Questions: COUNTY ATTORNEY: Yes, but I would like to see what you take, Mrs. Peters, and keep an eye out for anything that might be of use to us. MRS PETERS: Yes, Mr. Henderson. (The women listen to the men's steps on the stairs, then look about the kitchen.) MRS HALE: I'd hate to have men coming into my kitchen, snooping around and criticizing. (She arranges the pans under sink which the LAWYER had shoved out of place.) MRS PETERS: Of course it's no more than their duty. -Trifles, Susan Glaspell

"Trifles" by Susan Glaspell is a one-act play that explores themes of gender roles, isolation, and the nature of justice. The excerpt provided is a dialogue between the County Attorney, Mrs. Peters, and Mrs. Hale, set in the kitchen of a farmhouse where a murder investigation is taking place.

1. Gender Roles and Expectations:

   • The County Attorney's directive to Mrs. Peters to "keep an eye out for anything that might be of use to us" reflects the patronizing attitude of men towards women during the early 20th century. Women were often seen as secondary and their contributions undervalued.
   • Mrs. Hale's discomfort with men "snooping around and criticising" her kitchen highlights the private, domestic sphere traditionally assigned to women, and the intrusion of men into this space is seen as invasive and disrespectful.

2. Isolation and Solidarity:

   • The women, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, share a moment of solidarity as they listen to the men's steps and then look around the kitchen. This shared experience of being scrutinized and undervalued by men fosters a bond between them.
   • Mrs. Hale's action of arranging the pans under the sink, which the lawyer had shoved out of place, symbolizes her attempt to restore order and reclaim her space from male disruption.

3. Duty and Justice:

   • Mrs. Peters' remark, "Of course it's no more than their duty," acknowledges the men's role in the investigation but also subtly critiques the way they go about it. The men are focused on their official duties, often overlooking the subtleties and "trifles" that the women notice.
   • The play suggests that true justice requires attention to the details of everyday life, which are often dismissed as insignificant by those in power.

"Trifles" uses the setting of a kitchen and the interactions between its characters to critique the gender dynamics of its time. The women's insights and observations, though dismissed by the men, ultimately reveal crucial evidence about the crime, underscoring the importance of valuing all perspectives in the pursuit of justice.