Trifles, written by Susan Glaspell, is a one-act play that clings to its old-fashioned notions, yet still is in tune with the more modern times. It tells of the investigators of a murder and their wives. A silent battle of the sexes is waged while the men look condescendingly upon the woman and their domain: the kitchen. The men's lack of respect will be their down fall in the end. Had they taken time to notice the clues in the kitchen they may have been able to solve the murder. However, with their old-fashioned lack of respect, the men lost the modern battle of sexes and victory goes to the women.
             "Trifles" is a short plat that holds old-fashioned ideas for the roles of men and women. The women characters of "Trifles" are given no respect from the men in the play. The sheriffs comment, "Well, can you beat the woman! Held for murder and worrying about her preserves" (Glaspell 1202), show what little respect he has for women and their role that has been forced upon them. Mr. Hale mirrors those feelings with his own degrading comment, "Well, women are used to worrying over trifles" (Glaspell 1202), that implies that all of women's work is only "trifles." The men had no respect for the women's trivial role as a homemaker and mother. "Trifles" keep in line with the woman's traditional role of that time period as housekeeper. Disrespect is again apparent with the county attorney's expectation of a woman's role. "I shouldn't say {Minnie Wright} had the homemaking instinct" (Glaspell 1203). All three of the men expected Minnie's home and kitchen to be in perfect order, beca!
             use she was a woman and that was her job as a farmer's wife. And the women accept this role with no questions. Mrs. Hale says to Mrs. Peters "I'd hate to have men coming in to my kitchen snooping and criticizing" (Glaspell 1203). This ...