9.2: Trifles: The Rise of Modern Feminism on the Stage, Part 2
Question 6 • (OC27) ENG 4-1001400-S2-VRobinson-VOL7006P
In part two of Trifles, how does Glaspell use irony to illustrate the idea that women were often seen as less capable than men in the early twentieth century?
Answer
A
She leads the men all over the Wright’s property to find clues, but leaves the women in the kitchen.
B
She makes Mrs. Peters appear to be afraid of breaking the law, but makes Mrs. Hale appear to be rebellious.
C
She emphasizes the trust that Hale and Mr. Peters have in their wives, but shows the wives plotting to upstage their husbands.
D
She suggests that Mrs. Wright may have been successful as a singer, but indicates that Mr. Wright was jealous of her possible success.
Explanation
The men search the Wrights’ property for important clues while treating the kitchen as an insignificant place and the women’s concerns as “trifles.” Ironically, the women notice the crucial evidence in the kitchen that the men overlook. This contrast shows that the men’s assumption that women are less capable prevents them from recognizing the women’s insight.
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