essay on the topic trifles

94 Trifles Essay Topics & Examples

Need to write an essay on Trifles by Susan Glaspell? A significant feminist play is worth focusing on!

❓ Best Trifles Essay Questions

🏆 best trifles topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 interesting trifles essay topics, 👍 a+ trifles essay examples.

A one-act play by Susan Glaspell was first performed in 1916. The feminist drama is loosely based on true events. The plot of Trifles unfolds around the death of John Wright, a farmer. The play’s themes focus on psychological states and social roles of men and women.

In your Trifles essay, you might want to focus on the play’s symbolism or themes. Another idea is to discuss why Trifles was written. Character analysis is another interesting option for your paper. In this article, you’ll find best Trifles essay questions, topics, and examples. Write an A+ Trifles analysis essay with us!

• Why was Trifles written?
• What is the significance of the title in Trifles ?
• What does the birdcage symbolize in Trifles ?
• How is dramatic irony used in Trifles ?
• What role does the setting play in Trifles ?
• Who is the protagonist in Trifles ?
• What are the themes of Trifles ?
• What is the main conflict of Trifles ?
• Susan Glaspell’s Biography and Historical Context in Relation to Trifles Wright, as she was sleep, the women in this play suspect that Mrs. Wright’s death in Trifles are similar to those, which surrounded the murder of Mr.
• Literary Analysis Susan Glespell’s Trifles It can therefore be justly concluded that Susan Glespell’s ‘Trifle’ is indeed a feminist work and seeks to engage in feminist objectives through the plot and the characters.
• Round and Flat Characters in “Trifles” by S. Glaspell’s On the other hand, a flat character is an unprogressive minor character in a story that remains in the same position throughout the story.
• Trifles by Susan Glaspell Through the drama, it is possible to see the attitude of the author to the issue as well as her views since her literature presents her feelings and her opinion on the sensitive social matters.
• The Play “Trifles” and the Short Story “A Jury of Her Peers” by Glaspell By introducing the author’s explanation of the attorney’s intention ‘letting go’ of the past the author establishes the dynamic of men being bored by the seemingly mundane case. In contrast, Trifles relies on the content […]
• “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell and Solidarity Between Women At the same time, Nora is fighting her own dissatisfaction with her life, and is even ready to sacrifice it in the name of her husband’s reputation, which is a paramount example of altruism.
• “Trifles”: Mrs. Peters Character Peters reveals and enriches itself throughout the play: initially embodying the quality of obedience, with time she demonstrates the power of observance and attention to small things and consequently achieves a triumph over the male […]
• Gender Role in the “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell In her play, Trifles, Glaspell uses two parts of the play, one distinctive narrative on men and the other on women, in order to trigger the reader into evaluating the value of both genders to […]
• Trifles and The Story of an Hour Comparison To illustrate, the theme of female subordination plays out in The Story of an Hour through Louise’s confession that Brently’s supposed death indicates freedom for the wife.
• Drama: Staging “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell In its turn, this explains why in Glaspell’s play, the characters strive to act in the manner fully consistent with what used to be assumed accounts for the social roles of the representatives of each […]
• Gender Roles in The Yellow Wallpaper & Trifles The two texts; the short story ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ by Charlotte Perkins and the play ‘Trifles’ by Susan Glaspell strategically illustrate this claim since they both aim at attracting the reader’s attention to the poor […]
• Plays Comparison: “Naked Lunch” Versus “Trifles” First, it dwells upon the gender differences that existed at the time of the play. The women in the play were united by the feeling of isolation and alienation from other women and from society […]
• Feminist Connotations in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” It is a call to reexamine the value of women in a patriarchal society; through their central role in the drama, the female characters challenge traditional notions about women’s perspective and value.
• Trifles by Susan Glaspell: Play Analysis The characters look at the murder differently and this discussion will focus on the development in terms of roundness and flatness of the characters and the degree to which the characters are stereotypes.Mrs.
• Exploring Irony in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and ‘Trifles’ That is, it is the application of a character’s image in one line to represent another. Wright’s instability, which is evident through her sewing, leads the women and the audience to believe that Mrs.
• The Metaphorical Canary in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell However, the existence of the canary is itself a mystery as no one can guarantee that anyone has actually seen the bird at all. The canary is a metaphor by itself, and it symbolized the […]
• Use of Language in Susan Glaspell’s ‘Trifles’ The play begins as the County Attorney and the Sheriff have come to investigate the murder and find the motive. Irony helps Glaspell to unveil women’s right to suffrage and dramatize the situation.in the play, […]
• Trifles: A Play in One Act If this is possible in the setting of the play, what important hints to the truth are we, the viewers, missing and overlooking in everyday life?
• Susan Glaspell’s Trifles: Negative Implication of Patriarchy in the Society The patriarchal system is the main cause of domestic violence because the oppressed women are likely to group and fight a common course of equality, dignity and respect.
• Aristotle’s Poetics Ideas in Trifles by Susan Glaspell The visual representation of the stage and characters, sounds, text of the play, and ideas agree with the drama regulations. In such a manner, Glaspell manages to construct a distinctive play that emphasizes women’s centrality […]
• “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell Wright’s beloved canary, as well as in the county attorney’s and the sheriff’s behaviors, mocking the women for their concentration on “trifles”.
• The Role of Women in Glaspell’s Play “Trifles” The setting of the play in the abandoned kitchen managed to deliver the theme of male chauvinism and the subdued role and authority of women in society.
• Mystery in “Trifles” Play by Susan Glaspell But the gentlemen who are actually supposed to find out the motive and solve the case are not able to succeed in reaching the depth of the matter, as they lack the sympathetic view which […]
• Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex” and “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell First, it is of the vital importance to pay extra attention to the author and particularly to the peculiarities of his or her character.
• Feminism in ‘Trifles’ by Susan Glaspell The Feminist Movement, also called the Women’s Movement and the Women’s Liberation Movement, includes a series of efforts by women in the world to fight for the restoration of gender equality.
• Stereotypes in Glaspell’s “Trifles” Play Because they are women, the men automatically assume that they are incapable of understanding the gravity of what has occurred just as the men have apparently ignored the possibility that it was Mrs.
