Stereotypes and Stereotyping in Susan Glaspells Trifles...

Stereotypes and Stereotyping in Susan Glaspells Trifles In the play Trifles, by Susan Glaspell, the male characters make several assumptions concerning the female characters. These assumptions deal with the way in which the male characters see the female characters, on a purely stereotypical, gender-related level. The stereotypical assumptions made are those of the women being concerned only with trifling things, loyalty to the feminine gender, and of women being subservient to their spouses. The first assumption, women being only concerned with trifling things, is seen beginning with line 120 where the men say: Sheriff: Well, can you beat the women! Held for murder and worryin about her preserves. County†¦show more content†¦In line 140, the County Attorney states, Ah, loyal to your sex, I see. But you and Mrs. Wright were neighbors. I suppose you were friends, too. This statement also makes an assumption concerning country women being neighborly. The County Attorney assumes that because the two women were neighbors, they were naturally friends, and spoke regularly. In some instances, the women conform to and depart from the assumptions made by the men. Mrs. Hale has found an important piece of evidence, a dead bird. The ladies decide not to allow the men to know of the true reason for the birds death. As concerns the loyalty of one woman to another, evidence is found in line 366 that seems to allude to such a bond. Line 366 begins: County Attorney: (Preoccupied.) Is there a cat? (Mrs. Hale glances in a quick covert way at Mrs. Peters.) Mrs. Peters: Well, not now. Theyre superstitious, you know. They leave. These lines also show a departure from the assumption that women are subservient to their men in that they lie to them. In line 411 one can see more evidence of the almost sisterly bond between women. Mrs. Hale: I might have known she needed help! I know how things can be--for women. I tell you, its queer, Mrs. Peters. We live close together and we live far apart. We all go through the same things--its all just a different kind of the same thing... The third assumption the men make concerning the women can be foundShow MoreRelatedSusan Glaspell s Trifles : Gender Differences And Stereotyping Explored2016 Words   |  9 PagesSusan Glaspell’s Trifles: Gender Differences and Stereotyping Explored Susan Glaspell’s Trifles is a dramatic play with satirical content that points out gender differences and how stereotyping affects perceptions of duty, justice, and law. Glaspell wrote Trifles in 1916, a time in America where women were consistently expected to be housewives and nothing more. Women’s limitations were clearly a spark of inspiration and reason for Glaspell to write Trifles, criticizing society with feministic intelligenceRead MoreThe Unbalanced Scale Between Men and Women940 Words   |  4 Pagesapprehension, and a feeling of inferiority, toward themselves. Susan Glaspell’s â€Å"A Jury of Her Peers† and John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums,† create a literary consciousness, showing how gender stereotyping causes impacts on women’s psyche. Society has created an idea held as a standard for the majority especially about gender. It draws a bold line that separates the rights and capabilities between men and women. Comparable to Susan Glaspell’s, â€Å"A Jury of Her Peers†, the influence of her literary workRead MoreGender Roles And Femininity : Susan Glaspell s One Act Play1400 Words   |  6 PagesGender Roles and Femininity In Susan Glaspell’s one-act play Trifles, the women become more privy of the circumstances surrounding John Wright’s murder than their husbands who are actually conducting the investigation. In the male-centric setting of the American Midwest in the 1920’s, the play addresses gender roles by placing the emphasis on the female characters in the play. While the men are hard at work, it is the women who emerge as the protagonists. In this essay, I wish to explore the gender