Irony in Trifles by Susan Glaspell

Trifles is the first play she wrote, and it’s a one-act play which was inspired by the murder of John Hossack a case that Glaspell covered for years. It’s a play that outlines the position of a woman in society back in the 19th century. The most captivating part of the play is the title mainly because it has been applied ironically in a bid to give a better presentation of the real situation. Trifles refer to something that is small and of less significance. In the play, trifles represent clues that women utilize to solve the case and the things that men fail to notice because they consider them to be feminine. Mrs. Wright also contributes to irony in that she sat in her house with a dead body without showing any concern.

She even had the confidence to laugh during such a serious moment. Interestingly she did not even attempt to run away or conceal the evidence knowing very that she will be the first person to be questioned over the murder of his husband (Glaspell 3). This behaviour presents the case as a trifle in the eyes of Mrs Wright, but in reality, it’s a serious case that may lead to many years of imprisonment. Mr. Hale says “women are used to worrying about trifles”, this statement is ironic since despite the murder charges facing Mrs. Wright she was still more concerned about her preserves. The men also discredited the quilt as a trifle ignoring the fact that it was a significant element that could act as supporting evidence.

Considering their experience and knowledge as a county sheriff and attorney one would expect them to connect the quilt with the murder but they failed to do so. Additionally, the county attorney goes ahead to say “and yet for all their troubles and worries what would we do without the ladies?” This statement is ironic since even after defaming women as people who worry about trifles and other domestic chores the attorney says that men cannot survive without their women even when they create a lot of troubles and worries (Glaspell 4). This is a statement that one would not expect from the attorney to make considering that women were viewed as people who did not add any value to the society.

However, based on his statement even with all the trifles associated with ladies, the men cannot do anything without them. Men depend on their women for support so that the can attend to their daily duties which they assume to be more important. According to Mrs. Additionally, they were uncomfortable with men coming into the kitchen to snoop and criticize (Glaspell 6). For instance, Mrs. Hale was uncomfortable with the fact that the men criticized and questioned Mrs. Wright’s housekeeping skills. Mrs. Additionally, Glaspell is dispelling the belief that a woman’s place is in the kitchen. Women can also do things that are dominated by men. She is also encouraging women to stand together and help each other especially when the experience challenges like the one Mrs.