Symbolism in Trifles by Susan Glaspell
While setting a story, the writer should mind both the social and physical contexts in which a story develops. (Meyer 2001) Those contexts set the atmosphere of the story, which helps readers to perceive the general mood. The general parts of the setting are the social and historical background, place, time that surrounds the characters. (Meyer 2001). The setting of the Trifles by Susan Glaspell is dark, lonely and gloomy. In order to present a clear understanding of the characters, the author uses symbols. The three symbolic objects used are canary, bird’s cage and placing of the Wright’s house.
A birdcage was used to mark that Mrs. Wright was very isolated from the social life, technological communication and progress (Manuel 2000), as at that time people believed that the woman can contribute household work only. She was literally trapped by the marriage and had no way out. Another important symbolic element is the door of a cage. The door was broken so as the Wrights’ marriage was. When the door was open, it allowed Mimi to run away, to become a free woman. The cage, also, used to be locked, it symbolizes how the Mr. Wright kept her isolated, so she was unable to tell about husband’s cruelty. Minnie was very lonely in the house, as the husband worked all days long : ‘Mrs. Hale: Not having children makes less work - but it makes a quiet house, and Wright out to work all day, and no company when he did in’ (Glaspell 1996).
Another symbol that supports Minnie’s Wright isolation is the house location. The house was a lonely, gloomy, uncomfortable place to be in, located far from the road. ‘Mrs Hale: I could’ve come. I stayed away because it weren’t cheerful- and that’s why I ought to have come. I-I never liked this place. Maybe because it’s down in a hallow and you don’t see the road. I dunno what it is, but it’s a lonesome place and always was’(Glaspell 1996).
The third symbol of the Minnie’s isolation is canary. This bird represented Mrs. Wright - freedom-loving, lovely and shy person. Glaspell used a bird to describe Minnie: ‘she was kind of like bird herself- real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and - flattery’ (Glaspell 1996). Minnie was happy, always smiley girl until she got married and the husband took her freedom away. ‘Mrs. Hale: (Holding up skirt and examining to it) Wright was close. I think maybe that’s why she kept so much to herself. She didn’t even belong to Ladies Aid. I suppose she felt she couldn’t do her part 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 was - oh, that was thirty years ago’ (Glaspell 1996)
Trifles by Glaspell shows that women should be engaged in social life, be aware of all innovations; equality of men and women are highly important. Susan Glaspell shows that the depressed, lonely and offended woman can do some crazy things, even harm her husband who restricts her. The author used symbols - canary and a birdcage in order to alter the entity in the world to the stage play. (Bennet and Royle, 2014). Additionally, those symbols clearly interpret the Glaspell’s conception to the audience. (Knowles and Moon, 2006)
Works Cited
Bennet, Andrew, and Nicholas Royle. An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory. London ; New York, NY: Routledge, 2014. Print.
Glaspell, Susan, Donna Haisty Winchell, and Susan Glaspell. Trifles. Boston: Thomson Wadsworth, 2004. Print.
Knowles, Murray, and Rosamund Moon. Introducing Metaphor. London: Routledge, 2006. Print.
Manuel, Carme. Susan Glaspell’s Trifles, 2000. Print.
Meyer, Michael. Poetry: An Introduction. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2001. Print.
