ACCTG 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Birdcage, Susan Glaspell
Document Summary
Trifles is seen as an example of early feminist drama. The two female characters, mrs. peters and mrs. hale, are able to sympathize with minnie, the victim"s wife, and understand her possible motive, which leads them to the evidence against her. The men, meanwhile, are blinded by their cold, emotionless investigation of material facts. The female characters find the body of a canary, with its neck wrung, killed in the same way as john wright, thus leading them to the conclusion that minnie was the murderer. Clearly, the wife is represented by the caged bird, a common symbol of women"s roles in society. The plot concludes with the two women hiding the evidence against minnie. The male characters are prejudiced in believing that nothing important can be discovered in areas of the house where minnie spent most of her time. Their minds are clouded by prejudice and they disregard important clues as being mere "trifles" that women concern themselves with.
