Trifles中的女性主义觉醒

1105班1130100080 刘雅琪

The Ironic Meaning of the Title Trifles

Trifles is regarded as an example of early feminist drama. It reflects females＇awakening and struggled for freedom and rights. Trifles as a title contains an ironic meaning. It is true that the attention to trifles seems to be the starting points to solve a big deal. So, what are trifles and why they are called trifles and how these trifles works in this drama? This play itself contributes a lot to build up the meaning.

What are trifles? According to the play, in the eyes of men, all things women did were trifles, but what ironic is that just the two women Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters who concentrated on trifles found out the truth. The first trifle mentioned in the play is the ruin fruit preserves. If Mrs. Wright had not been preoccupied, she could have started a fire to keep the preserves from freezing. However, tragically, she had no right to make a decision about anything.

SHERIFF. Well, can you beat the women! Held for murder and worryin＇about her preserves.

COUNTY ATTORNEY. I guess before we＇re through she may have something more serious than preserves to worry about.

HALE. Well women are used to worrying over trifles.

Beneath these words, men are not appreciated women work, and laugh that they are doing trifles. Secondly, the kitchen was in a mess. Bread that has been left out of its box and the table remained half clean half messy. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters started to aware something. They had nearly the same experience as Mrs. Wright, so they could understand Mrs. Wright＇s emotion precisely. Their works are not respected by men. On the contrary, men not appreciate them but laugh at them. Just as Sheriff said: loyal to your gender. It is an ironic as well. The two women did loyal to their gender however not to submit to men but to unity and gave a hand to Mrs. Wright. This kind of behavior can also be considered as Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters resistance. Thirdly, a piece of the quilt draw lots of the two women＇s attention. At first the sewing is nice and even, but then “It＇s all over the place! It looks as if she did not know what she was about!” they discovered that there must be something got Mrs. Wright nerves, so

1105班1130100080 刘雅琪

that she did not know what she was doing. Besides, when Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters found paper and string, there was a birdcage catching their eyes. The birdcage door was broken and on hinge is pulled apart. MRS HALE. [Looking to] looks as if someone must have been rough with it. Finally in a fancy box, they found the bird and it already dead. Somebody wrung its neck. [Their eyes meet. A look of growing comprehension, of honor. Steps are heard outside. MRS HALE slips box under quilt pieces, and sinks into her chair.] Everything is apparently by now. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters knew why Mrs. Wright murdered Mr. Wright. Then turn to the men, that is the ironic point, they were too busy to fix on the dead body what is accounted as big deal by them. Naturally, the men tried, because the evidence hidden in trifles, trifles what they looked down upon not only once.

Why the title is ironic is also obviously by now. In the male-dominate society, from men＇s perspective, women are vulnerable groups, and all what women do is trifles or chores which are none of significance. Men in this drama demonstrated this idea incisively and vividly. They tried all means to present a face of a serious detective, working on what so-called big deals. They were never grateful for what women did for them. They neglect women＇s emotion. They held that women are in the charge of men and could only do chores and trifles. While the reality is that it is the women who found out the truth. This drama reveals women＇s awakening and remands men the devil's in the detail. They should pay more attention to women＇s emotion.