Trifles premiered on August 8, 1916 at the Wharf Theater in Province town, MA. This one act play was based on a murder trial that Susan Glaspell covered as a young reporter in Des Moines, Iowa.
Using careful timing, Glaspell delivers subtle revelations that draw the audience and the reader into this play. She definitely intended to sting the conscience of her audience and challenge their perceptions of justice and morality, while also focusing on the different experiences that men and women might have to the exact same objective fact or event. The play raises some interesting questions. Does justice change with perspective? If so, is it possible to handle it fairly?
