Theme

Objective for this Page: To define "theme" in literary works and to consider the theme of Trifles.

Sooner or later, in every literature class, you get around to talking about theme. This may be one of the vaguest terms you will encounter, and you need to be sure about how your instructor is using it. Here are some points to consider:

Theme is generally defined as the main point or central argument of a literary work, but in many works--perhaps in most works--there is more than a single theme. So think of theme as a major idea found in the work.

In literature, themes are seldom "messages" or "lessons." A literary work obviously written to teach a lesson is considered didactic, a term that implies inferiority (although fables and parables are an exception--their purpose is to convey a lesson).

Themes should not be expressed as "cliches": A stitch in time saves nine; you reap what you sow; the early bird gets the worm. If that's all the writer wanted to say, he or she would simply have said it. If the theme appears to be that simple, you may not be thinking hard enough about the play.

A theme is more than just a general, broad topic like "Murder" or "Love." Although that's not a bad place to start, you should ask yourself what the play suggests about that topic. For instance, one theme that we find in Hamlet is the difficulty of taking action in a world where appearance clashes with reality. Another possible theme for that play is the impact of a corrupt environment on a sensitive individual. With a play as complex as Hamlet, we could go on and on.

Often, a theme can be expressed as a conflict between two concepts or ideas: in Hamlet, for instance, the ideal vs. the practical or thought vs. action. Note, however, that while a conflict between two people in a play might represent a theme, it is not in and of itself a theme. When we talk about theme, we work on the level of ideas; when we talk about structure, we work on the level of individuals and events.

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