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Examples Of Misogyny In A Jury Of Our Peers

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The Trifles of Misogyny and Collective Experience
Different experiences are a core aspect of humanity. Many face contrasting circumstances, and those situations are what cause emotion and experience. Some people raised in similar circumstances or terms can feel a special connection with each other, such as the connection the women experience in Susan Glaspell’s “A Jury Of Our Peers,” Set in the early 1900s, Glaspell’s short story tells the tale of a murder investigation, and follows the experience Martha Hale brings as she investigates the murder of a man in her small town. The story explores the notions of misogyny and discrimination against women in the world of law. The story also demonstrates the connection and strength of empathy Mrs. …show more content…

After finding a suspicious and poorly made quilt at the scene of the crime, the women bring it up to the attorney and mention how the unorganized style of knitting was very unusual for the wife of the deceased, Mrs. Wright, to be knitting. The text narrates, “There was the sound of a knob turning in the inner door. Martha Hale snatched the box from the sheriff's wife, and got it in the pocket of her big coat just as the sheriff and the county attorney came back into the kitchen. Well, Henry," said the county attorney facetiously, "at least we found out that she was not going to quilt it. She was going to--what is it you call it, ladies?"..."We call it--knot it, Mr. Henderson."’ (Glaspell). The women used their experience dealing with the chores normally assigned to them, such as knitting, in order to deduce the things for the crime scene. The women use the quilting technique to evaluate the mental health of Mrs Wright. Even though the women were contributing valid evidence, the men dismissed it as meaningless chatter. In Laura Zaidman’s evaluation of Glaspell’s short story she writes how “Glaspell dramatizes gender differences to foreshadow the women’s rebellion. The women, for example, respond sympathetically on seeing the mess from broken ars of fruit, upset at the futility of a woman's hard work in the intense summer heat On the other hand, the men berate …show more content…

When at home the women are subjected to monotonous chores that are laid onto them by the men and have to cope with the thought that they will never get to work towards something greater. Women are assigned to sexist roles that they have to act out within their community. Because both women were subject to such similar roles Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Peters, and Mrs. Wright develop a bond with each other through their shared experiences. During this time period the women do not have a support system for the misogyny and sexism they face. The men ridiculed the women for their gender and because of this they experienced a unique female expression when faced with sexism. At the end of the story, even though Mrs. Wright is guilty of the crime, the women are able to justify the death of Mr Wright because they understand the abuse she was being subjected to. Women face many inequalities compared to men and are placed in specific social roles to keep them from speaking out. “A Jury of Her Peers” examines the way these experiences draw women together to form an empathetic

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The comment from Sheriff Peters is meant to remind the woman that they are once again focusing on Trifles, however, the Quilt’s shift in stitching represents a shift in Minnie's mental state, The woman also confirmed that a knotting style was used to tie the quilt similar to the knot used to kill John in his sleep. Analyzing the details of the quilt provides evidence that may incriminate Minnie however the arrogance of male investigators made the woman's revelation nothing more than a

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