County Attorney: "I guess before we're through she may have something more serious than preserves to worry about."
Mrs. Hale: "Well, women are used to worrying over trifles"
County Attorney: "And yet, for all their worries what would we do without the ladies? Dirty towels! not much of a housekeeper, would you say, ladies?"
Mrs. Hale: "There's a great deal of work to be done on a farm" (Glaspell, 812)
As I was reading this poem this exchange really stood out to me. It was obvious that the writer was making a statement here about a women's position in society during this period, in this particular culture. The men in this play do not appear to hold women in high esteem. The attorney insinuates here that Mrs. Wright needs to do a better job of keeping her house clean for Mr. Wright. Mrs. Hale appears to stand up for Mrs. Wright and does not take the attorney's comments lying down (subplot, men vs. women).
At this point it was difficult to determine where the play was going and who killed the farmer, although everything appeared to point to his wife, Mrs. Wright. But as I read on it was apparent that the women were going to defend Mrs. Wright and that they felt the husband was deserving of his fate for killing the bird.
I don't feel that the play was looking at this particular incident and analyzing whether or not Mrs Wright should get away with murder. Rather, if men can mistreat their spouse and it is accepted what rights do women have to stand up for themselves (central conflict). Now Mr. Wright certainly did not deserve his fate for killing the bird. However, women do, on occasion, get away with murdering their abusive husband.
I was surprised that the women took up for Mrs. Wright when they did not even know her very well. I am a believer of "an eye for an eye" but a bird vs a human life is not the same. There was not evidence that Mr. Wright was abusive to Mrs. Wright. Even if so, murder can't be condoned. Everyone should have to pay for their crimes.
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