• ‘Trifles’ by Susan Glaspell Review As Ben-Zvi asserts, “the concerns of the women are considered little or silly and insignificant and this is the most important reason for the men’s comments about them.
• Wrong World of Mrs. Wright in “Trifles” by S. Glaspell At the beginning of the play we see a very depressing room, and the disarray of the kitchen is one of the classic signs of depression.
• “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell: Murder, She Wrote The single act gives a glimpse into the investigation of the murder of John Wright, who is believed to have been killed by his wife, Minnie.
• Gendered Space in Susan Glaspell’s Play “Trifles” The setting is significant to the meaning of the work of writing as it influences its outcomes, the characters, viewpoint, and plot since it is connected to the principles, ideals, and feelings of characters.
• Major Themes of the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell They were the decision-makers in the family and in the political platform since women were still not allowed to vote and be represented in the political arena.Mrs. Wright is the symbol of the suffering the […]
• Plays Comparison: Pygmalion, A Doll’s House and Trifles This especially appears to be the case in the situations when what happened to be the actual truth, simply does much of a logical sense in the concerned person’s eyes.
• Hopelessness in Susan Glaspell’s Trifles Literature Analysis In spite of the fact that the play is constructed as the detective story, the main play’s idea is in presenting the realities of the American society in the early part of the 20th century.
• Literature Studies: Men in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” In spite of the fact that men and women play equal roles as the protagonists of the play, it is necessary to analyze the viewpoint of men about the described situations because it is necessary […]
• Trifles by Susan Glaspell and The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin’s This is one of the aspects that can be distinguished. This is one of the points that can be made.
• Susan Glaspell’s Play “Trifles” The main conflict in the play is the murder of John Wright. Although the murder is not solved in the course of the play, some characters are able to develop.
• Trifles by Susan Glaspell and The Hairy Ape by Eugene O’Neil On the other hand, the three ladies present in the room are shocked at how these ‘professionals’ are not able to gather clues that will lead to the arrest of the culprit.
• A Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell The author focuses on the development of the both the minor and major characters. There is a high degree of gender and culture stereotyping in the play.Mr.
• Psychological Critical Perspective of Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex” and Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• Femininity and Masculinity in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• The Unheimlich: A Feminist Perspective on Freud’s Uncanny in “Trifles”
• Limitations of Women in the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• Comparing the Use of Symbols in Steinbeck’s “The Chrysanthemums” and Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• Apparent Feminisms in the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• The Great Mystery in the Murder of Mrs. Wright in the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• Men’s Superiority Over Women in the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• The Importance of Paying Attention to the Small Details in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• How Feminism Is Portrayed in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• The Depiction of Women Emotions in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• Women of Today and Yesterday: Portrayal of Women in Glaspell’s “Trifles” and Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”
• Understanding the Feminism in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• The Unfair Treatment of Women and Their Rebellion in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• Perceptions of Men and Women Revealed in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• Differences in Masculine and Feminine Authority in “Trifles”
• The Setting, Characterization, and the Theme of Class Conflict in the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• Looking at the Past Present in “Hamlet” and “Trifles”
• Comparing Relationships in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” and Cherrie Moraga’s “Giving up the Ghost”
• Victim or Murderer: Anagnorisis and Dianoia in “Trifles”
• The Significance of the Dead Bird in the Short Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• “Trifles”: The Difference Between Men and Women
• Gender and Violence in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell and “Before Breakfast” by Eugene O’Neill
• Stereotypes and Stereotyping in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• The Theme of Rebellion From the Three Female Characters’ View in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• The Theme of Sexual Tension Between Men and Women in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” and “Suppressed Desires”
• “Trifles”: The Suppression of Women by Their Male Counterparts
• Feminist Symbolism in the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• The Vulnerability of Women’s Identity in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• Male Elitism and the Opposition of the Natural and Godly: Analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark” and Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• Motifs That Represent the State of Women in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• Social and Psychological Differences in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• Women’s Struggle for Equal Rights in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• The Revolution of the Female Character in Post-Civil War American Theatre: “Under the Gaslight” by Daly and “Trifles” by Glaspell
• Ignorance of Sexism in Susan Glaspell’s Play “Trifles”
• The Essence of Modernism in “Trifles” by Susan Keating Glaspell
• The Rebellion of Women Against a Male-Dominated Society in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• The Use of Symbols in Susan Glaspell’s Play “Trifles”
• Aspects of Life in “Hamlet” and “Trifles”
• The Changing Roles of Women in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• The Qualities of a Fisherman’s Wife in “Trifles” in Application Letter to the San Francisco Chronicle
• The Deception of “Trifles”: Gender Roles in the Play by Glaspell
• Sensitivity and Marital Relationships in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• Position of Women in the 19th and 20th Century as Depicted in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• The Clues and Symbolism in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• The Use of the Kitchen to Portray Gender Roles in the One Act Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• Examination of Mrs. Wright in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• The Struggles of the Characters in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell, “A Doll’s House” by Henrik Ibsen, and “Andre’s Mother” by Terrence McNally
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IvyPanda. (2024, March 1). 94 Trifles Essay Topics & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/trifles-essay-examples/

