my blog on "Triffles" by Susan Glaspell

Although, the deceased minor character, John Wright, had no dialogue from the narrator, he spoke volumes through what the other characters said about his wife. Even though, Mrs. Wright was also a minor character, her plight in the story impacted me greatly. The story line reveals her underlying trouble through the protagonist of the work, Mrs. Hale. Mrs. Peter's dialogue with Mrs. Hale carries the tale to the reader and involves the reader in the narration as if the reader is invited to help solve the murder mystery presented by the narrator.

The third person omniscient is used greatly in "Triffles" by Susan Glaspell. The narrator speaks knowingly through most of the characters.

I believe, the antagonist is the county attorney. The county attorney is at odds with the women throughout the entire epic. The county attorney is very condescending to the women. I know men like that. Those kind of men are not comfortable for me to be around, therefore, I try to avoid them.

I can empathize a small amount with the minor character, Mrs. White, in the story. My mother stayed in an emotionally abusive marriage until my dad died of ALS. Divorce was not an option to my mother for different, but yet similar reasons as the character in the work. My father stated that if my mother divorced him he would make sure that she was left penniless. Therefore, she stayed with him until his death.

In the period in which Susan Glaspell was living women had no recourse, but to stay in unhappy marriages because they had few legal rights in those days.

I do not believe in murder is a righteous act, regardless, if that is what the character, Mrs. White, did perform within the imaginary home of the writer's mind. The Bible says, "Thou shalt not kill." Thou, in my opinion, means everyone.

The underlying theme, I believe, is sexism in marriage within some American homes.

I did not want to end up like my mother and in a different way Mrs. White. As a result of my mother's marriage woes, I looked for a different kind of spouse than my father was. I was successful!

Did MS. Glaspell write "Triffles" to elicit empathy for the plight of such women in the past society of the U.S. at the time?

Was MS. Glaspell opening up a closed subject within our society in her time period?

I do not know, but I do know that the work is very thought provoking to me as an American woman interested in social issues pertaining to men and women in relationship.