Like many other feminist short stories that emerged around the turn of the century, Susan Glaspell’s “A Jury of Her Peers” sharply critiques patriarchal gender roles and norms. Called a “small feminist classic” by literary critics, “A Jury of Her Peers” was published in 1917, several years before women in the United States could vote in public elections. Glaspell’s story shows how women use whatever means possible to reassert themselves and take back their power. Feminist criticism takes an analysis of “A Jury of Her Peers” a step further by showing the multiple ways patriarchal power is meted out, but also subverted by conscientious actors. Protagonist Martha Hale and her friend Mrs. Peters accompany their husbands to a crime scene. Seeing that the perpetrator of the crime is an abused woman, Martha Hale and Mrs. Peters decide together to hide a crucial piece of evidence that would have incriminated Minnie. Although Mrs. Peters almost has a change of heart at the end of the story, ultimately Martha’s strong willed nature allows all three women to bond together to challenge systematic sexism in society. Glaspell’s short story shows how women must use deviant, devious, and even criminal means to negotiate power and authority within a patriarchal structure. Theirs is a new ethical order, one that is subversive and yet less sinister than the patriarchal social order that metes out systematic oppression and wanton abuse. Patriarchal power is hegemonic; female reclamation of that power is doled out judiciously and in small, relatively harmless ways. All three of the main women in the story, Martha Hale, Mrs. Peters, and Minnie Wright, all commit crimes. The first two withhold evidence and tamper with a crime scene, which in the context of a small town at the turn of the century would not be considered serious crimes at all. More important is Wright’s alleged crime—for the reader will never really know with certainty whether Wright is guilty or not. Withholding evidence from a crime scene and murder are clearly subversive tactics that the women...
Likewise, these are desperate measures that would not have been used had the women been considered social equals to their male counterparts. Minnie’s own crime is an act of desperation; even the weak and timid Mrs. Peters can admit as much: “A person gets discouraged--and loses heart,” she says.Works Cited
Bryan, Patricia L. “Stories in Fiction and in Fact: Susan Glaspell's "A Jury of Her Peers" and the 1901 Murder Trial of Margaret Hossack.” Stanford Law Review, Vol. 49, No. 6, July 1997, pp. 1293-1363.
Glaspell, Susan. “A Jury of Her Peers.” https://www.learner.org/exhibits/literature/story/fulltext.html
Hedges, Elaine. “Small Things Reconsidered.” Women’s Studies, Vol. 12, Issue 1, 1986, pp. 89-110.
West, Robin. “Invisible Victims: A Comparison of Susan Glaspell's Jury of Her Peers, and Herman Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener.” Law & Literature, Vol. 8, Issue 1, 1996, pp. 203-249
The women recognize they have let Mrs. Wright down by not visiting her or supporting her, and so, they do the right thing by hiding the evidence and "saving" Mrs. Wright. The governor recognizes he will be remembered only as the puppet of Francis, and so signs the contracts in his final act as governor to do the right thing and allow the new governor an equal chance to
Wright. It is also quite clear the men do not think the women are intelligent enough to know a clue if they saw it. Glaspell writes, "But would the women know a clue if they did come upon it?' he said; and, having delivered himself of this, he followed the others through the stair door" (Glaspell). Clearly, if they did share the evidence they find with the men, they would
Wright to snap and take violent action. The sequence of events does not point to murder. The most she can be guilty of is "voluntary manslaughter" not murder. Recommendation: A suspended sentence. Breaking the Law in Order to Do "Right" Sometimes, it is difficult to know what to do in a certain situation. The law may say one thing, but circumstances make what is legal wrong from a moral point-of-view. I
Jury of Her Peers" is the place of women in society and especially the isolation this results in. We see this through the character, Minnie Foster and her isolation from love, happiness, companionship and from society as a whole. Not only does the story describe this isolation but it allows the reader to feel the impact of this isolation and recognize the tragedy of the situation. The story is set
Another difference between the American juror system and the Venuzuela escabino system is the number of participants. In the American juror system there are 12 jurors seated with several alternatives on the ready. This means if one of the chosen jurors cannot serve completely through to the end then one of the alternatives will step in and take that jurors place. As an alternative the juror is expected to listen
The image of the law arises, but like the woman, the captain has already experienced a kind of internal, moral shift. Like the woman the captain cannot bear to morally condemn the murderer, or reveal the fact that Leggatt is on his ship when the authorities arrive. Captain Archbold wants to act according to the law, like the men of the Glaspell tale, but Leggatt's protective captain pretends the
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