Mrs. Wright, namely: the kitchen within her husband’s house where she has spent all her time. Females observe many imperfections among the wife’s responsibilities of housekeeping: bread, which is not at its place in a breadbox, freeze fruit, a quilt which is not done, unclear state of things at table top, an empty bird cage, a dead canary wrapped in a silk ribbon. All these facts become evident of a somewhat confused emotional state of the mistress not only at that tragic night but also until then. In fact, women demonstrate their ability to organize a probable version of the events before the death of John Wright by analysis of minor details, while male characters do not seen any major importance in women’s settings. According to attorney and sheriff who subjectively see women’s remarks on evident things “Nothing here but kitchen things” (Glaspell). This is the very point of extremely ironic meaning of the play’s title, as men, which feel themselves as smart investigators, disregard details noticed by women by force of their mocking attitude towards females’ ability of thinking, so they do not concern significant specifications judging them as trifles. Thus, the men are not able to solve a case due to their conscious blindness to obvious things because of sex prejudices (‘… women are used to worrying over trifles” (Glaspell) and hiding of uncovered information by the two women. The conduct of Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale in the context of the case investigation reflects their sympathy towards the suspected Mrs. Wright. In fact, they just unite in their unconscious intention of hiding some evidence found by them in the kitchen. The thing is that the two women distantly know the conditions in which Mrs. Wright has been living with her husband, a hard man. She has been like a bird in a cage since she had married John. The woman’s indoor life has not been full of any joy or happiness, as all she could do was caring about her husband, for they did not have children. It is of no doubt that Mrs. Wright as well as Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale has got mocked on the part of the highly critical husband. This aspect finds its reflection in the concrete men’s remarks in Wrights’ house during its supervision on the subject of evidence: “Not much of a housekeeper…” (Glaspell). So, there is nothing striking in the fact that the two women have felt compassion towards the suspected female, as they pretty good know the humiliating treatment of women by men, and want to help their neighbor in easing her plight. Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Peters understand the unfriendly status of the Wrights’ place for guests attending. Probably, this is mainly explained by grave character of John Wright, as his wife before marrying him has always been extremely active and welcoming. The in-depth analysis of small details from Mrs. Wright’s kitchen has provided the two ladies with particular evidence of somewhat unclear nature, which has pushed them to the conclusion that at last Mrs. Wright has murdered her husband just the same way as she had wrung the neck of the canary. Still, realizing that they can be wrong and taking into consideration the prejudiced attitude of the men towards Mrs. Wright’s story, the two women probably identify themselves with the poor suspected neighbor, coming into her world. Really, such unjust women’s treatment by the men has already generated indignation within Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Peters. So, putting themselves on the place of Mrs. Wright, the two females understand her oppressed state, as she could not “… enjoy things when felt shabby” (Glaspell). All this together persuades Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Peters in the need of their help Mrs. Wright, and they spontaneously decide to hide the evidence used an opportunity of the officials’ absence in the kitchen. Therefore, the common oppressed position of the women has added to their union for the opposition to unjust treatment of their neighbor Mrs. Wright by sheriff and attorney as representatives of male despots. Surely, Susan Glaspell has intended to send her message to her female readers through her play. The pictorial depiction of inequality between men and women and hollow attitude towards ladies’ abilities on the part of males pursues the aim of direct touching of women’s feelings in general and their self-respect in particular. Actually, it sounds like a calling for active intense uprising in order to struggle for women’s rights and their consideration as smart self-reliant personalities. The message may be perceived as a feministic one, but if to consider the real position of females at that time, it is just a rational reasonable step towards evolutional improvement of women’s state. The whole meaning of Susan Glaspell’s play may be fitted in one phrase, that is: “I know how things can be for women” (Glaspell) – these words of one of her female characters accurately present the author’s grief and disappointment in relation to the hard position of her female fellows. Moreover, the title itself with its further revelation adds broadening hint to the key message of the author. The thing is that not only women’s opinions are neglected by men, but also their lives as such. Peculiarities of female inner world are seen by males as trifles or insignificant aspects in the context of women’s primary duty of caring about their families. In this regard, Susan Glaspell’s message acquires even acuter meaning for the whole womenfolk being tired of constant disregard of their spiritual and mental needs and consumer attitude to their bodies (use of them for child-bearing and serving as servants for caring of selfish husbands). So, this a direct appeal to females’ struggle for their rights in order to put an end to their horrible position in the society enslaved by the stronger sex and dependant on its needs and requirements. There is a vivid example of consequences of constant oppressed women’s position for tyrant men, that is, a destiny of John Wright. There is no direct evidence of Mrs. Wright guilt in his murder, but it seems that it is she who has killed him. Notably, her behavior after the death of her husband speaks for her spirits. If to consider all so-called trifles of the woman life within her closed existence and to match them with her emotional state while the first visit of Lewis Hale, then it becomes almost clear that the woman had her strong motive for getting rid of her victimizer. As we remember the woman has been depicted gazing into space, rocking back and forth in her chair, having faraway look and laughing at Hale’s interest in John’s location. Knowing Mrs. Wright’s sad emotional state, we can analyze the fact of doubling scenario of her husband’s death after the similar death of the canary and find a particular logic in those aspects. Moreover, a deep study of psychological mechanisms in the basis of the woman’s conduct provides evidence of her unclear feelings: the man who has abused her is not able to hurt her any longer as he is dead, but Mrs. Wright cannot accept this fact yet, though her conduct bears no resemblance of any regret of what was done. Our strong belief is that John Wright was killed by Mrs. Wright in their marriage bed while sleeping. Taking into account the fact that anyway a woman is physically weaker than a man, it has been the only possible and almost safe way of stopping her misery. For certain, our guess may be wrong this or that way, but such a scenario is seemed to be the most probable in relation to not so much details about personality of John Wright given to readers in the play. All things considered then Susan Glaspell’s play “Trifles” appears to be a vivid literary work representing an acute issue of women’s position in the patriarchal society at the beginning of the twentieth century. In fact, the play puts a question of women’s perception as men’s property and the negligence of the latter towards females’ needs of mental and spiritual development and self-realization alongside with achievement of marital duties. All in all, Susan Glaspell’s work with a deep ironic meaning in its title manifests the need of females’ struggle for their human rights and equality with males. For sure, there are all necessary conditions for such a movement, as women unite their powers in support and aiding for their female fellows, realizing that such an oppressed position is not sound and that it must be stopped as soon as possible. Anyway, women lives as well as their feelings and emotions are not trifles and must not be perceived in such a way by men. Works Cited Glaspell, Susan. Trifles. Retrieved 28 May from: http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/46276 Read More