Trifles

by

Susan Glaspell

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Themes and Colors
Social Oppression of Women Theme Icon
The Blindness of Men Theme Icon
Gender Allegiance vs. Legal Duty Theme Icon
Justice Theme Icon
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Trifles, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Blindness of Men Theme Icon

As described in the theme on the Social Oppression of Women, Trifles’ use of gender roles establishes the men in the sphere of work and influence and the women in the sphere of the home and trifling concerns. Yet, at the same time, the title of the play highlights the trifling concerns that the men mock, and in doing so emphasizes that the “trifles” that the men overlook because they are feminine concerns are in fact crucially important. Ironically, it is these “trifles” that lead the women to uncover true evidence concerning the crime, while the men are unsuccessful in finding a motive during their search of the Wrights’ house.

The importance of the trifles demonstrates the way that the men, in their power and self-importance, completely overlook the importance of women and their domestic activities. It shows how that self-importance causes the men to overlook the very thing they are searching for, and how that arrogant blindness to the lives of women weakens the men in ways they can’t even recognize.

Related Themes from Other Texts
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The Blindness of Men ThemeTracker

The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of The Blindness of Men appears in each chapter of Trifles. Click or tap on any chapter to read its Summary & Analysis.
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The Blindness of Men Quotes in Trifles

Below you will find the important quotes in Trifles related to the theme of The Blindness of Men.
Trifles Quotes

“Well, women are used to worrying over trifles.”

Related Characters: Lewis Hale (speaker), Mrs. Peters, Mrs. Hale, Minnie Wright
Related Symbols: Trifles, Canning Jars of Fruit
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 9
Explanation and Analysis:

“No, Mrs. Peters doesn’t need supervising. For that matter, a sheriff’s wife is married to the law.”

Related Characters: George Henderson (speaker), Henry Peters, Mrs. Peters
Page Number: 21
Explanation and Analysis:

“Well, Henry, at least we found out that she was not going to quilt it. She was going to—what is it you call it, ladies?”
“We call it—knot it, Mr. Henderson.”

Related Characters: George Henderson (speaker), Mrs. Hale (speaker), Minnie Wright
Related Symbols: The Quilt
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 21
Explanation and Analysis: