Educational Notes

a. Do you believe that Mrs. Wright killed her husband? Explain.

Ans: Yes, the play strongly implies that Mrs. Wright killed her husband due to years of emotional and psychological abuse. The discovery of the dead bird with a wrung neck is symbolic of her own suffocation in the marriage and represents the breaking point in her silent suffering.

b. Do you think Mr. Wright’s death would have been uncovered if Mr. Hale hadn’t stopped by the Wrights’ home?

Ans: No, Mr. Wright’s death may have gone unnoticed for longer if Mr. Hale had not stopped by. His visit and subsequent discovery of Mrs. Wright’s strange behavior initiated the investigation, bringing the murder to light.

c. Why does Mrs. Hale think that Mrs. Wright’s worries about her preserves indicate her innocence?

Ans: Mrs. Hale believes that Mrs. Wright’s concern over her preserves shows her mental state wasn't focused on committing a crime. It reflects a domestic, caring mindset, not that of a cold-blooded murderer.

d. How does Mrs. Peters’ homesteading experience connect her to Mrs. Wright?

Ans: Mrs. Peters recalls the emotional pain of losing a child and how isolation affects a woman. This helps her empathize with Mrs. Wright, who was also isolated and emotionally deprived.

e. How do the women’s perspectives on men differ?

Ans: The women recognize how men ignore their contributions and concerns. They notice that men dismiss domestic life as trivial, while they see it as crucial in understanding Mrs. Wright’s emotional state and motive.

a. Read the extract:
“MRS. PETERS: (glancing around)... I wonder what happened to it?”
MRS. HALE: “I s’pose maybe the cat got it.”

i. Who does ‘she’ refer to? – Mrs. Wright.

ii. What does the word ‘one’ stand for? – A bird.

iii. What is the full form of "s’pose"? – "Suppose".

iv. What do you mean by “the cat got it”? – It implies that the bird may have been killed by a cat, though it actually suggests suspicion about the bird’s death.

b. “Wright was close…that was thirty years ago.”

i. Why does Mrs. Hale refer to Mrs. Wright as “Minnie Foster”?
She refers to her as Minnie Foster to recall her past identity as a lively and talented woman before marriage transformed her life.

ii. What does her description tell you about Mrs. Wright?
She was once full of life, sang in the choir, and enjoyed social life. Marriage isolated and silenced her.

iii. What does Mrs. Hale mean by “that was thirty years ago”?
She emphasizes the long duration of Mrs. Wright’s suffering and the drastic change from who she used to be.

c. What is the main theme of the play?

Ans: The main themes are gender inequality, emotional abuse, justice, and female solidarity. The play highlights how women’s experiences and observations, though ignored by men, reveal the truth behind a crime.

d. Discuss the symbolism used in the play.

Ans: The bird symbolizes Mrs. Wright’s lost voice and joy, the broken birdcage represents her emotional imprisonment, and the unfinished tasks reflect her psychological distress. The kitchen becomes a symbol of overlooked truths in domestic life.

e. Discuss the setting of the play. Does it have an impact on the theme of the play?

Ans: The play is set in a rural, isolated farmhouse kitchen. This setting reinforces the theme of female isolation and the neglect of women’s voices and roles. The domestic space becomes central to uncovering the emotional truths of the story.

a. Discuss in relation to the characters of Trifles: "The credibility of a character is determined not only by the character’s thoughts and actions but also by what other characters say and think about him or her."

Ans: In "Trifles", Mrs. Wright never appears on stage, yet her character is vividly revealed through the observations and reflections of Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters. Their empathy helps the audience understand her emotional turmoil and the oppression she endured. This shows how secondary characters' interpretations can construct a credible image of a main character, emphasizing how silence and neglect can shape one’s fate.

b. Analyse the play discussing the author’s use of dramatic irony:

i. What information is crucial to the play Trifles?
The key information is the discovery of the dead bird, which reveals Mrs. Wright’s motive and emotional suffering that led to her husband’s murder.

ii. How does the playwright use this information to create dramatic irony?
The men dismiss the kitchen and women’s chatter as irrelevant. Meanwhile, the women uncover the real motive behind the crime. This contrast creates dramatic irony—where the audience knows something crucial the main male characters do not.

iii. What effect does the dramatic irony have on the audience and on the play?
It creates tension and highlights the theme of gender bias. The audience sympathizes with the women and recognizes how easily truth can be overlooked due to prejudice.