Who Is Minnie'sympathize In A Jury Of Her Peers

In this 1917 short story, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters accompany their husbands to a house where a man named John Wright has been strangled to death. The two women sympathize for the prime suspect of the murder, Minnie Wright after they find evidence in the house that Minnie might not have been treated well by her husband. In “A Jury of Her Peers,” by Susan Glaspell, Minnie Wright’s actions against her husband are justifiable as he is the reason why she lives a joyless life with no hope of relief or release.

It is very hard to justify any harmful act against anyone, let alone murder; however, the botched knitting and dead canary found in Minnie’s house suggests that a history of severe abuse may have clouded the happiness and prosperity of her

and her husband’s marriage. For this reason, it is easy to realize Minnie’s motive for the murder. The story is set in the early 1900’s when there is very little means of entertainment or distractions; therefore, all anyone really has are the people around them to pass the time of day. It is clear that John Wright is not at all the most ideal person to be around, as Mrs. Hale described him as “‘…He was a hard man, Mrs. Peters. Just to pass the time of day with him—.’ She stopped, shivered a little. ‘Like a raw wind that gets to the bone.’” (Glaspell 291). Minnie’s life slowly deteriorates as her husband forces her to live in complete darkness and solitude by robbing her of everything that brings her joy; including her friends.
The struggles that this woman endures cannot be realized by many; she is essentially confined in her house with only the company of the cold man she calls her husband. The women express the guilt they feel for not recognizing what poor shape Minnie was in from her marriage and how much she really needed moral support from them. Mrs. Hale says, “‘I stayed away because it weren’t cheerful—and that’s why I ought to have come…I don’t know what it is, but it’s a lonesome place, and always was. I wish I had come over to see Minnie Foster sometimes’” (Glaspell 290). If Mrs. Hale explained how the misery of the house repulsed her to the point where she could not even go to visit her childhood friend, then it is only imaginable the kind of disgust Minnie felt for her life.
With John Wright physically absent for the majority of the days and emotionally absent for the remainder of them, Minnie is forced to turn to another outlet to bring her happiness.

Her canary becomes the thread that she holds onto her sanity with; in fact, the two women discuss how Minnie relates to the bird in many ways, they are both “…real sweet and pretty”, but also “kind of timid and—fluttery.” One could even say that Minnie depends on the bird as a friend, her only friend; therefore, when the man that causes her all this pain destroys the only light in her life by strangling her bird, Minnie perhaps hits her breaking

point.
There is no doubt that Minnie is mistreated and lives an empty life; she has a reason to be angry and vengeful.

From a young age one is taught that it is never okay to take someone else’s life; however, in Minnie’s case, her husband had already taken so much of her life that it is justified for her to settle that score. Minnie’s marriage is so detrimental that it changes her; Mrs. Hale explains, “‘I think maybe that’s why she kept so much to herself. I s’pose she felt she couldn’t do her part; and then, you don’t enjoy things when you feel shabby. She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively—when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls, singing in the choir. But that—oh, that was twenty years ago’” (Glaspell 287). With her isolated behavior, shattered spirit, and melancholy attitude Minnie shows symptoms of having a legitimate mental disorder called Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS). An Associate Professor of Clinical Law at New York University, Holly Maguigan explains that “…there are support systems available to women who suffer from a situation of domestic violence and BWS. It’s worth noting, also, that the laws of many states account for violent outbursts by BWS victims.” Everyone has a right to defend themselves and make a joyful life for themselves, it is easier now in this day in age for a woman to take control of her own life since today women and men are supposedly treated as equals. However, back in the twentieth century, this was not the case; women were seen

not heard, and a woman could not take it upon herself to stand up and leave her husband. Minnie was by no means independent, she was the property of her husband and there were no questions asked about it. With that being said, since Minnie does not have the ability to get herself out of her toxic situation, she takes it upon herself to kill the man who is at fault.
Even when the two women finally unfold the murder while their husbands are investigating upstairs, they choose not to share what they have learned because they know that Minnie’s actions were necessary. Both Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters understand the struggles of being a woman in that time period. Women were not nearly given the privileges the men were given and they began to realize that this is especially true for Minnie as she did not have any children to ease her time with her oppressive husband; the only relief she did have, such as her bird, was taken from her. She longs to be free and the only long-term escape she can see is to rid him from her life altogether. Therefore, it is clear to see that Minnie takes the necessary steps to improve her life, which is a right that everyone has.
This contributes to the strong theme of feminism throughout the story; there is a mutual understanding between the three women. This unspoken relationship can be seen when Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters find the dead canary in Minnie’s basket, “And then again the eyes of the two women met—this time clung together in a look of dawning comprehension, of growing horror. Again their eyes met. And just then there was a sound at the outside door. Mrs. Hale slipped the box under the quilt pieces in the basket, and sank into the chair before it” (Glaspell 291). Contrary to the passive, unintelligent stereotype of the women of that time period, Mrs. Peters reveals her inner strength when she defies her husband by withholding evidence that is important to the case. Instead of following their husbands lead, as they have their entire lives, the women choose to shift their loyalties to Minnie since they relate to what she is going through on many levels. The women know the struggles of oppression in their society, so they opt to protect Minnie and set her free from the twenty miserable years she has paid to this harsh man. In doing this, they show that when it comes down to it, the bond of sisterhood is in fact stronger than that of marriage.
It is also ironic that in the male-dominated world of the law, the women are the ones who find the crucial evidence to the case and then conceal it. The men do not suspect anything of the women as they mock them; Mr. Henderson says, “Mrs. Peters doesn’t need supervising. For that matter, a sheriff’s wife is married to the law” (Glaspell 294). However, Mrs. Peters does not agree with this, she not only rejects the way the men think of her, but also the way the men think of Minnie’s actions. This power to reject the men’s opinions and ideas further reiterates the strong feminism theme.
In conclusion, Minnie Wright’s actions against her husband are justified as his lack of regard for her throughout their marriage is responsible for the joyless life she lives. John Wright is so detrimental to Minnie’s mental and emotional health that she does not even know who she is anymore. By taking the best years of her life, and destroying the very last bit of happiness she has to hold onto, he makes her drastic decision to resort to murder not only necessary but understandable.