The women are often described through stage directions rather than through dialogue. how does this reinforce the role of women in glaspell’s time? how does it go against the role of women?

Question: The women are often described through stage directions rather than through dialogue. how does this reinforce the role of women in glaspell’s time? how does it go against the role of women?

In the play Trifles by Susan Glaspell, the women are often described through stage directions rather than through dialogue. For example, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are introduced as "two women who come timidly in" and "stand close together near the door". This reinforces the role of women in Glaspell's time, which was to be submissive, obedient and silent in the presence of men. Women were expected to follow the rules of their husbands and society, and not to question or challenge the authority of the law.

However, this also goes against the role of women, as the stage directions reveal the hidden thoughts and feelings of the female characters. They show how the women are observant, curious and sympathetic towards each other, and how they gradually discover the truth behind the murder of Mr. Wright. The stage directions also contrast with the dialogue of the men, who are dismissive, arrogant and insensitive towards the women and their concerns. The men fail to notice the clues that the women find, such as the quilt, the birdcage and the dead canary. The women use their intuition and empathy to understand Mrs. Wright's motive and to protect her from the law.

Therefore, by using stage directions rather than dialogue, Glaspell shows both the oppression and the empowerment of women in her time. She exposes the injustice and inequality that women faced, but also their ability to resist and subvert the dominant male discourse.

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