Essay on ‘Trifles’ Gender Roles – Free Essay Example

Different cultures have their “Gender Roles”. It is always the woman doing the work for everyone and the family. As for the men, they are the ones to go to work. They come home and it is like they do not have to do anything else. They take very much pride because they put on this “This is my House” or “I am the working guy or father”. This does not surprise me at all because today that is still happening, and some of us can relate. I can relate very much as a Mexican-American, this happens in my culture. So to read this story I can relate a lot. Women and men have gender roles that stereotype them. Women have major expectations when it comes to specific gender roles. Two women are challenged by men. Murder is inspired by getting rights.

Having to do with a pioneer woman that has nothing to do with wearing bonnets. The author wrote this story when a woman was not respected. This play is one of the great examples of American women’s drama. From before time and now. Which very many women can relate to today. How some women cannot take being in an abusive marriage. Takes the women to a breaking point, to stop the emotional abuse. The title of the story represents the Hale line “Well women are used to worrying about trifles.”(132). Around this time, the woman accused of murder was more worried about what people might think of her. The title “Trifles” gives this story a good name for what they are going through. Representing women as a whole who are treated like trifles and nothing important they say.

Mrs. Peters is considered to be the “The Good Wife”. She is Mrs. Hale’s partner in crime. She is married to a Sherriff. They described Mrs. Peters as ‘a slight wiry woman, [with] a thin nervous face’ (1). She does not sound like a troubled lady considering she follows the law. She respects the officer unlike Mrs. Hales, who does give a little attitude. She does not care for men who do their jobs. Some men make sexist comments, but she just puts it behind her like she does not care. “MRS. HALE: I’d hate to have men coming into my kitchen, snooping around and criticizing. […] MRS PETERS: “Of course, it’s no more than their duty”. (51-52). “MRS. HALE: “(resentfully) I don’t know as there’s anything so strange, our takin’ up our time with little things while we’re waiting for them to get the evidence”. “[…] I don’t see as it’s anything to laugh about”. MRS. PETERS: “(apologetically) Of course they’ve got awful important things on their minds”. (78-79).

This story is considered a Feminist drama. It shares a time in America when women were treated differently. They were ignored when it came to being neglected, ignored, and belittled by men. They were both tired but to one wife, something had to be done, and she committed murder. She thought this was the way to ‘act” towards what happens when men treat women this way. One of the women snapped at being neglected and emotionally abused by her husband. Men dominated society. This was to show some freedom and confinement. The rural Midwestern life in the 20th century, helps you to see the past. This was during the great depression. This was around the farm, technology, and social life change. ‘The average farmer’s wife is one of the most patient and overworked women of the time.’-The American Farmer, 1884. Women at that time took care of the wife’s duties as well as the mother’s duties. Some opportunities were coming that they wanted to succeed in. Age and sex were separated. Women had roles that needed to be done. Men were paid for their roles, as for women weren’t. Farm work at the time was an important role. People married into those who were in the farming, or whose family owned a farm. A mother or wife, sewing had to be done, as to ironing. This is a time when a woman’s life was lonely on a farm life. The theme for this story brought out isolation as well for all women.

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This dialogue was put out there to see the realistic situations that went on then and now. Murder goes on every day, but nothing like this now. Women are here now. Just now in this time, we have controlled and manipulated men. I mean the difference to now women think that is love. As this dialogue puts it, sounds like it was a fight for women’s rights. This story wanted to show how women were being treated and to see the wrong. Criticizing women with every move she makes or what she is supposed to be doing, is pretty much harassing. Sometimes this type of dialogue or story made it harder for people to understand because men did not think that was going on in their home.

People showed up, basically the whole gang at Wright’s farmhouse. Mrs. Wright is in the whole with this one, because she strangled her husband. The women are here to help protect and stand by Mrs. Wright. Before the detective and more men come to the house the women help collect a couple of things. “MRS. HALE: I might have known she needed help! I know how things can be—for women. I tell you, it’s queer, Mrs. Peters. We live close together and we live far apart. We all go through the same things—it’s all just a different kind of the same thing.” (138). This line pretty much speaks about what is going on. It speaks about all women because they could be in this situation. So as this conversation is brought up they know they would do the same for them.

The detectives hunt for clues that they can find to frame Mrs. Wright. Sexist remarks are being made. They go over and around the house to double-check things. “COUNTY ATTORNEY: […] No sign at all of anyone having come from the outside. Their rope. Now let’s go up again and go over it piece by piece. (they start upstairs) It would have to have been someone who knew just the— .”(124). At this point, they are trying to find any reason. Yes, she did it, but they are working hard to find anything. Mrs. Hale is being more bugged about the situation and comments. Men becoming misogyny. The ladies understand if they were in the same position they would all be fighting for the same thing.

Sex remarks around this time are common. The women always look bad. It could be anything that she would do, working, what she was supposed to be doing, etc. Social media is a big thing because it seems like easier access for women. Some women nowadays do not want to take care of men. The way men put their attitude out there towards women as well. This dialogue excites me because it is something that some of us are dealing with or seeing. We see it on the news every day and on social media. Men these days say women will not make it in certain careers that only men can do. The ladies come together because of their friends and the detectives. Well, the same how it is now, if a man would come for a woman a certain way he would look dumb. There are bigger picture in this world of how a man would come after a woman. Things are changing. I feel there will always be a fight for a place and say. These women in the dialogue are together to fight if the circumstances were to go left.

At this point, Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Peters, and the ladies are together. They decide to hide the dead birds. They have a meaning through this whole journey in which the bird means Mrs. Foster. Minnie Foster, she was, before a Mrs. Wright. Before she married the emotionally abusive husband. “MRS. HALE: She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir. But that—oh, that was thirty years ago.” (58). There is a little backstory before all this “attacking women” situation. Mrs. Wright wore pretty clothes and pretty feathers, and she sang in the choir. The days were better before. She had more freedom to do what made her happy and be pretty. She wore was made her happy. They bring up the canary, which represents Minnie Foster. MRS HALE: She—come to think of it, she was kind of like a bird herself—real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and—fluttery. How—she—did—change.” (109). Mrs. Wright was sweet and fluttery, a girl who changed into the most depressing woman. She became lonely with her husband after being neglected and emotionally abused by her husband.