“Trifles” by Susan Glaspell (1916)
Minnie Foster was once a young woman who sang in the school’s choir and affirmed the Law. All of what she believed in only went against the murder of her husband, John Wright. Wright was suffocated in his sleep by a rope, in which, Foster had no clue where it came from. After the murder, she seemed careless and even in shock that she had killed someone who was “Right” for her. Foster killed Wright out of hate for what she had become.
Foster wasn't able to sing and she took on a hobby for knitting. She would do it waiting for Wright day after day. Her bird would sing to her; sounds that she once used to sing. She loved to listen but also loved to reminisce on the times when she would sing. Her bird was a direct resemblance of her because it was trapped, alone and had talent that was unreal. The killing of her bird meant that she too was letting go of herself and that her life was now over. Foster knew that she would be discovered, but the irony in the play was that her life was already at an end. Maybe Foster was abused by Wright, or maybe he was unfaithful to her but she has no guilt towards what she did.
I believe Foster should be accounted with charges because it was murder, not only to Wright but also to the Bird. Mrs. Hale knew what was happening when she was investigating the house but she believed that Foster was dealing with abuse in her marriage. As for John Wright, he is now dead and not knowing the truth of what Foster disagreed with. Her practice for “knotting” did perfect because she was able to make a rope that was unreasonably perfect; as if it was made to fit someone.