Susan Glaspell’s Trifles and “A Jury of her Peers depict
the same story; however, they are in different genres. Both short stories and
dramas are a form of literature, yet there are advantages and disadvantages for
using each category. The drama, Trifles,
gives the reader freedom to interpret what they want about the setting, plot,
and emotion of the characters. While
reading a drama, the reader has the ability to form their own opinions where
as, in a short story it is more laid out and tells you the feelings of the
characters. In “A Jury of Her Peers”, we are given the feelings of Martha Hale
and how she interprets the scene. The drama form also allows the actor or
actress to use their own judgment on how to partake on the role of each
character. The dramatic form has many limitations. For example, it restricts
the description of the setting. In Trifles,
we get less of a visual of how specific the kitchen is laid out. The
description of the setting is found in short paragraphs before the scene, which
hinders the reader’s ability to understand the full environment of the play.
Also, in the drama format, the reader has to figure out character’s tones of
voice, which is unlike short stories. In short stories, voice description is
told to us, which to some can be a pro or a con. This allows for more
understanding of what the author is trying to convey, but it also restricts the
reader to use their own thought. Dramas are a lot harder to follow when being
read. If the dramas are acted out or even read by different people (similar to
what we did in class) it is a lot easier to understand.
