Trifles 1. What attitude toward women do the Sheriff and county attorney express?

They think little of what they think and ridicule things the women say that they think are useless or out of place. How do Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters react to these sentiments? They retreat somewhat and get closer to each other. 2. Why does the attorney care so much about discovering a motive for the killing? To prove that Mrs. Wright was the one who killed her husband. 3. What does Glaspell show us about the position of women in this early 20th century community? To show how women where treated and that they are not seen as equal. 4. What is the setting of this play, and how does it help us understand Mrs. Wrights' deed? The setting of the play is in the house that the murder occurred in on a cold, gloomy day. 5. What do you infer from the wildly stitched block in Minnie's quilt? She was becoming angry over what was happening. Why does Mrs .Hale rip out the crazy stitches? Mrs. Hale rips them out because she cannot stand seeing stitches like that. 6. What is so suggestive in the ruined birdcage and the dead canary wrapped in silk? The birdcage was ruined and the canary wrapped in silk had its neck strangled. 7. What similarity do you notice between the way the canary died and John Wright's own death? Both were strangled to death. 8. What ironies does the play contain? The irony the play contains is the men who come to solve the murder cant but the women that came along solve it but keep it to themselves. Comment on Mrs. Hale's closing speech: "we call it - knot it, Mr. Henderson." The knot refers to the way the John Wrights death. 9. How would you sum up the play's major theme? Do not belittle things, they can be helpful. 10. How does this play, first produced in 1913, show its age? The way the people are living and the lack of technology. In what ways does it seem still remarkably new? The problems that come up through out the play do not fall into any time period. Othello 1. Compare Othello's speeches from the beginning, middle, and end of the play (Acts I, III, and V). Explain the significance of their differences in style and tone. In Act I,

Othello was a strong man with respect. In Act III things started to fall apart. In Act V Othello is at his end, he is no longer respected or trusted. 2. Othello is a play of many contrasts and conflicts on a symbolic level. Discuss any of these themes of contrast, citing examples. Jealousy, Iago was jealous of Cassio when he was appointed over Iago. 3. Many times when remembering a play, we focus on a character who was especially memorable to us because of particular traits or characteristics. Choose one character from Othello and explain why you will remember this character. Use specific details and quotations from the play to support your ideas. Iago was the most memorable character because of the way he was shown. He was one of those people who cant stand it when others are better than him. 4. The stories and characters in Shakespeare's plays are certainly memorable. Yet it is also the beauty and force of the language which makes us remember and love these dramas. Discuss the language of Othello, citing an example of one of your favorite lines, and commenting on why you found these lines particularly memorable. Act I: Lines 302 315. The language of Othello is written in a way that makes your reread some areas to make sure you understand them, if you dont you question why something later on happens. 5. What is Othello's tragic flaw? Othellos biggest flaw was his judgment, he saw things that werent true and trusted wrong people while distrust those close to him. 6. When truth (reality) becomes disjointed from its supposed representation (appearance), human interaction decays. Shakespeare insists upon this eternal verity in several of his plays. Discuss this concept as it relates to Othello. Othellos distrust of those that really care about him leads him to become easily susceptible to others that want to harm him. 7. What motivates Iago to carry out his schemes? Jealously leads Iago to carry out his schemes. How would you characterize Iago? Iago is a very jealous person who does like it when he thinks someone is better than he is.