Q : What clue(s) lead the the women to conclude that Minnie Wright killed her husband?
A : The main clue would be the dead canary bird. The cause of death to the bird is the exactly the same as Mr. Wright. In the beginning, the readers were given the evidence and cue on way Mr. Wright was being killed. He was straggled with a rope, and ironically he died on his bed with no struggling prefaced in the bedroom. That arises suspicions. They, the Sheriff and the Coroner suspect that Mr. Wright would have been killed by someone he knows. The men were straight into speculations that Mrs. Wright was the murderer. They tried to find evidences in the bedroom but to no avail. Surprisingly, it was the women who solved the case by themselves. However, they did not reveal it in protection of the person who carries the same gender as themselves - female. They believed that for Mrs. Wright to take such a gruesome and brutal action, there must be a solid reason to support it.
Q : How do the men differ from the women? from each other?
A : To answer this question correctly, we will be looking from two aspects which are the difference between men and women, and men and men. Men, of course are a complete different of species from women, therefore it is safe for us to say that men are different from women. Men are made of chromosomes XY whereas women are made of chromosomes XX. This result in difference from all aspects of men and women, both physically and mentally. Men in the text, is portrayed as arrogant and ignorant. They believed that they are in the upper hands of this case, and that they knew everything that has happened in this murder case of Mr. Wright. They did not pay even the slightest attention to the "trifles" which are the minor evidences that needed patient eyes to discover it. In the end, it was the women who solved this case, without them knowing of course. Men are well known to be strong competitors, they have the natural cavemen instincts and demeanor. They will fight among each other. In Trifles, the men were seen trying to be on the upper hand of each other. On one stage, Mr. Peters and Mr. Henderson were trying to prove to the people present in the kitchen, especially the women that either one of them is better acknowledged about how the murder was conducted.
Q : What do the men discover? Why do they conclude "Nothing here but kitchen things"? What do the women discover?
A : The men merely discover anything. They talked all the time, and was trying to flaunt their wisdom and experiences among each other. They even underestimated the women's ability and brilliancy by making a remark that there was nothing there except kitchen stuffs. For them (the men), the women were just decorations and were there for no use, but to collect some of the things requested by Mrs. Wright who was kept in the prison cell at that time. The men concluded in such a way, most probably is because they see no weapon that indicates the death of Mr. Wright. There was no consistency in the men, unlike the women. They go through every small little details in the kitchen. From their throughout inspections, they discovered an empty bird cage. And, how the dead canary bird was kept in a beautiful box by Mrs. Wright. The women making no hesitation in concluding that the straggled dead bird was the reason why Mrs. Wright murdered her husband. Moreover, the women knew Mrs. Wright since she was a young beautiful girl with good voice. The women cleverly and carefully put every puzzle into their own places by relating to Mrs. Wright's life before and after marriage.
*The answers given by the Blogger were based on her personal understanding of the text*
Saturday 9 November 2013
Sunday 3 November 2013
The biography and critic of Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a writer from Norway. As he was growing up, he showed no talent in drama and play. However, his mother loved to see plays, and played piano as well. From there, he developed an interest in making himself a stand in the arts industry. He was the oldest among all of his five siblings. When he was 8, poverty hit his family. His father was a merchant, but failed in his business miserably. Ibsen stopped going to school. and started to find odd jobs to support his family. However lowly educated he was, he still managed to work and write at the same time. He looked up to William Shakespeare as his mentor and inspiration. A Doll's House was his first piece of work. He embarked in the journey of becoming a writer through A Doll's House. A Doll's House received numerous recognition. It also causes a massive stir among the readers and in the society. Back in those days, women were being oppressed and belittled of. Women played an insignificant role in the society. Society did not and will not lay an eye for their sufferings or winnings. When, Ibsen's A Doll's House was published, it was criticised.
A Doll's House was about a woman's sacrifices towards her husband and children. In order to protect her family, she's willing to do anything that comes in her way. She even went to the extend of forging her dead father's signature to own the money, so that she can help her husband furtively. She knows how important image and dignity to her husband. Therefore, she tried to conceal everything from her husband's acknowledgement. It also goes to the extend of showing how insensitive her husband is. If only her husband will lower his arrogance and pride, he'd see all the sacrifices made by his wife.
A Doll's House highlights on the importance of women's role in the family constitutions. That causes an uproar in the society. They did not expect Ibsen to come up with such a piece of work. In this play, Ibsen was a feminist. He drew the lights to women.
Reference
http://www.biography.com/people/henrik-ibsen-37014?page=2
--> One can read the full version of A Doll's House on the link down below.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2542/2542-h/2542-h.htm
The biography and critic of Susan Glaspell
Susan Glaspell was an American writer. She was made famous by the her strong and adamant view on Feminism. However, there's always a history behind a story told. Growing up in Iowa, she graduated in 1899. Upon her graduation, she find herself a job. Working as a journalist for Des Moines Daily News. She landed herself with a task. To write and report on a murder case. The case was about a man, John Hossack. He was axed while he was asleep on his bed. They suspected the wife to be the murderer. However, Glaspell went beyond what her job requires of her. She acted as a detective and started to investigate the case, in detail. However, the jury was not buying her words, and showed no interest in her report. That, I believe has agitated her. It prompted her to write. If we were to go through every piece of her work, you will notice how the feminist elements are so loud and clear. For example, Trifles. Trifles was published in the year of 1916. It was not a novel, but it is a drama. The play was based on the death of John Hossack. The female protagonist murdered her husband. However, there's a reason why she did that. From the play itself, we can see how insensitive the men are. They look beyond the tiny little details that most women would notice straightaway on the spot. Never did they realise that the small details that they were missing at, has contributed to the final judgement, on why the wife murdered her husband. From this play, we gathered clues about men. Men thinks that they are on the upper hands of the women, and that they are wise. But, Glaspell highlighted the facts that they are just plain arrogant and insensitive.
Reference
--> One may get a full version of Trifles from the link down below
# A short video of the play, Trifles
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