"94 Trifles Essay Topics & Examples." IvyPanda , 1 Mar. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/trifles-essay-examples/.

IvyPanda . (2024) '94 Trifles Essay Topics & Examples'. 1 March.

IvyPanda . 2024. "94 Trifles Essay Topics & Examples." March 1, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/trifles-essay-examples/.

1. IvyPanda . "94 Trifles Essay Topics & Examples." March 1, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/trifles-essay-examples/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "94 Trifles Essay Topics & Examples." March 1, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/trifles-essay-examples/.

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125 Trifles Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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Trifles, small things or details that may seem insignificant, can actually hold a lot of meaning and significance. In literature and in life, these seemingly unimportant details can often reveal deeper truths and insights. If you're looking for inspiration for an essay topic, consider exploring the theme of trifles. Here are 125 trifles essay topic ideas and examples to get you started:

• The significance of the birdcage in Susan Glaspell's play "Trifles"
• Analyzing the role of the quilt in Alice Walker's short story "Everyday Use"
• The importance of the broken window in Raymond Carver's story "Cathedral"
• Exploring the symbolism of the rocking chair in Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find"
• The use of food and drink as symbols in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings"
• The significance of the cat in Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat"
• Analyzing the role of the yellow wallpaper in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's story of the same name
• The importance of the glass unicorn in Tennessee Williams' play "The Glass Menagerie"
• Exploring the symbolism of the green light in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"
• The use of mirrors as symbols of self-reflection in Sylvia Plath's poetry
• The significance of the weather in Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights"
• Analyzing the role of the scarlet letter in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel of the same name
• The importance of the pocket watch in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"
• Exploring the symbolism of the river in Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"
• The use of flowers as symbols of beauty and decay in William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily"
• The significance of the conch shell in William Golding's "Lord of the Flies"
• Analyzing the role of the red dress in Nathanael West's "Miss Lonelyhearts"
• The importance of the white whale in Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick"
• Exploring the symbolism of the green light in Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse"
• The use of the color red as a symbol of passion and violence in Toni Morrison's "Beloved"
• The significance of the clock in Kazuo Ishiguro's "Never Let Me Go"
• Analyzing the role of the apple in John Milton's "Paradise Lost"
• The importance of the mirror as a symbol of vanity in Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray"
• Exploring the symbolism of the tree in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings"
• The use of the rose as a symbol of love and beauty in William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet"
• The significance of the teacup in Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice"
• Analyzing the role of the playing cards in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"
• The importance of the mirror in Jean Rhys' "Wide Sargasso Sea"
• Exploring the symbolism of the black cat in Edgar Allan Poe's story of the same name
• The use of the color white as a symbol of purity in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter"
• The significance of the river in Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"
• Analyzing the role of the mirror in Sylvia Plath's poetry
• The importance of the clock in Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway"
• Exploring the symbolism of the rose in William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily"
• The use of the color blue as a symbol of sadness and longing in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"
• The significance of the yellow wallpaper in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's story of the same name
• Analyzing the role of the red shoes in Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale
• The importance of the green light in T.S. Eliot's poem "The Waste Land"
• Exploring the symbolism of the white whale in Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick"
• The use of the pocket watch as a symbol of time and mortality in Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"
• The importance of the birdcage in Susan Glaspell's play "Trifles"
• Exploring the symbolism of the quilt in Alice Walker's short story "Everyday Use"
• The significance of the broken window in Raymond Carver's story "Cathedral"
• Analyzing the role of the rocking chair in Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find"
• The use of mirrors as symbols of self-reflection in

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76 Trifles Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on trifles, 🔎 easy trifles research paper topics, 🎓 most interesting trifles research titles, 💡 simple trifles essay ideas.

