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

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

3. Who portrayed Lewis Hale in the original production of Trifles?

4. When was Trifles first performed?

5. What character did Susan Glaspell portray in the original production of Trifles?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. How does Mrs. Hale recall Mrs. Wright? What can the reader/audience discern of Mrs. Wright’s character by Mrs. Hale’s recollections?

3. What does Mr. Hale respond when questioned about how Mrs. Wright appears when he arrives the previous day?

4. What does Mrs. Wright tell Mr. Hale about who murdered her husband? Who has she notified of his death?

5. What does Mrs. Wright do when Mr. Hale attempts to make small talk?

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

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

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

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

10. Who does Mr. Hale call inside after Mrs. Wright tells him Mr. Wright is dead? What did they find?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the use of exposition in A Jury of Her Peers. In a linear plot, where does the exposition generally fall in a story? How does this traditional plot structure apply to Trifles?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the objectives of each character and the actions taken to achieve those objectives. What does Mr. Henderson want to find in the home? Why does he abandon the kitchen?

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