Question

What's the literary term for the fact that the audience and readers know of Mrs. Wright's motive in Trifles, but the sheriff and county attorney don't?

Answer 1

"Dramatic irony" is the term. Dramatic irony occurs in a work of literature (such as short story, a play, a novel, or a film) when the audience or reader is aware of a piece (or pieces) of information that one or more character in the story is not aware of.