• Comparison S. Glaspell’s Play “Trifles” and “A Jury of Her Peers”
• The Significance of the Title “Trifles”
• Stage Directions and Dialogs in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• “Trifles” Play by Susan Glaspell
• “The Drama Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• Symbolism and Character Motivation in Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• Role of Men and Women in Susan Glaspell’s Play “Trifles”
• Sisterhood in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” Play Susan Glaspell’s play “Trifles” highlights the theme of sisterhood by showing the lengths that women are willing to go in defense of their gender.
• Mrs. Hale in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell Mrs. Hale is the protagonist of Susan Glaspell’s Trifles, and her actions as such constitute the main driving force of the plot.
• Sexism in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell The feeble behavior of the females in the story hinges on men’s aggressiveness and oppressive nature, which underscores sexism in the story.
• “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell The one-act play Trifles by Susan Glaspell, presents both a riveting murder mystery and commentary on social justice at the same time. This play reflects the status of women in the era of 1916.
• Theme in Glaspell’s “Trifles” and Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun” This comparative drama essay discusses similar themes of Glaspell’s “Trifles” and Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun”– gender differences and the role of women in those times.
• Use of Logic in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” Trifles, a work by Susan Glaspell, follows the structure of a common murder mystery but includes elements of social commentary and issues of great value.
• Feminism in “Trifles” by Susan Keating Glaspell The play Trifles was published in 1916 during the peak of the Feminist Movement. The play’s title refers to something insignificant or very trivial, which holds no importance.
• Comparison of the Key Characters of the “Trifles” Play The essay will examine “Trifles”, a play by Susan Glaspell, and its characters’ contribution to conveying the main point of the piece.
• A Transformation in “Trifles” Play by Glaspell Glaspell’s proper dramatic debut was her second play, Trifles (published in 1916), which genuinely revealed her range as an artist.
• Gender Difference in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell This paper analyzes the play “Trifles” written by Susan Glaspell in 1916 and its portrayal of gender culture and gender roles in society.
• Message to Men and Women in Glaspell’s “Trifles” Through “Trifles”, Glaspell teaches men to respect and value women as equal humans while letting women know their societal position should be changed.
• Women and Men in the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell The research of the Trifles play by Susan Glaspell exposes a significant contrast between female and male actions, based on a different perception of the environment.
• The Drama “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell The drama Trifles by Susan Glaspell revolves around the murder of John Wright, a farmer described by his peers as an honest and hard-working man.
• Gender Divide and Solidarity in Susan Glaspell’s ‘Trifles’ Trifles is an one-act play written by Susan Glaspell which crux of the story is the murder of John Wright, and the subsequent investigation of this event by other characters.
• Women’s Worldview in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell “Trifles” is a one-act play written by Susan Glaspell, first performed in 1916. The play views men and women through the story of a murder investigation.
• Glaspell’s “Trifles” & “Jury of Her Peers” and Miller’s “A View From the Bridge” The plays “Jury of Her Peers”, “Trifles” and “A View From the Bridge” are relevant to a class on Law and literature and highlights how different people construe fairness.
• Gender Roles in Glaspell’s “Trifles” Play This paper discusses the gender roles and the oppression of women in Glaspell’s “Trifles”. Characters’ interactions reveal how society viewed spousal abuse.
• The Evaluation of Susan Glaspell’s Trifles Susan Glaspell’s Trifles provides an appropriate example of this statement, and the writer effectively described the problem of sex discrimination.
• The Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell The play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell is about a murder scene where the male authority investigates Mr. John Wright’s death.
• Gender Roles in Trifles Play by Susan Glaspell The “Trifles” play, written in 1919 by Susan Glaspell, illustrates the world of a gender-strict role, where men dominated the society.
• Gender Roles and How Women are not Taken Seriously in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell The paper describes how symbolism, setting, and irony were used in outlining the theme of gender roles and how women are not taken seriously in the play Trifles by Susan Glaspell.
