The "Trifles" of Women

 

Kailey Franklin

Dr. Cindy Spangler

EH 3365

22 October 2024

The "Trifles" of Women

The power imbalance between men and women is prevalent in both literature and society. This controversial problem in society always seems to be revealed creatively within fiction. The theme of power imbalance is showcased well in the short stories The Revolt of ‘Mother’ by Mary E. Williams Freeman and A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell.

In both short stories, the authors reveal the way men tend to discard the little ‘trifles’ women worry about. For instance, Glaspell wrote a play version of her short story called Trifles with the title highlighting the way the male characters in her story discarded the little, practical worries of women. One way Glaspell demonstrates the way men put down women is by revealing the sheriff’s character, ‘‘‘Nothing here but kitchen things,’ he said, with a little laugh for the insignificance of kitchen things” (4).  The same absurdity in which the men view their female counterparts’ worries within A Jury of her Peers is showcased in Adoniram in the story The Revolt of ‘Mother.’ Freeman reveals the father’s utter lack of care for his wife’s desires: “‘It’s a strange thing how your mother feels about the new barn,’ he said, confidentially, to Sammy one day” (154). The men from both texts gloss over the little concerns of the women and lose sight of the bigger picture.

The lack of care from the men for their little activities leave the women no choice but stand up to their natural leaders. However, in traditional times, the women can only stand up to their husbands in subtle ways. The subtility in which they handle their respective situations may make American women of today’s society roll their eyes, but for the setting of the short stories, even standing against the men in little ways requires more courage than modern women could ever possibly imagine. The mother Sarah monologues her stand:

‘Now, father,’ said she, ‘you needn’t be scared.” I ain’t crazy. There ain’t nothin’ to be upset over. But we’ve come here to live, an’ we’re goin’ to live here. We’ve got jest as good a right here as new horses an’ cows. The house wa’n’t fit for us to live in any longer, an’ I made up to my mind I wa’n’t goin’ to stay there. I’ve done my duty by you forty year, an’ I’m goin’ to do it now; but I’m goin’ to live here.’” (158)

The father Adoniram finally realizes how serious his wife is about her stance on moving into a nicer house, and shows regret for his actions. Meanwhile, the ladies in the other short story act even more subtle than Sarah. While Sarah moves the family’s house into the new barn while her husband is away, the two wives in A Jury of her Peers steal evidence against Mrs. Wright. Glaspell writes, “There was the sound of a knob turning in the inner door. Martha Hale snatched the box from the sheriff's wife, and got it in the pocket of her big coat just as the sheriff and the county attorney came back into the kitchen” (15). Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters both know that there is enough evidence to convict Mrs. Wright of murder, but feel sympathy towards her after realizing what kind of man her husband is after finding evidence in surrounding kitchen things of a man who does not care about his wife. So they stand up against their husbands by stealing convicting evidence because they knew that Mrs. Wright would not be given a completely fair trial.

In conclusion, these short stories heavily reveal the imbalance of power between men and women. The wives have to stand up against their husbands in more subtle ways, knowing that anything further may result in heavier repercussions.