Essay on "Symbolism in the Trifles"

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[EXCERPT] . . . .

Symbolism in "Trifles"

An Analysis of "Trifles" through a Variety of Symbols

Susan Glaspell's 1916 short play "Trifles" had its basis in a real-life murder trial -- but what is most remarkable about the play is its keen assessment of human nature and the discrepancy between the sexes. The discrepancy is noted in the way the women observe the home and the way the men roam about looking for clues, searching for an idea or motive for murder as though they were foreigners in a domestic setting. It is through the women that Glaspell provides the real clues as to what might have happened -- and it is through the women that the reader is provided the ultimate empathy for the character of Mrs. Wright. The men, remorseless in their verdicts and calculations, remain aloof, while the women essentially sew the case up by going about their business (which, ironically, includes gathering up the sewing). Thus, the home becomes a symbol for the nest, and the bird a symbol for the woman -- and "Trifles" is the woman's domain. Yet what should have been a happy home (or nest), ended up being a cage (a symbol of Mr. Wright's unnatural attempt to trap and keep his woman shut up), and the dead bird ends up being a symbol of the soul of Mrs. Wright. From the broken neck of the bird and the reflections of the women, one can conjecture who put the knot around Mr. Wright's neck. In one way, he did it himself, when he cut off his wife's singing. This paper will analyze Glaspell's play from the aspect of such symbols.

At first glimpse, the women's work appears to be nothing more than "trifles" -- canning the fruit, cleaning the house, sewing the quilts, keeping the home cheery. An
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d yet, the naturalness with which the women take to these tasks is reflected in the manner of the bird and its nest: it gathers the twigs, puts it together, lays the eggs, etc. Here, of course, in this last depiction of the bird and the nest -- what's object is to keep the eggs -- is a clue to the loneliness of Mrs. Wright, who had a nest -- but no children. It is as if she were perpetually gathering twigs about her and keeping the nest -- but for no end.

Nonetheless, this symbol is representative of only one aspect of the woman. The sewing is another symbol that gives a clue not only to the mystery of the murder but also to the mystery of the womanhood of Mrs. Wright. This mystery is reflected in the craft of sewing -- a careful, considerable work, that requires utmost skill, attention, and focus. The women remark on Mrs. Wright's sewing and then (true to her nature) Mrs. Hale pulls out a knot in the sewing to redo it. Yet that knot serves as another important symbol -- which is related the dead bird and the knotted noose that killed Mr. Wright.

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Quoted Instructions for "Symbolism in the Trifles" Assignment:

This essay is a closing reading essay. The reanding is the *****"Trifles*****" by Susan Glasspell. Plz look for it online. There is a link, *****"http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/eng384/trifles.htm*****", for the reading.

The requirement is that we must look for and focus on the symbols and characters in the reading, especially the symbols. We also need to determine the meaning of them.

There are some examples. (write each paragraph for one symbol)

Bird----dream of being a singer(Mrs wright sings as a girl)

Bird voice/cage/fruit preserve apron----work quilt----neat----tangled box----beauty

We can write about this or other symbles in the reading.

Another requirement is that we can use images to write it. Image are words, sometimes phrases, that appeal to the senses and often put a picture in your mind like Visual(sight), Auditory(sound), Gustatory(taste), Kinetic(motion), Thermal(temperature), and Tactile(feeling).

There are also three instruction to help us to start it which can*****'t be copied.

1. Susan Glasspell devoted her life to progress movements, including women*****'s right.

2. In Susan Glasspell*****'s Trifles the author shows how women are manginalized in their marriages.

3. Authors often take real-life events and turn them into fiction.

How to Reference "Symbolism in the Trifles" Essay in a Bibliography

Symbolism in the Trifles.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2011, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/symbolism-trifles-analysis/8088727. Accessed 29 Sep 2024.

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[1] ”Symbolism in the Trifles”, A1-TermPaper.com, 2011. [Online]. Available: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/symbolism-trifles-analysis/8088727. [Accessed: 29-Sep-2024].
1. Symbolism in the Trifles [Internet]. A1-TermPaper.com. 2011 [cited 29 September 2024]. Available from: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/symbolism-trifles-analysis/8088727
1. Symbolism in the Trifles. A1-TermPaper.com. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/symbolism-trifles-analysis/8088727. Published 2011. Accessed September 29, 2024.

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