Glaspell's Play Trifles

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Plays, short stories, and poems are wonderful examples of literature. Each is written in a distinct style that is specific to their genre and author. There are many similarities between them but plays have an extra piece that makes them special. They begin with telling the reader the setting, dialogue, and place of the play. When the reader knows this they can understand the play better, visualize what is occurring, get a look behind the scenes, help the reader understand more about the characters, and they benefit actors.
The beginning lets the reader know important information such as the setting, dialogue, and where the play takes place. Plays can be easier to follow because of this. It is basically a quick rundown of what is to come. …show more content…
A play that is set when King Henry was alive would give the reader an idea of how an event may have happened. A murder that took place in Great Britain during King Henry’s reign would be different than one that happened today in California. Obliviously the murder weapons would be different and more than likely the motives. One of the best examples would be Glaspell’s play “Trifles”. Right from the start, we are informed of where it is taking place, an abandoned farmhouse. Then we learn what the characters look and act like. As the play goes on readers are lead to suspect that this play is set back when women were to do as their husbands told them to. The men criticize the shape the house is in while the women find clues as to what happened. Each little clue sends them in the direction of the murderer. All the clues come together and point to Mrs. Wright. Without the knowledge given to the reader, these puzzle pieces may not have come together so easily. The state the house was in was a big indication that the marriage between Mr. and Mrs. Wright was not a good one. Women were expected to keep the home clean and the farmhouse was far from neat and tidy. The house was almost a symbol of their relationship, a mess. …show more content…
Sure plays can be read but they were intended to be performed. People that are sticklers for detail tend to like plays more than a poem or short story. Plays are longer and have more time to add in little details. Short stories are not as long and do not get hung up on details as much. Poems are short and sweet with no time for minuscule details. When reading a play the brain starts to picture what it is reading. This is natural and occurs with little to no effort. The human brain is a complex organ that is very imaginative (Dorstewitz). We read the words then our brain acts like a movie theater and projects a scene. It is like our own private cinema without the overpriced snacks. The more detail the better we can create the picture in our heads. Shakespeare's, “Hamlet” always comes to mind when thinking of picturing a scene. Ophelia having a fit on the floor was probably one of the funniest and creepiest dramatic act outs we all pictured. Plays contain the placement of objects and characters. They tell us that a creepy woman is sitting in an old rocking chair, the candle on the table is dying out, crickets are chirping, and the main characters are gathered by a fire. A short story would be sure to mention that a creepy woman is present and the main characters are feeling uneasy but I would not expect it to include the candle or the crickets. A poem would
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