• “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell Analyis Feminist stance reflects varying perceptions of men and women, and the play “Trifles,” written by Susan Glaspell, is an excellent example of literary works focused on this topic.
• Resistance to Oppression in Glaspell’s “Trifles” and Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun Dramas The individuals in A Raisin in the Sun encounter numerous challenges due to racial discrimination while those in Trifles face the predicaments of gender-based abuse and torture.
• Women’s Gender Role Unfairness: “The Yellow Paper” and “Trifles” This paper takes Gilman’s “The Yellow Paper” and Glaspell’s “Trifles” to address the paradigm of rigid gender roles and see how diverse stories unfold a similar conflict.
• Plays “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Trifles” Both plays “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Trifles” illustrate discrimination, oppression, and prejudice against women in marital relationships and their adverse outcomes.
• “Trifles” Play by Susan Glaspell: Deductive Analysis The illustration of females in the time of Susan Glaspell’s Trifles’ writing was a misconception. Females perform essential duties, which were the basis of family survival.
• “Those Winter Sundays” by Hayden R., “Miss Brill” by Mansfield C. and “Trifles” by Glaspell S. All three works are united under the stream of modernism and have common features, but individuality of each author makes his work sound peculiar and incomparable to other works.
• Minnie’s Deed in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” Play Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” play is the portrayal of the difficult life of a woman living in the USA prior to the 19th Amendment.
• “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell Literature Analysis The short story by Susan Glaspell is full of flat and round characters. Stereotypes were used effectively as well to make the story believable.
• Justice, Murderers, Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” and William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
• Comparing Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” and “A Jury of Her Peers”
• How Things Can Be for Women: Gender Issues in “Trifles”
• Men’s Superiority Over Women in the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• The Role of Women in Society in “Trifles” and “Death of Salesman”
• Racism, Materialism, and Sexism in “Revolt of the Evil Fairies”, “A Perfect Day for Bananafish”, and “Trifles”
• Dramatic Suspense and Tension in “Trifles”, a Play by Susan Glaspell
• Feminist Communication in Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” and Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”: The Institution of Marriage
• Gender Roles and Stereotypes in “Trifles” and “Oleanna”
• How Mrs. Peters Breaks Away From the Traditions in “Trifles”
• “Trifles”: Mrs. Wright’s Criminal Psychology
• Male Dominance: Oppressing Women in “Trifles”
• Women’s Struggle for Equal Rights in the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• The Plays “Sure Thing” and “Trifles” and What They Say About Women’s Issues
• Male Elitism and the Opposition of the Natural and Godly: Analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark” and Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles” From a Historical Point of View
• The Setting, Characterization, and the Theme of Class Conflict in the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• “Trifles”: The Little Things That Mean a Lot
• Will the Play “Trifles” Be Popular With Audiences 100 Years From Now?
• Feminist and Legal Elements in “Trifles”
• “Hamlet” and “Trifles”: Aspects of the Past Relevant to the Present
• How Susan Glaspell Portrays Women in Her Play “Trifles”
• Sensitivity and Marital Relationships in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• Just Kitchen Things: Males and Females in “Trifles”
• The Motive for Murder in the Play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell and the “Story Killings” by Andre Dubus
• Social and Psychological Differences in “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell
• What Do “Trifles” Say About the Role of Women in Society?
• “Trifles” and “Oedipus Rex”: Psychological Critical Perspective
• “Trifles”: Bipolar Disorder and Depression Needs
• The Relationship Between Men and Women in Glaspell’s “Trifles” and Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House”
• Keeping Secrets: “Trifles” and “A Doll’s House”
• Masculine and Feminine Attitudes in “Trifles”
• Round and Flat Characters in “Trifles” by S. Glaspell
• “Trifles” and Symbolism Solve the Mystery
• Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”: The Conveyance of Womanhood
• The Classic Cues Signifying a Murder Mystery in “Trifles”, a Play by Susan Glaspell
• The Name “Trifles” and Its Significance
• Motifs That Represent the State of Women in Susan Glaspell’s Play “Trifles”
• “Trifles”: Gender Role and Minnie Foster

