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Essay / An Analysis of the Condition of Women in Trifles, an Act in One Act by Susan Glaspell
The drama “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell is a play about a woman suspected of murdering her husband. The play is set in the 19th century, a time when women were known to be treated poorly, particularly as wives. Most women were treated as objects rather than equals in a relationship. However, in our society today, this has definitely changed. In Glaspell's drama, she focuses primarily on the wife, which ultimately gives this writing the ability to be considered a feminist play. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay In “Trifles,” a woman is arrested on suspicion of murdering her husband. The play focuses on two women who enter his house with the sheriff and a lawyer, looking for evidence. While the men search, the women discuss the matter. Over the course of this play, the women end up finding more evidence than the men, but because they are women, they are not taken seriously. Glaspell shows that women are not considered equal when Hale says, “Well, women are accustomed to worry over trifles. » The men in the play continually make sarcastic remarks about women. Another example is when they walk into the room as the two women are discussing the defendant's stitching. The two women were examining it and noticed that its seams were torn, causing one of them to wonder why she was so nervous. This shows that women are much more observant than men, as they realize that her rushed stitching meant that she was agitated for some reason. However, the men enter while discussing the model and the lawyer asks in a condescending manner, “Well. ladies, have you decided if she is going to quilt it or tie it? This example shows that even if men don't take women seriously, they are the ones who have it all figured out and have evidence that could easily convict the woman, making this a feminist article. Abuse situations have definitely changed over the years. In the 19th century, women were treated as objects rather than equals. In the real-life case on which the drama “Trifles” was based, the woman had actively sought help against her abusive husband. She spoke with neighbors and told them about her husband's cruel actions, but because he was so well-liked and known throughout the community and she was only his wife, no one took her seriously. In fact, people began to despise her for speaking against her husband. However, in today's society, women are treated equally and abuse is taken very seriously. For example, a case similar to the one Glaspell discussed occurred in 2013. A woman shot her husband in self-defense after he threatened her and her children. In this case, there was no doubt as to whether or not she was the one who shot him; However, she was not charged at all because it was an act of self-defense. Although this was clearly a case of self-defense in the 19th century, the wife would most likely have been charged. In "Bagatelles", the woman was detained despite claiming she did not kill him, and even though the only evidence the police had against her was the fact that she slept in the bed next to him, they They stopped anyway. But in the present case, where it was undoubtedly the woman who shot her husband, she did not.