ipl-logo

Martha Hale Essay

1139 Words5 Pages

An Interview with Martha Hale It has now been a few months since the tragic events that transpired at the Wright residence occurred. Due to the completion of Minnie Wright’s trial in regards to the murder of John Wright, in which she was found not guilty, much speculation has arisen about who was responsible for taking the life of a seemingly innocent man. Recently, I had the opportunity to get some insight into this case and the emotions surrounding it from the wife of key witness Lewis Hale. Not too long ago, Martha Hale’s husband had stumbled upon the dreadful scene of John Wright found dead in his home when Hale was hoping to use his telephone to aid in his potato delivery. When investigators had taken their examination further, Mrs. Hale …show more content…

A prominent piece of evidence that was found in the house was a broken bird cage and the question lies within what her personal interpretation of this object was. With a solemn tone, Martha replied, “I believe Minnie’s husband ripped the cage door open when in a rage and snapped the bird’s neck, so she did the same to him.” It is hard to believe that one’s emotions could so greatly influence their actions but in this case, it seems as if the Wright’s were involved in an unhappy, abusive marriage. To connect back to the bird queries, I also asked Mrs. Hale what she did with the deceased creature that Minnie Wright held so dearly. Martha without hesitation mentioned that she “grabbed it without a second thought” and that she wishes to bury it because Minnie would have wanted that. As Martha Hale figured out, the bird’s death was reminiscent of John Wright’s death, and if the authorities would have acquired this, Minnie Wright would have been found guilty of murdering her husband. Although Minnie Wright has been found not guilty, the interview that I had with Martha Hale provides clear evidence that she did kill her husband. But then why would she protect her? According to Martha, she and Minnie have known each other since they were little girls, and they are still bonded in that way. Mrs. Hale defended and protected Minnie because she “wanted to give her some sort of fighting chance whether everyone else thinks she deserves one or

Show More
Related

Symbolism In 'A Jury Of Her Peers'

404 Words | 2 Pages

She used to sing. He killed that too”. Minnie Wright got the canary bird because it was a symbol of her past life. The bird symbolized the love Mrs. Wright had for singing. Furthermore, Mrs. Wrights wardrobe represented the neglect and frugality she received from her husband.

Read More

Comparing Susan Glaspell's Trifles And The Yellow Wallpaper

1166 Words | 5 Pages

In the play, Minnie Foster was once a lively young lady before marrying her husband Mr. Wright. Mrs. Hale realizes he had taken everything she once loved away from her. Mr. Wright even took away her song bird that reminded her of the days she sang in the church choir. When Mr. Wright kills her song bird, she stands up for herself and decides he deserves the same

Read More

Susan Glaspell's Trifles

599 Words | 3 Pages

Hales exclaims: “She – come to think of it, she was kind of like a bird herself – real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and – fluttery. How – she – did – change” (Glaspell 1044). Mrs. Hale clearly admits that the canary represents Minnie Foster, who once was that sweet, fluttery girl that was transformed into the lonely, depressed Mrs. Wright by years of her husband's neglect and emotional abuse. Additionally, the word “dead” next to bird suggest that Mrs. Wright is emotionally and mentally “dead.” For example, in the beginning of the play, Mrs. Wright displayed some usual sense of emotion or feelings towards her death of her husband, such as, her laughter and fearful look (Glaspell 1039-40).

Read More

Similarities Between Hale And John Proctor

1033 Words | 5 Pages

(35) This shows that Hale is so involved in his work that he could possibly end up accusing someone who was not guilty of witchcraft. Hale seems overly conscious about his own life and his duty to serve the people to find the devil in Salem; he doesn’t seem to like the idea that he himself could be wicked. This shows that Hale too, did not show himself to be truthful and courteous when it came to the

Read More

Mr. Hale V. Minnie Wright Case

2009 Words | 9 Pages

Hale went to Mr. and Mrs. Wright’s house. According to the poor investigation done by Mr. Henderson; A great deal of his “evidence” finds our client guilty when Minnie was found in a great state of shock the morning of her husband’s death. Mr. Hale found Minnie Wright looking uncomfortable, but rocking in her rocking chair. Minnie Wright revealed that John was home, but that Mr. Hale could not speak with him because he was dead. When questioned, she explained that he died of “a rope around his neck.”

Read More

Summary Of The Mrs. Wright Case

329 Words | 2 Pages

When a person lies they tend to have a tiny physical response to their lie. In this case, she stopped her fidgeting because she was aware that she is about to lie to Mr. Hale. Another reason why Mrs. Wright killed her husband is the evidence of the bird. It was said by Mrs. Hales, “I wish you'd seen Minnie Foster when she wore a white dress with blue ribbons and stood up there in the choir

Read More

Who Is Susan Glaspell's A Jury Of Her Peers?

