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Feminism at Its Best

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Gender roles have transformed throughout time, from the domestic womanhood of the 1920s to the breadwinners of the 21st century. In “A Jury of Her Peers,” Susan Glaspell articulates the suffrage women of her time had to endure brought on by the weaker sex stereotype that had plagued the human brain for quite some time. Annenberg Learner states that the short story is based on a true event Susan Glaspell had covered in 1900 while working as a reporter for Des Moines Daily News (Annenberg Learner; Glaspell 179). At first, “A Jury of Her Peers” was known as a play by Glaspell called “Trifles.” A year later, Susan Glaspell adapted the play in short story form and titled it “A Jury of Her Peers” (Arp and Johnson 550). Susan Glaspell is known for her feminist writings (Annenberg Learner). The theme, along with the addition of Glaspell’s use of symbolism and irony, transforms this piece of literature into a feminist classic. The overall theme of “A Jury of Her Peers” is that stereotypes can hinder one’s own judgment. Throughout the story, the county attorney and Mr. Hale spits out sexist remarks toward the women characters of the short story. For example, Mr. Hale remarks, “But would the women know a clue if they did come upon it!” after the county attorney asked his wife to keep a look out for clues (Arp and Johnson 557). However, it is the women who found out that Minnie Foster killed her husband because she was being abused when describing John Wright as a “hard man” and

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