Drama Trifles by Susan Glaspell - Essay Example

In regards to the men, they appear prejudiced against women in the play as they seek for evidence concerning the murder of Mr. Wright. The opposition between male and female in the play shows the social and psychological barriers which women became forced to contend with. Opposition between the male and female characters in the play first arises as they enter separately into the kitchen belonging to Mr. and Mrs. Wright’s farmhouse. The men: the attorney, the sheriff Harry Peters and Mr. Lewis Hale trudge themselves to one side of the kitchen near the stove while the women, Mrs.

Hale and Mrs. Peters stand aside a little petrified by the state of the kitchen. This setting offers for a preview of an understanding of the different sides that both sexes, male and female stand on. It portrays the difference in social class among males and females in the play. Opposition between the two sets of characters gets further evidenced by how they both handle Mr. Wright’s murder. The male characters directly involve themselves with searching for evidence to implicate Minnie as the murderer while the women try to understand the reasons behind the cause of death first.

Both sets of characters look at the cause of Mr. Wright’s death from different perspectives (Holstein 282). The different perspectives to which both sexes view the murder shows a divided and opposing setting. The women try to understand the death by taking a closer look at the minor details of Minnie Wright’s life such as the state of her bent bird cage, her preserves and her quilt. The men disregard these details in their investigations terming them as female trifles and of little value to the investigation.

The men appear to resent the idea of the presence of females at the house as they believe females have nothing to offer for solving the case which is untrue. Opposition between males and females in the play becomes played out in regards to gender roles.