International Journal of Language & Literature

Outside Powers, Society, Death and Empowerment in Riders to the Sea and Trifles
Ghadeer W. Abu Khalil, Rose Aljanada, Aseel Alfaisal

Abstract
Upon first reading, Susan Glaspell's Trifles and John Synge's Riders to the Sea might not share a lot. However, the more you read between the lines, the more you come to realize how much in common both plays have. This article discusses the underlying similarities shared by them: 1) outside powers affecting the female protagonists in both plays, 2) society and how it shapes the female protagonists' reaction to the major events of the plays, and how it shapes the reaction of others towards the same events, 3) death; how it is not always a force of destruction, and 4) empowerment of the female characters as events draw out the best in them.

Full Text: PDF      DOI: 10.15640/ijll.v10n1a5