Throughout history, there has been many works of literature that used the concept of gender roles. An example of one of these literary works is Trifles, written by Susan Glaspell in 1916. Glaspell uses the story of a murderess to demonstrate the roles of women in the early nineteenth century. These roles were given to them by men who thought that all that women had to do was to concern themselves with "trifles," or unimportant things. This idea is repeated several times throughout the play, and the consequences of which are very ironic when it turns out that the woman discover what the men were searching for while taking care of the so-called "trifles."
             The play starts with the men looking for a motive in the home of John and Minnie Wright. Right from the beginning, the men completely dismiss the kitchen as a place where anything of importance could be discovered. "Nothing here but kitchen things," (1326) the sheriff says, right before he makes fun of Minnie for worrying about her fruit as she is being held for murder. This demonstrates how the men feel about the kitchen, which is considered a woman's territory. What goes on there and everything in it is unimportant and trivial, therefore the men want nothing to do with it. In one breath, the men make fun of Minnie for being "held for murder and worryin' over her preserves" (1326), while in the next they start patronizing Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters. The county attorney says, "and yet, for all their worries, what would we do without the ladies?" (1326), insinuating that the gallant men "put up" with all of the worrying women do just because the men love them so much. The reality is much different of course. The men would quickly realize the value of their women when they had to cook, clean, and wash their clothes themselves.
             While the men search the house, the two women disc
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