History Theatre / Trifles

''Trifles'' is a one-act play by Susan Glaspell, where an attorney, George Hale, and a sheriff, Henry Peters, go to investigate the death of a local man by the name of John Wright.

The men and their wives go to the Wrights' farmhouse and find John's wife, Minnie, acting a little off. According to her when Hale questioned her, she fell asleep and she awoke to find out that someone strangled her husband.

''Trifles'' is a one-act play by Susan Glaspell, where an attorney, a sheriff, Henry Peters go to investigate the death of a local man by the name of John Wright.

* AnimalMotifs: Minnie is associated with birds, as, it's mentioned she was, for all intents and purposes, free and happy (along with that she loved to sing) before her marriage to John. Tying into this, the dead bird could easily represent how the Minnie from years ago has been "killed" by her marriage.

* BreakTheCutie: Minnie has gone through this as before her marriage, she was happy, but her marriage to John effectively turned her into a shell of what she used to be.
* ChekhovsGun: When Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters find the dead canary. Said canary was killed in much the same as John was.

* DomesticAbuse: As we get further in the story, we find out that John Wright is a textbook case of this trope, as he's very cruel to his wife, Minnie, and their marriage is practically loveless. Along with that, he isolates her. The tipping point of this was when he killed Minnie's pet canary.
* TheDogBitesBack: Minnie kills her husband, not just to avenge her canary, but for all of the abuse she's endured at the hands of her husband.

* MinimalistCast: There are seven characters total but two, Minnie and John, aren't seen onscreen.

* WomenAreWiser: Not so much "wiser" in this case, but, rather, more understanding, as Mrs. Peters and Martha, upon reviewing the evidence, find out why Minnie killed her husband, in which case, they opt to hide that evidence.

!Associated Tropes:

* BreakTheCutie: Minnie has gone through an AdultFear version of this, as before her marriage, she was happy, but her marriage to John effectively turned her into a shell of what she used to be.

* NotSoDifferent: As Mrs. Peters put it, "I know how things can be for women. We all go through the same thing, it's just a different kind of the same thing."

* BreakTheCutie: Minnie has gone through an AdultFear version of this, as, before her marriage, she was happy but her marriage to John effectively turned her into a shell of what she used to be.

* DeathOfPersonality: Minnie is a metaphorical case of this, which is referenced by the use of her names, especially her married and maiden names. As Minnie ''Foster'', she was happy and free, but as Minnie '''Wright''', the free spirit within is gone, leaving behind the isolated wife.
* DomesticAbuse: As we get further in the story, we find out that John Wright is a textbook case of this trope, as he's very cruel to his wife, Minnie, and their marriage is practically loveless, along with that he isolates her. The tipping point of this was when he killed Minnie's pet canary.

* DeathOfPersonality: Minnie is a metaphorical case of this, which is referenced by the use of her names, especially her married and maiden names. As Minnie ''Foster'', she was happy and free but, as Minnie '''Wright''', the free-spirit within is gone, leaving behind the isolated wife.

* NotSoDifferent: As Mrs Peters put it, "I know how things can be for women. We all go through the same thing, it's just a different kind of the same thing."
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: The play is loosely based off a case where a woman, named Margaret Hossack, killed her husband John.
* RuleOfSymbolism: Minnie Wright's being is mostly tied her belongings, like her preserves, her quilting, and her canary, along with her kitchen. It's noted that her kitchen is cold, symbolizing her marriage to John, and one jar of her preserves are shattered, which symbolizes how her marriage broke her spirit. In that vein, the caged bird symbolizes the roles of women under late 19th/early 20th century society.

''Trifles'' is a one-act play by Susan Glaspelle, where an attorney, a sheriff, Henry Peters go to investigate the death of a local man by the name of John Wright.

* AnimalMotifs: Minnie is associated with birds, as, it's mentioned she was, for all intents and purposes, free and happy (along with that she loved to sing) before marriage her to John. Tying into this, the dead bird could easily represent how the Minnie from years ago has been "killed" by her marriage.

* ChekhovsGun: When Mrs Hale and Mrs Peters find the dead canary. Said canary was killed in much the same as John was.

* NoNameGiven: Mrs Peters isn't named, however, Mrs Hale is named "Martha" in the story ''A Jury of Her Peers''

* AnimalMotifs: Minnie is associated with birds, as, it's mentioned she was, for all intents and purposes, free and happy (along with that she loved to sing) before marriage her to John.

* ChekhovsGun: When Mrs Hale and Mrs Peters find the dead canary. Said canary was killed in the same way

* AnimalMotifs: Minnie is associated with birds, as, it's mentioned she was, for all intents and purposes, free and happy (along with that she loved to sing) before marriage her to John.
* AmbiguousEnding: Teetering on NoEnding, we don't know if Minnie was found guilty or not
* AdaptationExpansion: An odd case of this, as the ''A Jury of Her Peers'' adds more details that weren't seen in the original play.
* BreakTheCutie: Minnie has gone through an AdultFear version of this, as, before her marriage, she was happy but her marriage to John effectively turned her into a shell of what she used to be.
* CheckhovsGun: When Mrs Hale and Mrs Peters find the dead canary. Said canary was killed in the same way
* DeathOfPersonality: Minnie is a metaphorical case of this, which is referenced by the use of her names, especially her married and maiden names. As Minnie ''Foster'', she was happy and free but, as Minnie '''Wright''', the free-spirit within is gone.
* DomesticAbuse: As we get further in the story, we find out that John Wright is a textbook case of this trope, as he's very cruel to his wife, Minnie, and their marriage is practically loveless, along with that he isolates her. The tipping point of this was when he killed Minnie's pet canary.
* TheDogBitesBack: Minnie kills her husband, not just to avenge her canary, but for all of the abuse she's endured at the hands of her husband.
* KickTheDog: John does this when he kills Minnie's pet canary, her only joy in her life while being married to him.
* MinimalistCast: There are seven characters total but two, Minnie and John, aren't seen onscreen.
* NoNameGiven: Mrs Peters isn't named, however, Mrs Hale is named "Martha" in the story ''A Jury of Her Peers''
* NotSoDifferent: As Mrs Peters put it, "I know how things can be for women. We all go through the same thing, it's just a different kind of the same thing."
* RippedFromTheHeadlines: The play is loosely based off a case where a woman, named Margaret Hossack, killed her husband John.
* RuleOfSymbolism: Minnie Wright's being is mostly tied her belongings, like her preserves, her quilting, and her canary, along with her kitchen. It's noted that her kitchen is cold, symbolizing her marriage to John, and one jar of her preserves are shattered, which symbolizes how her marriage broke her spirit. In that vein, the caged bird symbolizes the roles of women under late 19th/early 20th century society.
* StayInTheKitchen: A narrative/symbolic example, as the men go to investigate the barn and the bedroom, where men would traditionally have more dominance, while the women are left to search the kitchen, a place where women would hold more authority, where they find a key piece of evidence.
* TitleDrop: "Well, women are used to worrying over trifles."
* ToBeLawfulOrGood: Martha and Mrs. Peters find themselves dealing with this on a more personal level as, to them, Minnie is a victim of abuse and circumstance, while, to Henry and George, she's a suspect in a murder and not much else, so they hide the evidence of a motive.
* WomenAreWiser: Not so much "wiser" in this case, but, rather, more understanding, as Mrs. Peters and Martha, upon reviewing the evidence, find out why Minnie killed her husband, in which case, they opt to hide that evidence.