SUSAN GLASPELL'S "A JURY OF HER PEERS"
             In today's world it's probably difficult for a young woman to imagine a time when women's rights were not those of men. However, one can gain insight into such a time in reading the short story written by Susan Glaspell, "A Jury of Her Peers". Written long before the women's movement, Glaspell paints a disturbing picture of the role women played or were forced to play due to society's inability to understand and appreciate the differences between the sexes. Glaspell uses two main characters, Martha Hale and Mrs. Peters to tell the story of Minnie Wright who is imprisoned as the prime suspect in the murder of her husband. Glaspell uses symbolism to demonstrate the male superiority towards women, the abuse and deterioration of Minnie Wright and the motive that lead to the murder.
             Glaspell portrays a time when men are superior to women. She uses symbolism in the story to show the "wrongs inflicted on women" (Ozieblo 28). The use of only surnames when referring to the women symbolizes the women's inferiority to the men. Surnames suggest the women have no individuality. Mrs. Peters becomes known as the "sheriff's wife" (171) her first name never being mentioned throughout the story. The County Attorney when leaving the women alone states "...Mrs. Peters is one of us ..." (171) assuming that because she is married to the sheriff her views are that of her husband. Linda Ben-Zvi points out that the "martial designation-wife of the sheriff offers her no more freedom than it does Minnie; in fact, it completely effaces her as an individual" (37). The word "trifle" used in the story symbolizes how men looked at the differences in the sexes. The word "trifles" is defined by the Webster's II New Riverside Dictionary as something of little importance or value, or to deal ...