Machinal (pronounced "mah-shee-nal") by Sophie Treadwell is an expressionist play inspired by the real-life case of convicted murderer Ruth Snyder. The play, first performed in 1928, follows a young woman, Helen, who struggles against the oppressive, mechanized structures of society. Trapped in a loveless marriage to a controlling man and suffocated by societal expectations, she yearns for freedom and individuality.

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Helen has an affair, which awakens her desire for autonomy, but her desperation leads her to murder her husband. Ultimately, she is arrested, tried, and sentenced to death, symbolizing the tragic consequences of a rigid, patriarchal world that denies women agency. The play uses fragmented dialogue, disjointed scenes, and stylized movements to highlight Helen's isolation and inner turmoil.