American literature is famous for its variety of sociopolitical themes and symbolism expressed through the minutiae of narrative. Trifles by Susan Glaspell tells the story of the Wright family. It raises themes of feminism, the contrast between women’s and men’s experiences, and justice for women. It is vividly developed by Mrs. Peters, who goes from being aware to covering up the murder of her neighbor.
Mrs. Peters is the wife of the sheriff, whose job it is to investigate the murder of Mr. Wright. Mrs. Wright comes under suspicion and is in custody at the beginning of the play. Mrs. Peters is a neurotic character who worries about her role in her husband’s investigation (Glaspell, 1916). Her character is initially dim and submissive, and she is afraid of contradicting men and giving them a different place in life, like all good wives of the 20th century.
As the play progresses, Mrs. Peters changes: along with Mrs. Hale, she notices the symbolic men do not notice. She feels a heightened sense of responsibility because her husband has probably treated her rudely. She is pressured by the prosecutor, who constantly reminds her that she is “married to the law” (Glaspell, 1916). It leads to a vivid realization of why Mrs. Wright killed her husband. The Peters family did not value Mrs. Peters’ suffering over the loss of her child, passed by her husband. This endows Mrs. Peters with sad facial features, eerie thinness, and perpetual fear.
Mrs. Peters’ empathy escalates into aiding murder because she understands the significance of small things. She understands why Mrs. Wright went to murder over the death of her canary: she was not alone with her, but her husband deprived her of it. From the image of a good wife, she becomes a bad wife, taking responsibility for covering up evidence of the crime (Glaspell, 1916). It is born out of a sense of female solidarity and a desire to confront men who do not hesitate to use any leverage on their wives.
Mrs. Peters goes through a complex but essential path of personality development. While in the beginning, she appears nervous and even pathetic, gradually, she joins Mrs. Hale in her opinion of justice for women. She grows into a woman who wants to stop the impunity of men toward women. Mrs. Peters becomes a bad wife because she finds the source of her troubles in men.
Reference
Glaspell, S. (1916). Trifles. One Act Plays. Web.