The men's assumptions in Trifles and A Doll House There are many similarities in the relationships between men and women in Trifles by Susan Glaspell and A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen. The conflict in each work is the result of incorrect assumptions made by males in a male-dominated society. Men believe that women focus on trivial matters and are incapable of thinking intelligently, while women silently prove men's assumptions wrong. In the plays Trifles and A Doll House men believe that women only focus on trivial matters. While Mrs. Wright is being held in prison for the murder of her husband, she worries about the cold causing her fruit jars to freeze and burst. Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale discuss Mrs. Wright's concern about her canned fruit after finding a broken jar. Mrs. Peters expresses Mrs. Wright's concern: "She said the fire would go out and her jars would break" (Glaspell 1.27). The sheriff's response is, "Well, you can beat women! Held for murder and worried about his claims" (Glaspell 1.28). The women realize the hard work that goes into canning this fruit and understand Mrs. Wright's concern. The men see this as unimportant compared to the problems Mrs. Wright is facing. Similarly, in Isben's play A Doll House Helmer believes that his wife Nora focuses only on trivial matters. Three weeks before Christmas Nora spent every evening working alone. Helmer believes Nora is preparing Christmas ornaments and other treats for the family for the Christmas holidays. In reality, Nora is working for money to repay a loan she acquired illegally when Helmer was ill. The domestic cat is accused of destroying the non-existent ornaments. Helmer reminds her of the long hours spent away from her family. Helmer knows...... half of the document ......n, John S. Ibsen: The Open Vision. 1982.Durbach, Errol. A Doll's House: Ibsen's Myth of Transformation. Boston: Twayne, 1991.Glaspell, Susan. "Trifles." Comedies by Susan Glaspell. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, Inc., 1920. Reprinted in Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry and Drama. XJ Kennedy and Dana Gioia Eds. New York: Harper Collins Publisher, 1995. Glaspell, Susan. Trifles. Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. Ed. John Schilb and John Clifford. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin's, 2000. 127-137.Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll's House (1879). Trans. Rolf Fjelde. Rpt. in Michael Meyer, ed. Bedford's introduction to literature. 5th edition. Boston and New York: Bedford/St. Martin's Press, 1999. 1564-1612.Templeton, Joan. “The Dollhouse Backlash: Criticism, Feminism, and Ibsen.” PMLA (January 1989): 28-40.