Plays
by Susan Glaspell (1876–1948)
- Free to read
- 4 hours to read
- 8 chapters
- Reading level: 6th grade
"Plays by Susan Glaspell" is a collection of dramatic works written during the early 20th century, featuring notable titles such as "Trifles," "The Outside," and "The Verge." The plays often explore themes of gender roles, societal expectations, and human psychology, showcasing the nuanced struggles of women in a male-dominated world. Through rich character development, Glaspell highlights the emotional landscapes of her protagonists, inviting contemplation about the nature of truth and justice. At the start of "Trifles," the scene is set in a disordered farmhouse kitchen, where a group of men, including the county attorney and sheriff, arrive to investigate the murder of John Wright, a domineering husband. Meanwhile, the wives of the men, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, enter slowly and begin to observe the seemingly trivial details of the kitchen. While the men dismiss these as unimportant, the women uncover clues about the deceased and the potential motive for murder, particularly through their empathy for Mrs. Wright's situation. This initial exploration of domestic space lays the groundwork for a powerful commentary on the often-overlooked significance of women's experiences and insights.
Read the opening
Act I
The Curtain lifts on a place that is dark, save for a shaft of light from below which comes up through an open trap-door in the floor. This slants up and strikes the long leaves and the huge brilliant blossom of a strange plant whose twisted stem projects from right front. Nothing is seen except this plant and its shadow. A violent wind is heard. A moment later a buzzer. It buzzes once long and three short. Silence. Again the buzzer. Then from below—his shadow blocking the light, comes ANTHONY, a rugged man past middle life;—he emerges from the stairway into the darkness of the room. Is dimly seen taking up a phone.
ANTHONY: Yes, Miss Claire?—I'll see. (he brings a thermometer to the stairway for light, looks sharply, then returns to the phone) It's down to forty-nine. The plants are in danger—(with great relief and approval) Oh, that's fine! (hangs up the receiver) Fine!
(_He goes back down the stairway, closing the trap-door upon himself, and the curtain is drawn upon darkness and wind. It opens a moment later on the greenhouse in the sunshine of a snowy morning. The snow piled outside is at times blown through the air. The frost has made patterns on the glass as if—as Plato would have it—the patterns inherent in abstract nature and behind all life had to come out, not only in the creative heat within, but in the creative cold on the other side of the glass. And the wind makes patterns of sound around the glass house.
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About this edition
This free edition of Plays by Susan Glaspell comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #10623, released 2004-01-01. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Plays/Films/Dramas, American Literature, Gender & Sexuality Studies.
Other editions: eBook #59432.
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