Summary
Plays by Susan Glaspell is a powerful collection of early 20th-century American dramas that delve into themes of gender, justice, individual conscience, and the limitations of social convention.
As a co-founder of the Provincetown Players and a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Glaspell brought a sharp feminist lens and deep psychological insight to the stage at a time when women’s voices were often unheard.
This collection often includes some of her most acclaimed works, such as:
1.
Trifles (1916)
A groundbreaking one-act play based on a real murder case Glaspell covered as a journalist.
When two women uncover the emotional abuse behind a woman’s crime, they recognize the “trifles” of domestic life as key to the truth—something the male investigators completely overlook.
A feminist classic, it critiques the gendered divide between public justice and private suffering.
2. The Outside
Set in a deserted life-saving station, this short play examines grief, isolation, and the emotional walls people build after loss—especially women.
A subtle exploration of trauma and emotional repression.
3.
The Verge
A daring expressionist play that tells the story of Claire Archer, a woman experimenting with new forms of life (literally, as a plant breeder) while suffocating in the roles assigned to her by society.
A surreal, intense look at a woman’s fight for creative and personal freedom, years ahead of its time.