1300 Words | 6 Pages

Hale and Mrs. Peters feel bad for Minnie and sympathize with her so they decide that they will hide the evidence of the murder of her husband. When Mrs.Hale and Mrs.Peters are getting ready to leave the house, they decided to take the evidence that would out Minnie in jail, “With a rush forward, she threw back the quilt pieces, got the box tried to put it in her handbag. It broke she could not touch the bird. She stood helpless, foolish” (Glaspell 299). When it was time to leave the house, Mrs. Hale and Mrs.Peters were taking the evidence that would put Minnie in jail because they saw the emotional abuse that Mr. Wright put her through.

Read More

Comparing The Yellow Wallpaper And A Jury Of Her Peers

905 Words | 4 Pages

This makes her very angry, causing her to speed up the process of losing her sanity. The death of the bird in “A Jury of Her Peers” gives Minnie the mind of a killer. Because of the way John killed the bird, she knows how his death will happen. Her mindset can easily be seen in her quilting and in her household. Quite distracted, she failed to keep a tidy house.

Read More

Comparing 'The Yellow Wallpaper And A Jury Of Her Peers'

1006 Words | 5 Pages

The story opens with Mrs. Wright imprisoned for strangling her husband. A group, the mostly composed of men, travel to the Wright house in the hopes that they find incriminating evidence against Mrs. Wright. Instead, the two women of the group discover evidence of Mr. Wright’s abuse of his wife. Through the women’s unique perspective, the reader glimpses the reality of the situation and realizes that, though it seemed unreasonable at the time, Mrs. Wright had carefully calculated her actions. When asked about the Wrights, one of the women, Mrs. Hale, replies “I don’t think a place would be a cheerful for John Wright’s being in it” (“A Jury of Her Peers” 7).

Read More

Comparing A Jury Of Her Peers And Trifles

1285 Words | 6 Pages

Hale regrets not paying Minnie a visit and thinks about the times she would say, "I ought to go over and see Minnie Foster" (Glaspell p. 566). Nevertheless, there was always some obstacle that prevented her from visiting Minnie. This gives the story more depth and encourages readers to consider the significance of the events that will transpire by hinting at the realization they will make regarding Minnie's loneliness and distress. The application of symbolism is another example. For example, Minnie's own life and spirit, which have been crushed and smothered by her abusive husband, are represented by the dead canary.

Read More

Compare And Contrast A Jury Of Her Peers And A Municipal Report

645 Words | 3 Pages

'Martha!' now came her husband's impatient voice. Don't keep folks waiting out here in the cold." (Glaspell 389). " The author then uses this characterization to allow the reader to relate Mrs. Wright, the murderer, to an average woman, Mrs. Hale.

Read More

A Jury Of Her Peers Symbolism Analysis

734 Words | 3 Pages

Minnie’s quilt, the dead bird and its cage, and the kitchen show that living in a man’s world is not easy. In the end, Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale recognize that they too have experienced the same loneliness and mistreatment that led Mrs. Wright to murder her husband. The men don't value the women in this story and they don't see them as being very intelligent either. It is for this reason “A jury of her peers” is created. Peers being the women themselves as they stand up, united against the subjugation they have all experienced.

Read More

The Hossack Case

1087 Words | 5 Pages

The County Attorney remarks that the house is a mess and the Mrs. Wright was not much of a housekeeper. The men continue on and go upstairs to the crime scene to try and determine the motive of the crime; while the women are left downstairs they begin to discuss the relationship between Minnie Wright and John Wright while also piecing together the true motive and reasoning behind the murder of Mr. Wright. As the women go through Mrs. Wright’s things they find a small dead canary, straggled like the dead husband, thus leading to the motive of the

Read More

Martha Hall In Susan Glaspell's A Jury Of Her Peers

723 Words | 3 Pages

When the sheriff and her husband come to get her, she is apprehensive about going to the crime scene. When she is actually about to enter into the Wrights’ house, she hesitates. The story reads: “Even after she had her foot on the door-step, her hand on the knob, Martha Hale had a moment of feeling she could not cross that threshold. And the reason it seemed she couldn’t cross it now was simply because she hadn’t crossed it before.” (Jury).

Read More

Perceiving Evidence In Susan Glaspell's Trifles

796 Words | 4 Pages

Wright’s belongings are incomplete and out of place, particularly in the kitchen. The women find this to be abnormal and begin speculating the significance of these items. During one point in the play, Mrs. Hale notices an uneven stitch in Mrs. Wright’s unfinished quilt. She asks Mrs. Peters, “’what do you suppose she was so nervous about?’” Because of the death of Mr. Wright, Mrs. Hale views the stitching in a suspicious manner.

Read More

More about Martha Hale Essay

Open Document