Adriana Briceno

Adriana Briceno

ENG 102.0829

March 12, 2008

Diagnostic Essay

Every time a person commits a crime the law is in charge of judging, and sentencing a punishment for those who disobey the law. On some occasions a person who is not a judge can determine the reasons for a crime. In the play “Trifles” by Susan Glaspell, a murder scene is dramatized. The victim is a man, and he is murdered by Mrs. Wright, his own wife. While the sheriff and two other men are trying to solve the case, two women, Mrs. Peters, and Mrs. Hale discovered the motivation for the crime, but they also had different opinions for the murderer, Mrs. Peters believed she was guilty as charge, however, Mrs. Hale strongly felt that, Mrs. Wright was a victim of her husband’s treatment.

Mrs. Hale knew that Mr. Wright was a bad husband for Mrs. Wright, she described the changes that Mrs. Wright suffered after having been married to Mr. Wright, Mrs. Hale explains “Yes good, he didn’t drink, and kept his word as well as most, I guess, and paid his debts. But he was a hard man, Mrs. Peters…” (Glaspell 845). She also knew that Mrs. Wright was very lonely and she did not have any friends at all. Mrs. Hale knew that Mr. Wright was the one who made Mrs. Wright change from who she was before, according to Mrs. Hale “ She- come to think of it, she was kind of like a bird herself – real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and – fluttery…” (Glaspell 845). She noticed the after many years of marriage she was like a prisoner in her own house, she was not happy with her life.

Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters discovered the reason why Mrs. Wright killed her husband. Both women knew about Mrs. Wright’s lifestyle. Both agreed that she suffered a lot by living with her husband, they also knew that they had to tell the men about the bird, which it was the motivation for the crime. Mrs. Peters was clear that hiding the evidence was against the law, she was the sheriff’s wife, she knew that Mrs. Wright was guilty, Mrs. Peters states “I know what stillness is. [Pulling herself back.] The law has got to punish crime, Mrs. Hale.”(Glaspell 847).She tried to convince Mrs. Hale for Mrs. Wright’s guilt in the crime,but, Mrs. Hale disagreed and, felt guilty about Mrs. Wright loneliness, she never visited Mrs. Wright at her house, and, she felt that Mrs. Wright needed help, and she was not there to lend a hand to her.

In the beginning of the play both women had differences of opinion of how the law,applied toMrs. Wright. Mrs. Hale considered Mrs. Wright a victim of her husband abusive behavior over the years, Mrs. Peters on the contrary, felt that Mrs. Wright was guilty and need it to pay for her crime, at the end,both women felt bad for Mrs. Wright, but they also knew that Mrs. Wright killed her husband, and she was guilty for that crime.