" (Line 19) Her art creates joy but she still has to exist in the mundane world of everyday strife and problems. We also find this concern with the strife and woes of the world in the second poem "The Weary Blues." In this poem the art form is music and particularly 'blues' music, which echoes the suffering, problems and anxieties of human life and existence. The sense of being tired and troubled is emphasized through repetition and by the refrain " O. Blues!." The state of mind of the blues player is clearly depicted in the language of the poem; for example, the way that the blues swinger sways to the music.

Both these poems show how art forms such as music and dance can express the feelings of the soul of mankind. Both also suggest that art is also a way of transcending or going beyond the problems of everyday life, but not escaping the reality of the human condition.

3.

The central protagonist in the play "Trifles" is prosecutor George Henderson, who has the task of investigating the murder of John Hassock by his wife, Margaret. The play is based on a real-life murder case that took place in Indianola, Iowa. In this case the wife was accused of murdering her husband with an axe. However, there are other central characters that add important depth to the play, especially the female characters. These include Mrs. Peters, the Sheriff's wife and Mrs. Hale.

A central theme of the play is the difference between the sexes and the way that the woman's role and view in life is often disregarded as a "trifle" from the male perspective. The trifles or seemingly insignificant details of a woman's life have a powerful symbolic value in the play.

This refers particularly to the various "trifles" that the female characters find in the Hassock home; such as the female world of knitting, sawing and cooking. These...

A good example of a seemingly insignificant detail that escapes the attention of male investigators but reveals a great deal about the life of the woman living in the house is the small, dead canary. The bird has had its neck wrung. This symbolizes the subjugation of women by men and suggests the denial of their personal identity and freedom. It is also significant that the women remark that the accused woman not allowed to sing or to express herself in the home.
What this play suggests about justice and the legal system is that justice may be biased against women in a male -- dominated society. More importantly, the play suggests that true justice may often necessitate a more intense and detailed view of the entire situation before a truly just verdict can be pronounced. In other words, the entire context of a case should be taken into account and not only the more obvious and logical details. Furthermore, the play also draws our attention to the injustices and prejudices that occur in our society.

Works Cited

Mckay, C. If We Must Die, Web. 27 April, 2012.

(http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/if-we-must-die/)

McKay, C. The Harlem Dancer. Web. 27 April, 2012. (http://www.poetry-

archive.com/m/the_harlem_dancer.html).

Moore, J. Explication of Claude McKay's Poem if We Must Die. Web. 27 April, 2012.

(http://voices.yahoo.com/explication-claude-mckays-poem-if-we-must-die-664816.html?cat=10).

Glaspell, S. 1916. Trifles. Web. 27 April, 2012.

(http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10623/10623-h/10623-h.htm).

Hughes, L. The Weary Blues. Web. 27 April, 2012.

http://cai.ucdavis.edu/uccp/workingweary.html