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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where was the theatrical collaboration that Susan Glaspell and George Cram Cook formed originated?

2. As a founding member of a famous theatrical collaboration, Susan Glaspell arranged for the first ever reading of a play by what famed playwright?

3. Who was accused of the murder of John Hossack?

4. Who played the role of George Henderson in the original production of Trifles?

5. According to the Introduction, during what years did Susan Glaspell work as a reporter for the Des Moines News?

Short Essay Questions

1. When was Susan Glaspell inspired to write Trifles? Who encouraged her to write it and why?

2. What was the outcome of the murder trial upon which the events in Trifles are based?

3. What is revealed about the characters through their dialogue and language?

4. How does Trifles differ from episodic dramas or climactic plays?

5. How does the theme of guilt apply to Mrs. Hale?

6. What does Mr. Hale describe when he knocks at the Wrights' door the previous day?

7. How is the kitchen staging set up? Where are the entrances and exits?

8. How is the Wright property described?

9. How is the theme of gender roles defined in the plot of the play?

10. What genre does the play Trifles fall into? Why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the most important characters in Trifles is Mrs. Wright, yet she never appears on the stage. Why did Glaspell leave her out of the play? How does her absence impact Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters? Discuss the ways the play would be different if Mrs. Wright was present.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the lives of women in rural American communities at the turn of the century. What were typical tasks assigned to women? How did the requirements of frontier life determine the role women played in the family? How were women’s and men’s roles differ?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the details of the Hossack murder trial. Where did the trial take place and in what capacity was Susan Glaspell involved? How did the trial influence her writing in Trifles? What elements of the story were changed?

(see the answer keys)

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