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StudyCorgi. (2022, October 26). 76 Trifles Essay Topics. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/trifles-essay-topics/

"76 Trifles Essay Topics." StudyCorgi , 26 Oct. 2022, studycorgi.com/ideas/trifles-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . (2022) '76 Trifles Essay Topics'. 26 October.

1. StudyCorgi . "76 Trifles Essay Topics." October 26, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/trifles-essay-topics/.

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These essay examples and topics on Trifles were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 9, 2024 .

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Play Analysis

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Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Compare and contrast Trifles to any contemporary work of art that delves into violence perpetrated by women; for example, choose something like the television show Killing Eve or the miniseries Sharp Objects. Within your analysis, be sure to attend to the differences in time period between the two works. How do each of them represent the tensions and conflicts specific to their era, and what do they have in common? Focus both on the literary and dramatic conventions each work uses, as well as the thematic and social content. 

Choose two character foils and explain how the pair advances the themes of the play. Foils that are composed of opposing genders may work particularly well for this prompt, but you can also choose to analyze two women as foils. Mrs. Wright’s absence from the play, for example, can be seen as a foiling mechanism to either Mrs. Hale or Mrs. Peters . 

Using direct quotation and a careful parsing of each recurrence of Mrs. Wright’s unfinished quilt , write an essay that explains the quilt’s significance as a symbol in the play. 

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Trifles — Trifles by Susan Glaspell Analysis

Trifles by Susan Glaspell Analysis

• Categories: Trifles

About this sample

Words: 429 |

Published: Jan 29, 2024

Words: 429 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Gender roles in the early 20th century, plot summary of trifles, symbolism in trifles, the marginalization of women in trifles, references:.

