Trifles and A Doll's House: Heroines' Untold Stories

It is a common theme in both Trifles and A Doll's House that the ladies in these novels discover themselves in the shadow of their husbands and emerge transformed. These tales of women who become heroines through a variety of means share many intriguing commonalities as well as contrasts. In Glaspell's Trifles, Minnie Wright is a woman whose husband and the rest of the world have forgotten about her. Minnie has spent the last 30 years in a childless, unhappy marriage in poverty. When she was a young woman, her husband told her that "people talk too much, and all he wished for was peace and quiet" (Glaspell 1051). Nora Helmer in Ibsen's A Doll's House, like Minnie, is married, but she is younger and has three small children. Nora feels suffocated by the constraints of her femininity. When she thinks of herself as an adult, Torvald refers to her as a "little skylark" who constantly requires his guidance (Ibsen 441). Both Minnie and Nora battle their concerns, break through the walls in their life, and discover their own personal heroes along the way, despite the fact that their journeys take quite different turns.

In the wake of Minnie and Nora's internal and exterior difficulties, they reevaluate their lives. Women's self-examination is catalyzed by these tensions, and as a result, their consciousness expands. "[E]ither by the trials themselves or by enlightening disclosures," writes Joseph Campbell in his book The Power of Myth. It's all about the trials and tribulations" (155). Minnie's delight has faded through the years of marriage and incarceration with Mr. Wright, and she can't bring herself to smile. “When she was...one of the town girls singing in the choir, she was a happy girl,” a friend of Minnie's tells the story (Glaspell 1055). Minnie's self-perception has evolved over time into that of her beloved canary, which is tethered and helpless. While the canary was being savaged, it appears that Mr. Wright shattered the bird's neck and destroyed his wife's spirit in the process. In addition to bringing about the silence that Mr. Wright craved, this incident sparked an inner conflict within Minnie, resulting in a flurry of emotions. By breaking Mr. Wright's neck, Minnie is able to free herself from the shackles of her relationship with him. Minnie is inspired by the death of her bird. Nora Helmer's conflict is external, too, like Minnie's: it begins with her papa and continues in her marriage to Torvald. Nora, on the other hand, acts like a child in response to her surroundings. Because of the stress of being entangled in a web of her own fabrications and deceptions, Nora undergoes a transformation. She has come to terms with the fact that her marriage and her happiness have suffered as a result of her inexperience and ignorance. "[Y]ou have never understood me," Nora lashes out at Torvald in a fit of rage. Both papa and you, Torvald, have done me immense harm (Ibsen 490). Nora is fed up with living in the shadows of adulthood and intends to join the ranks of the mature. It is through different means that Minnie's demands and conflicts shape her consciousness and cause her to adopt new identities.

Glaspell's Minnie and Ibsen's Nora are both heroes, according to Joseph Campbell. Ibsen's Nora makes the conscious decision to leave her home and family and venture into the uncharted territory that awaits her. The hero who "goes out deliberately and intentionally to accomplish the deed," as Campbell puts it, is this type of hero (158). Her spouse, Torvald, obviously understands why Nora is going. First, I need to do a task that's been looming over my head. This is something I must do on my own, and you are not the one to assist me in doing it. I have to do it for me (Ibsen 491). To Minnie's surprise, instead of Nora, she chooses to divorce Mr. Wright. According to Campbell, sometimes "adventures into which you are thrown" can lead to heroic deeds. Minnie demonstrates the other type of hero in this case. But even if it wasn't your plan, the damage has already been done (158). On a similar mission, Minnie and Nora split up and went their separate ways. However, the end consequence is the same for all of them: a fresh start.

The extraordinary journeys of Minnie and Nora were propelled forward by their spouses. They found love with men who were as unique as they were, but who also played a vital role in each of their quests. According to Joseph Campbell, "the adventure that the hero is prepared for is the one he receives. The adventure serves as a metaphor for his personality. Aside from the environment, everything else seems to line up with his level of readiness" (158). Neither of their husbands cares about the happiness of their wives. According to some, Minnie's contentment "had little impact" on John Wright during their marriage (Glaspell 1051). Torvald, Nora's husband, appears to adore her, but he does not have complete faith in her. "[N]o religion, no morals, no sense of obligation," Torvald concludes about Nora (Ibsen 488). They are not concerned about their spouse as a co-conspirator in the marriage. When it comes to their personal lives, Minnie and Nora are confined to the limitations set by their husbands. Minnie and Nora would not be heroes to themselves if it weren't for their husbands and the external demands they put on them.

Minnie and Nora's lives will be altered in profound ways as a result of the lessons they learn. Canary Minnie's demise rekindles her yearning for life. Nora realizes that her inexperience as a mother and wife is stifling. According to Campbell, "the usual hero adventure begins with someone from whom something has been taken, or who believes that there is something wanting in the conventional experiences offered or permitted to members of his society" (152). These women will not allow themselves to be eroded any further. Instead, they decide to seize control of their life and do whatever it takes to secure a better future for themselves. The innocence of Minnie and Nora is shattered as they begin their own adventures.

For Minnie and Nora to be heroes, Joseph Campbell says, you don't have to agree with their acts. Is it right or wrong? "That's a judgment from the other side," Campbell says, "but it does not destroy the intrinsic heroism" (156). Both characters have epiphanies and take control of their life through a shift in consciousness. It is Minnie and Nora's decision to break out of the shadow of femininity and seize their position in society that inspires this story.