¶ … Nature of Women
In many ways, the relationship between the female characters in Edith Wharton's "Roman Fever" and Susan Glaspell's "Trifles" is diametrically opposed between the two stories. Although there is a degree of amicability prevalent in the relationship in each tale, the principle characters in Wharton's narrative are largely antagonistic towards one another, whereas the principles in Glaspell's play seem to grow closer towards one another the more time they spend together. What is significant about this fact is that the reason for the animosity in the former work and the growing sense of unity in the latter is relatively the same -- the nature of women. The conflict in "Trifles" presents a number of facets about the nature of women that allows for solidarity in the face of adversity, whereas the conflict in "Roman Fever" illustrates aspects of womanhood that is indicative of disunity and antagonism.
From the very outset of Glaspell's work, it is quite clear that Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters have a bond between one another that is not shared with the male characters because of the pair's common gender. In fact, the principle conflict in this work of drama is man's subjugation and suppressing of the individuality and joy of womanhood, which is evinced by the fact that an oppressive husband killed his wife's pet bird, prompting her to kill him in retaliation. These facts emerge after a lengthy dialogue between Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters in which they surmise the nature of the crime while men (including the husband of Mrs. Peters, the sheriff) attempt to discern it. As such, the fact that the women are able to ascertain the truth while the men are not directly correlates between the conflict between man and women that the play represents, which allows for acts of solidarity between the two women. The most egregious of such acts is when the pair silently decide to remove the evidence that will surely convict the accused woman of murder, which the following quotation demonstrates.
Mrs. Hale rises, hands tight together, looking intensely at Mrs. Peters, whose eyes make a slow turn, finally meeting Mrs. Hales. A moment Mrs. Hale holds her, then her own eyes point the way to where the box is concealed…Hrs. Hale snatches the box and puts it in the pocket of her big coat.
Inside of the box is the dead bird, which is the evidence that will convict the woman who killed her husband. The silent assent between Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters to remove that evidence, thereby helping another of their gender, is indicative of the camaraderie that they share with one another because they are women. This camaraderie extends to include the accused woman, Mrs. Wright, as well.
Whereas the conflict in Glaspell's tale unifies the female characters as women, the conflict in Wharton's tale largely arises out of the nature of women. In the former tale, that nature includes solidarity, compassion, and sympathy. In "Roman Fever," however, the author portrays the nature of women as catty, possessive, resentful, and antagonistic towards one another. Although Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley have enjoyed a friendship for the better part of 25 years, there is a current of jealousy and even outright competition between them due to the fact that Mrs. Ansley once tried to take the man that Mrs. Slade was engaged with. Mrs. Slade's recollection of this incident fuels the antagonism that typifies most of the interaction between these characters, particularly after Mrs. Slade reveals to her friend that the former falsified a letter from her husband (prior to their marriage) to have Mrs. Ansley meet him in the Roman Colosseum. The fact that Mrs. Ansley had treasured that letter as coming from Mrs. Slade's husband enrages Mrs. Slade, which the following quotation...
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