Notes : Drama is similar to poetry in a way but it’s difference is moreso set for an audience

rather than reading ones thoughts.

Drama elements and understanding the Text

Stage directions ; imagine the appearance, manners and movement of someone speaking the
lines assigned to any one character.

Characters: Protagonist and Antagonist

The protagonist is typically the hero or heroine character and the antagonist usually conflicts
being the villain.

The plot and structure of a play has to have a meaningful purpose of each action

Sequence of plot - Exposition>rising action>climax>turning point>conclusion.

Trifles playwright by Susan Glaspell

Trifles definition- 1. a thing of little value or unimportant

2.British a cold dessert of sponge cake and fruit covered with layers of custard, jelly, and cream.

3.treat (someone or something) without seriousness or respect.

- something to do along with the plot of the play trifles? She once covered a trail of a fifty-
seven-year-old woman accused of murdering her sleeping husband with an axe.
Main characters :

-Mr Hale
- county attorney ( investigator of the crime scene )
Mrs Peters - the sheriff's wife
Mrs Hale - the wife of Mr Hale and the mystery

Dramatic irony and verbal irony is shown throughout this play

- The last phrase in the play at the very end
- Comparison of the women and their caring of preserves
- The bird being dead by a snap of the neck
Setting in an old,cold,and unorganized farmhouse left by someone named John Wright mainly in
the kitchen and bedroom

The women are trivialized throughout the story

Ms Wright queering the scene and what happened to John

Questions : Why is he dead with a rope tied around his neck? Why do you know he’s dead but
want aware of who did such a thing?
A: She doesn't want to get caught or be lonesome in this place.

Ms. Wright seems so innocent holding her apron and clueless of the whole situation but
suspicion kills Mr & Ms Peters questioning if she actually did it.

The house is very quiet when there are no children around but instead, they had a bird. I’m not
sure if the bird died but ms Wright did like to sew and at the tile she was sewing a box to put the
bird in.

It was strange to have a bird there but The Bird had its own cage and the cage door was broke
at the hinge so it was assumed that there was a bird but no evidence

I think the bird actually symbolized John …

The bird was described as Ms wright before she was married very fragile, and liked to sing.
Minnie foster.

Prejudice- An attitude based on limited information, often stereotypes. Usually, but not always
negative. Positive and negative prejudices alike, especially when directed toward oppressed
people are damaging.

Ex-women are emotional.

Ms Wright was accused of killing her husband because mr wright killed her bird with a snap of
the neck

The motive is there but the men are looking in the wrong place. everything that the ladies are
inhabitants are clues.

“ Heres a mess” ‘ oh her fruit it did freeze. She worried about that when it turned so cold. She
said the fire’d go out and her jars would break.’ ; well can you beat the women! Held for murder
and worryin about her preserves…. Well, women are used to worrying over trifles.’ “

^ this sets the tone of the story and her sense of power and oppression
oppression= prejudice + Power

“ well Henry we found out that she was not going to quilt it. She was going to —What is it you
call it , ladies? Mr hale: ‘ we call it — knot it, Mr Henderson.

The relationship between Mr and Mrs Wright was unpleasant because mr wright was uncaring
of his wife.

“ John Wright was close” - he was stingy kept his money close to him.

Fences reading Notes and thinking piece response