Breaking the Bonds of Oppression in Susan Glaspells A Jury of Her Peer

Breaking the Bonds of Oppression in A gore of Her Peers Susan Glaspells A Jury of Her Peers is a view into the lives of farmers wives in the Midwest at the turn of the century. These women live in a male dominated world, where the men shell out them incompetent and frivolous. The only identity they have is that associated with their husbands. They stay at the farmhouse to complete their repetitive and exhausting chores. The wives have little or no contact with the former(a) people because of the distances between farms. Glaspell uses her female characters to rebel against the inequalities that women face and to prove that women are competent and when pushed too far --strike back. The male dominant society that is condescending, controlling, denies individuality, demands submission, and is abusive toward women, is a society that punishes and deprives itself. It is a society that is harmful and hurtful, not only to the women, but to the men as well. Typical of the male dominant fr ame of mind, the mens view of the women in A Jury of Her Peers is condescending from start to finish. Putting a slight twist on Shakespeares famous metaphor, The world is a stage, the men are the puppeteers, and the women merely puppets, evidences the mens beliefs (Act II, scene 7, lines 143-144). The men believe they are superior and more intelligent than the women are. The feeling of favorable position is evident in Mr. Hales comment, women are used to worrying over trifles (Glaspell 186). Similarly, these feelings of superiority are shown in the county attorneys musings over whether the women would acknowledge a clue if they came upon it (Glaspell 187). Glaspell uses this emotion to create the irony in the story. She shows how ... ...journalsShyp.html&querydocid=1096142 library_a&dtype=00&dinst=0> Sherman, Beth. The Dirt on Men despite Liberation, Education, increase and Good Old Nagging, Women still cant get their Men to Clean the House. Is it a Lost Cause or is there Some means to Make Men Come Clean? 26 Sept. 1992. SI., Newsday. 17 Feb. 1999. <http//www.elibrary.com/s/edumark/getdoc.cgi?id=125920539x0y20939w1& OIDS=0Q002D000&Form=RL&pubname=Newsday&puburl=httpCSS www.newsday.com&querydocid=213927library_g&dtype=00&dinst=0> Walradth, Ellie. historiographer Says Farm Wives a Happy Lot. 21 Feb. 1997. University of Wisconsin. 17 Feb. 1999. <http//www.elibrary.com/s/edumark/getdoc.cgi?id=125920539x0y20939w1& OIDS=0Q002D000&Form=RL&pubname=Newsday&puburl=httpCSS www.newsday.com&querydocid=213927library_g&dtype=00&dinst=0>