Actions of Mrs Wright, Mrs Sound and Mrs Dwindles in 'Trifles'

The Morals of Mrs. Sound and Mrs. Dwindles' Choice

The morals behind the choice of Mrs. Sound and Mrs. Dwindles to shield Mrs. Wright from criminal prosecution remain debatable, even today. On one hand, the women protect Minnie Wright because they see themselves in her and do not wish to betray or condemn her. However, considering that the play dramatizes the conflict between societal norms and personal needs, between who we are expected to be and who we truly are, audiences are likely to be more responsive. Minnie has been desperately lonely and unhappy for many years, suffering emotional and possibly physical abuse from her husband. The killing of the only living thing that cared for her might have justified retribution in kind. On the other hand, one could argue that Mrs. Wright has still committed murder, and neither the death of an animal nor years of marital troubles excuses murder. By aiding and abetting her, Mrs. Sound and Mrs. Dwindles effectively become accomplices who have condoned murder.

Actions of Mrs. Wright, Mrs. Sound, and Mrs. Dwindles in 'Trifles'

One reason that Mrs. Dwindles and Mrs. Sound don't reveal the evidence they find is that they believe the men won't understand it. They discover Mrs. Wright's bird strangled and wrapped in silk. Using their intuition and understanding of a woman's perspective on marriage at that time, they deduce that Mrs. Wright's husband killed her beloved bird and that she killed her husband in retaliation. Their insights allow them to comprehend a motive in Mrs. Wright's crime, yet they lack concrete evidence. They know that the men around them will dismiss their evidence as insignificant, as mere 'trifles,' so they choose not to disclose it. They are accustomed to having their ideas dismissed by men. Moreover, they do not reveal the evidence because they empathize with Mrs. Wright and do not want to expose anything that could point to a motive in her crime.

The harm has already been done, and the perpetrator of the wickedness is also protected; the victims of the injustice have long served their masters in subservience, melancholy, and isolation. With dramatic irony, Lewis comments while in the kitchen, "Well, women are used to worrying over trifles" (Glaspell, 1916). For Mrs. Sound and Mrs. Dwindles do precisely the opposite. They hide the evidence of the dead canary, whereas the men would use it as evidence against Mrs. Wright. They see the singing bird as the last pleasure the poor woman had left in her bleak, isolated life. Mrs. Sound and Mrs. Dwindles regard more than the obvious details in concluding that Mrs. Wright, much like Boo Radley in Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' had suffered enough in her lifetime and should not be held accountable for murder (Lee, 1960).

Personal Reflection on Their Actions

I don’t think their actions are right; I don’t think murder is ever justified. I believe they should have involved a higher authority to handle this. She acted out of anger, but with that much anger, she is dangerous. I think she shouldn’t have killed him but should have turned him in, so yes, I do condemn the actions she participated in. Furthermore, their decision to conceal the evidence highlights the broader theme of women's solidarity and the unspoken bonds formed through shared experiences of oppression and marginalization. However, this solidarity comes at the cost of justice and accountability, raising important ethical questions about the limits of empathy and protection.

References:

Glaspell, S. (1916). Trifles.

Lee, H. (1960). To Kill a Mockingbird. J.B. Lippincott & Co.