The modern-day art scene is broad and interchangeable; however, it might approach each individual differently considering the creative tactics applied. Theatrical arts might be particularly overwhelming when they are accompanied by literature or cinematography. On the other hand, such diversity in experiencing one play in different forms might lead to a distorted view of art. Trifles is an exceptional drama written by Glaspell since it raises the critical issues of gender, isolation, and justice. Therefore, the main question is how such crucial societal concerns can be best perceived by the audience so that they resonate with it as the author intended.
In my opinion, drama is not entirely different from the concept of fiction. To be more specific, drama is, for the most part, considered a species of fiction. The only distinctive feature of drama is that the story tells itself. However, fiction is a literary type based on imaginative writing, meaning that it tells a story that never occurred. Drama, in turn, is presented in the form of a dialogue and is usually used to describe the events that happened. Nonetheless, I suppose that reading a written text and watching a performance are two different experiences that leave a different aftertaste.
Concerning Trifles, while reading the play as a text, each reader makes up their personal vision of the plot and the main characters. In contrast, when watching different versions of a play as performance, such practice inevitably imposes a singular view on the story. The latter is enhanced by the director’s creative vision, actors’ skills, and lightning and sound designers. I agree that sometimes a performance helps people better understand the material compared to the written text. However, theater performance might impede the audience from developing critical thoughts and insights on the original text created by Glaspell. With this said, I firmly believe that only by reading original works can one experience the play to the fullest by the author’s design. After all, art is a universal phenomenon that lets every person individually interpret its various forms and notions through the context of their own experiences in life.