
In a cold, neglected farmhouse kitchen, a group of men and women gather around a stubborn stove. The sheriff, a middle‑aged man, his wife, the county attorney, and the well‑meaning Mr. Hale arrive to confront the strange silence left behind by the Wright family. Unwashed pans, a loaf of bread abandoned on the counter, and an uneasy atmosphere set the stage for a tense inquiry.
Mrs. Wright sits in a rocking chair, her apron half‑folded, speaking in riddles about her husband’s sudden death. As Hale recounts the unsettling encounter, the legal team prepares to probe the mystery of a rope around the farmer’s neck and the hidden secrets of the house. Listeners are drawn into a slow‑burning drama where ordinary chores mask a deeper, unsettling truth.
The dialogue‑driven narrative captures the rhythm of rural life while building suspense, inviting listeners to piece together clues from each careful exchange. With its stark realism and quiet dread, the play offers a compelling glimpse into how a community confronts loss and suspicion.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (269K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by WebRover, MWS, hazeleyeflgal, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive.)
Release date
2019-05-04
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1876–1948
A pioneering voice in modern American theater, she helped launch the Provincetown Players and wrote drama and fiction that still feel sharp, humane, and quietly radical. Best known today for Trifles and "A Jury of Her Peers," she brought everyday lives and moral tension to the center of her work.
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