Feminist Times: a Jury of Her Peers

Susan Glaspell was born in 1882; she wrote a short story called “A Jury of Her Peers” based on her play Trifles. Susan Glaspell received a degree in philosophy from Drake University. She became a newspaper reporter in Des Moines. The writer married a freethinker who believed in free love. In 1916 the author was inspired to write the play Trifles based on a murder case she covered on the job. One year later in 1917, she creates the short story. Mrs. Glaspell has stated that promotes all progressive movements. Her short story “A Jury of Her Peers” is very touching and judgmental. In her story she is revealing moments that define the women’s personalities and lives. This short story is symbolizing how the women felt, what roles they play in society, and what the women saw as a worry was considered little to none importance by men.
In this short story, how women felt was of no matter. For instance, Minnie Wright’s life was compared to the life of a bird in a cage. Mrs. Wright’s life was full of loneliness with nowhere to go. She was trapped in a cage just like the bird. Mrs. Hale remembered Minnie Wright as Minnie Foster before she got married to John Wright. Mrs. Hale states that Minnie Foster once had a beautiful voice just like the bird once had one too. “I wish you'd seen Minnie Foster when she wore a white dress with blue ribbons and stood up there in the choir and sang.” (Glaspell, Page 264) The beautiful voice of both Minnie Wright’s and the birds was taken away by a heartless man. Men in those times had no respect for how women felt. John Wright was a cruel man who killed the bird with disregard to her feelings. As the bird died, a piece of her heart died as well. “She was going to bury it in that pretty box.” (Glaspell, Page 264) Her only friend and connection to the world was taken away. As a consequence, Mr. Wright’s life was taken. During the old time, the role that women played in society was based on their husbands. For example, Mrs. Hale was