Topic > The Unexpected Power of Women in the Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell

In the short story "A Jury of Her Peers," Susan Glaspell illustrates the unexpected power within the domestic sphere that women experience that men do not to understand. As the story begins, the sheriff invites his wife, Mrs. Peters, and a friend, Mrs. Hale, to John Wright's house to collect personal items for Minnie, who is suspected of killing her husband, John Wright. While the women are there, they discover the evidence that men seek in the domestic sphere. Men are unable to see the importance of the domestic sphere because they are unable to see the importance and intelligence of women and their lives. Women have a power that is unexpected and overlooked by the potential of “nonsense” regarding women. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Starting in the 1920s, gender roles were not equal in society. Men and women were not treated equally. The life of a woman and a man were very stereotyped. Women were expected to live proper lives. Women were defined as housewives. They were expected to go to church, keep the house clean, and behave in a certain way. Women had great influence in the home. They prepared the next generation to carry on the lifestyle. It was common for women to follow traditional values. This was the idea that society should continue to follow more conservative values ​​and rules. Women had to inhabit the domestic sphere, were defined as having less value and were considered physically weaker; they could not perform forced labor or work at all. Women at that time had no personal rights, they had no right to vote. Men, however, lived in a different sphere than women. Men were seen as intellectuals and considered the head of the house. Men cared for their wives and provided income for their families and generally built the foundation of a family. Men had more rights than women, they could vote and work. Unlike both sexes, they had to live in two different spheres with different expectations, women inhabited the domestic sphere and had to avoid the public sphere. Women did not have the ability to express an opinion, men looked at women as if they were weaker and had to inhabit their roles. Gender roles and living in two different spheres have shaped the daily lives of both sexes. In the story, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters go to Minnie Foster's house to help the sheriff and detective find clues and collect things for Mrs. Foster. When the sheriff enters the kitchen, he criticizes how dirty it is. The sheriff's hands get sticky from the canned fruit and then he washes his hands. After washing his hands, he notices dirty pans and a dirty towel. He begins to think that Mrs. Foster is not a good housekeeper. Also, the towel symbolizes thankless work. The women note that the dirty towel is evidence. However, they don't tell the sheriff and detective because they overlooked the towel as a trifle. Later in the story, the women find a quilt. They tell the sheriff that Mrs. Foster will need her quilt while she is investigated, the sheriff responds, “At least we found out she wouldn't quilt it. Was it going to... what do you say, sir?" "We call it... knot it, Mr. Henderson." This quote symbolizes irony. The men don't realize that it's not just about the quilt, but about the solution it solves the mystery. The last piece of evidence the women find is the dead bird Minnie Foster had a.