• Bigsby, C. (2012). Modern American Drama, 1945-2000. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Glaspell, S. (1916). "Trifles." The Best American Short Plays 1915-1916 . Ed. Willa Cather and George Jean Nathan. Boston: Small, Maynard and Company.
• Jarvis, B. (2008). "Susan Glaspell and the Anxiety of Expression." American Literary Realism , 40(2), 109-122.

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by Susan Glaspell

Trifles essay questions.

How does Trifles reflect and alter the plot formula of a typical murder mystery?

In most fictional mystery novels and plays, the plot is androcentric and features an actively analytical male hero who discovers the identity of the murder by searching for evidence and reasons his way through the crime. Sherlock Holmes, for example, is generally dispassionate in his pursuit of murderers as he continually bests the police at their own jobs. Like Holmes, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale act as amateur detectives who circumvent the folly of official law enforcement, in the form of the sheriff and the county attorney. Unlike typical male crime solvers, however, the women of Trifles avoid the ruthless search for information that also characterizes Henderson and instead achieve their solution by the seemingly accidental observation of Minnie Wright's kitchen while simultaneously developing a desire to protect rather than condemn the perpetrator.

Describe the inner conflicts of Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, and explain how they resolve these conflicts.

Of the two characters, Mrs. Hale begins the play with a greater suspicion of the designs of the men in their investigation of Mrs. Wright's crime. However, not until she compares the state of the Wright kitchen to her memory of Minnie Foster does she articulate that "we all go through the same things--it's all just a different kind of the same thing," and she comes to accept her portion of blame for not alleviating Minnie Wright's loneliness. On the other hand, Mrs. Peters commences with the assumption that because she is married to the sheriff, she must uphold male definitions of duty and law. By the end of the play, she protects Minnie because she has chosen to empathize with someone who reflects her own needs rather than with the identity imposed by her marriage.

How does the cold temperature of the setting connect symbolically to the rest of the play?

Initially, the cold outside the farmhouse establishes the bleak, contemplative mood that dominates much of the play. At the same time, it leads to a situation that physically and metaphorically separates the women from the men, as Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters refuse to join the men and take their traditional post next to the hearth. Finally, it reflects Minnie Wright's state of mind and the sense of loneliness that precipitated her murder. Significantly, her jars of preserves break from the cold, just as she loses her ability to preserve her emotional health in her unhappy household.

Are the women justified in their choice to hide the evidence? (Please take a side although both points of view are covered in the answer key.)

On the one hand, the women have chosen to protect Minnie Wright because they see themselves in her and do not want to be hypocritical and condemn her. Minnie has been desperately lonely and unhappy for many years, going through emotional and possibly physical abuse from her husband, and the killing of the only living thing that cares for her may have justified retribution in kind. On the other hand, one could contend that Mrs. Wright has still committed murder, and neither the death of an animal nor years of marital troubles excuses homicide. By aiding and abetting her, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are effectively accomplices who have condoned murder.

Explain the significance of the title "Trifles."

The name of the play refers specifically to Lewis Hale's casual statement that "women are used to worrying over trifles" near the beginning of the play, when Mrs. Peters' attention is drawn to the broken jars of fruit preserves. Hale offers this statement in an indulgently superior manner, but the fallacy of his assumptions becomes clear as the women proceed to solve the case precisely by looking at the minor details. In their search for external, smoking gun evidence outside of the kitchen and living room, the men do not recognize that all the necessary information about her motives rests in the domestic area at the center of Mrs. Wright's life. Mrs. Hale says defensively that nothing is wrong with looking at little things while waiting for evidence, but in reality, she is not waiting for evidence but actively discovering it as she develops a picture of Minnie Wright's dismal home life.

Discuss Glaspell's use of foreshadowing in Trifles .

At the beginning of the play, the unspoken stage directions that introduce the scene serve as foreshadowing for the rest of the play, as it hints at the personalities of Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters while drawing attention to the evidence that will later become important in our understanding of Minnie Wright's psychology. Later, when the women discuss the quilt and the birdcage, these objects foreshadow the subsequent discovery of the dead canary. Meanwhile, Lewis Hale provides an early hint of marital discord when he suggests that Mr. Wright does not listen to his wife and that their household does not have a telephone. From his offhand comment, cut off mid-sentence by Henderson, we receive our first clue of Mrs. Wright's motive for murder.

