Well, the biggest question that the play begins with and
is subsequently answered by Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, is what precisely happened to
John Wright and who killed him. It is clear that the play begins with something of a
mystery. Hale begins by narrating to the County Attorney and to the rest of the
characters what happened when he came to the house and how he saw Minnie Wright sitting
on the chair, looking "queer". She then tells Hale that Mr. Wright had
died:
"He
died of a rope around his neck," says she, and just went on pleatin' at her apron. Well,
I went out and called Harry. I thought I might - need help. We went upstairs, and there
he was - lying' -
Mrs. Wright
then tells Hale the somewhat suspicious story that she did not know who killed her
husband, and that she slept through the murder. The rest of the play presents the male
characters' bumbling attempts to find out what happened, whilst the women, disparagingly
dismissed by the menfolk, piece together the motive with ease and prove who the murderer
was - only to hide the truth.
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