In Trifles, foreshadowing plays a powerful role in building the suspense and foreboding that lies at the heart of the mystery. Foreshadowing occurs in two main ways in the play. First, in the opening scene, Mr. Hale foreshadows Wright’s death through the frame story he tells to the County Attorney:
“I spoke to Wright about it once before and he put me off, saying folks talked too much anyway, and all he asked was peace and quiet... I thought maybe if I went to the house and talked about it before his wife, though I said to Harry that I didn't know as what his wife wanted made much difference to John—"
This remark depicts Wright as a man who didn't entertain or enjoy the company of others, and who was dismissive of his wife's thoughts and feelings. John Wright's interest in "peace and quiet" foreshadows his later killing of Minnie's song bird, an act of cruelty that causes their marital disharmony to reach a tipping point.
A second instance of foreshadowing occurs when the two women uncover the bird’s corpse. Mrs. Peters remarks:
"Somebody—wrung—its—neck."
The bird's strangulation foreshadows John Wright’s death, which occurred in a similar manner. John Wright was found to have died from a rope being pulled tight around his neck, an act that clearly mimics his strangling of the bird.
In both cases, foreshadowing is used to build tension and deepen the sinister tone of the play while providing signposts that help the audience navigate the twists of the narrative.