How does Glaspell undermine the attitude of the men toward the women over the course of the play?

The three men uniformly treat Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale with indulgent condescension, as they make gentle fun of the women for worrying about "trifles." The men do not blame the women for what they perceive as incompetence precisely of the wives' gender. However, by the end of the play, the women have succeeded more fully than the men have in pursuing evidence for the murderer, and the men do not have the instincts necessary to discover their wives' subversion of their authority. Henderson touches upon key subjects that might lead him to the murder but in the end regards them as insignificant, and he mistakes Mrs. Peters as "married to the law" and absolves her of possible complicity.

How does Henderson and Mrs. Hale's clash over the meaning of Mrs. Wright's dirty kitchen encapsulate their opposing views of the world?

Whereas Henderson sees Mrs. Wright's unkempt kitchen and concludes that Mrs. Wright must have been an incompetent homemaker, Mrs. Hale defends her and suggests that the bleakness of the Wright farmhouse might actually have been John Wright's fault. Henderson is taking a representative male view, in that he believes that a woman's main duty is to take care of her home and that John Wright was a good man who suffered a horrible fate. Mrs. Hale, on the other hand, intuitively understands more of Minnie Wright's situation and feels that the state of the kitchen is partly a result of being abruptly removed from her house and partly a response to something wrong in the household. After she finds the canary, she realizes that she was right, but like the men in general, Henderson never discovers the inadequacy of his assumptions.

Explain how Glaspell identifies Minnie Wright with objects in her household.

The three objects to which Minnie Wright connects most closely are the jars of preserves, the quilt, and the canary. The jars of preserves explode from the cold, despite her best attempts to prevent that fate, and she too loses her calm because of the coldness of her husband, although she never discovers the fate of the jars because the women choose to protect what remains of the preserves just as they choose to protect her. Second, quilts are a symbol of love and warmth, both of which Minnie lacked, and her faulty stitching on the last section of the quilt suggests her breakdown in her attempt to create order out of metaphorical scraps. Finally, the canary and its beautiful singing comes to represent the young Minnie Foster who loved life and loved to sing, and when her husband strangles it, she feels that she has lost part of her identity and decides to exact revenge.

What does Minnie Wright's absence contribute to the plot?

In part, Minnie's absence is a theatrical device that allows the two woman sleuths to solve the riddle of the murder by themselves, thus bringing them closer together and showing their worth. At the same time, because Mrs. Wright has no physical presence, she becomes an everywoman, who represents the extreme of the struggles of all women in her era and region of the country. The audience, Mrs. Hale, and Mrs. Peters all come to identify with Minnie Wright, thus giving the protagonists the moral ability to forgive her for her crime. We do not need her existence on stage to sympathize with her because the objects in her kitchen speak for themselves.

Trifles Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Trifles is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

How do the womens perspectives on men differ?

Womens perspectives on men differ as men are dutiful and are sincerely searching for the evidences in the house where murder took place but women are just worrying about the trivial matters and when they find the motive behind the murder,the dead...

THE REVOLUTIONARY RISE OF ABOLITIONISTS: Commonlit Answers

Paragraph Six provides an example of an early solution for slavery.

Answer Choice: D

The bird represents Minnie.... when she was a girl, she was happy vivacious, and loved to sing. The bird's death represents her life after marriage.... isolated and confined.

The birdcage represents imprisonment.... the isolation Minnie feels in...

Study Guide for Trifles

Trifles study guide contains literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Trifles
• Trifles Summary
• Character List

Essays for Trifles

Trifles essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Trifles by Susan Glaspell.

• The Unheimlich in Susan Glaspell's Play Trifles: A Feminist Interpretation of Freud's Uncanny
• Layers of Significance in Susan Glaspell's "Trifles"
• From Courtroom to Stage: Susan Glaspell's "Trifles"
• The Institution of Marriage in Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” and Susan Glaspell’s “Trifles”
• Portrayal of Women in Trifles

Lesson Plan for Trifles

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Trifles
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Trifles Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for Trifles

• Introduction
• Adaptations