UNDERVALUED AND OVERLOOKED

In “Trifles” and “A Doll House,” women are portrayed as needy, unable to think and reason for themselves. The women were not considered to have valued opinions or thoughts. The titles of the plays themselves are insights into how women were perceived in the period that they were written.
In “Trifles,” the county attorney, the sheriff, and Mr. Hale dismiss the women as foolish, and regarded them with little concern. Mr. Hale made the statement, with which the county attorney and sheriff agreed, “Well, women are used to worrying over trifles.”
This sentiment was similar in the play “A Doll House,” where Torvald refers to his wife throughout the play as different types of animals. When the play first opens, Torvald calls his wife, Nora, a “little lark,” then he refers to her as a “squirrel.” These are symbols that let the reader know he feels she is not his equal. Nora is Torvald’s plaything; she is a dancing, singing doll in a dollhouse, not t...