Comparing Trifles to Jury of Her Peers

The Understanding of Women in Trifles

In Susan Glaspell's play "Trifles," the women, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, seem to understand each other with ease despite not discussing the circumstances of the case directly. The story is a powerful commentary on gender roles and the isolation of women in rural communities. There is evidence of foreshadowing in the story that hints at why the wives might be sympathetic to Minnie Wright and what experiences in their own lives would help them relate.

Minnie Wright, a victim of spousal abuse in the play, has been isolated and oppressed by her husband. Through subtle details in the play, such as the lack of basic necessities in her home and her sewing materials, the audience is able to grasp the depth of Minnie's loneliness and isolation. Along with the bird, these clues indicate that Minnie is likely experiencing abuse from her husband, a fact that is later confirmed by the women. As Jawad notes, they recognize domestic violence when they see it—and they see it in the shell of a home/marriage set before them.

Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are both wives, and their experiences as married women would help them understand and relate to Minnie's situation. The two women know how important it is to keep secrets in a marriage and the unspoken codes of conduct that women are expected to follow in a patriarchal society. They understand the weight of responsibility and expectations that comes with being a wife, including supporting their husbands and keeping the household running.

The women's sympathy for Minnie Wright is evident in their actions. Mrs. Hale initially resists helping Mrs. Peters find the items she needs to take to Minnie, but ultimately decides to help her out of empathy for Minnie's situation. Mrs. Peters, too, is visibly shaken by the evidence of Minnie's abuse and is hesitant to turn her over to the authorities. When they find the evidence that proves Minnie's guilt, they agree to keep it a secret and cover for her.

If Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters had not helped cover for Minnie, it is likely that she would have been convicted and sentenced to prison. The women's actions were not so much a form of protest against the unjust treatment of women in society, however, as they were a show of solidarity and understanding, empathy and sympathy. They viewed Minnie’s actions with sympathy and therefore covered for her.

Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters weren’t likely thinking about the limitations of women's lives and the immense pressures and expectations that come with being a wife—not at least actively; rather, they were simply reacting out of sympathy and understanding. They understood the profound loneliness and isolation that can come with living in an unhappy marriage and the difficulties that women face in such situations, as Guswanto and Husna note.

In comparison to "Trifles," "A Jury of Her Peers" by Glaspell presents a similar theme of gender roles and the isolation of women. The women in the story are also able to understand and sympathize with Minnie's situation, and they ultimately choose to cover for her in the end. Whereas Trifles uses humor to convey the subtext, “Jury” is more straight-laced about it.