Glaspell’s “Trifles” is a thoroughly
enjoyable story with several layers to peel back. My first impression of “Trifles”
was positive as it seemed to throw out gender stereotypes. The men who are
supposed to be investigating the death of Mr. Wright can’t seem to find any
evidence, while the women are sitting in the kitchen essentially solving this
crime as they discover clear motive. I found myself laughing at the men while I
read. Also, another first impression that I had was that Mrs. Wright was
justified in taking her husband’s life. Lines such as, (Mrs. Hale) “But I don’t
think a place’d be any cheerfuller for John Wright’s being in it” And “He was a
hard man” give me the feeling that Mr. Wright was not good to his wife.
However, as I pondered this story further, I began to think that hiding the
evidence from the men was an emotional and stereotypical response from Mrs.
Hale and Mrs. Peters, one that I myself could easily have had. This is where I
begin to question my own morals. Maybe Mrs. Wright felt that she had no other
way out, but I can’t with full confidence agree that murder should be condoned.
It seems to me the more logical response to the women’s findings would have
been to submit them to the investigation. At the same time, I don’t know that I
would have. I really liked this story, but I am conflicted over it.
Rachel, I think you feel the way a lot of us did and I think that is the end result that Glaspell was going for. It is natural for us to want closure and to seek justice, but in this story, when does Mrs. Wright receive justice if the women reveal what they have found? Was she right when she strangled the man who was strangling her for years and then killed something so precious to her that she killed him for it? No, not by what we are taught, however, it may have been right for HER which is what makes this so compelling. I think unless you have the experience of suffering at the hand of an abuser and have your life systematically reduced to misery at his hand, we cannot understand reaching the point of murder. For the record, I hope none of us ever do. However, it does make us question what we would do and whether we would uphold what we have been told is right, or hide that evidence realizing that sometimes there is more than one "right" in a situation. In this case, honestly, I really think I would have hidden the bird.
ReplyDeleteThanks for responding. Believe me, in my heart I felt that Mr. Wright was probably asking for what happened to him. I have great compassion for abused women, and I feel that every human being can be pushed to this breaking point. Another thing I want to mention is the time period in which this was written. It probably would have been much more difficult for a woman to leave her husband at that time. It would be financial and social suicide for a woman, and so its very possible this was her only good option. However, in today's world, divorce is more acceptible. I'd be much more judgemental of a woman killing her husband in 2015. Although, in a crime of passion, it probably doesn't make a difference. Premeditated murder is more sinister.
ReplyDeleteWith those exact citations, I agreed as well, that Mr. Wright was not the husband these prospectors made him out to be. I feel that there was a lot more to the story. The old saying goes along the lines of, "you never know what's going on behind closed doors."
ReplyDeleteI found it odd that it was incredibly easy to feel for Mrs. Wright. Like you said, Mr. Wright was probably asking for what happened to him. It is so easy to say that, but then the realization hits that you commiserate with someone who comitted murder. It is an interesting thing to think about.
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