Stereotype

 Throughout Glaspell's A Jury of Her Peers, the female sex is often sterotyped. The men in the story, especially the attorney, often make generalizations about the women. Moreover, the men establish certain "gender roles" based on their views. For instance, upon arriving at the Wright home, the county attorney commented, "'Dirty towels! Not much of a housekeeper, would you say, ladies?'" (Glaspell, 412). Here, he asks for the ladies to confirm the housekeeping abilities of Mrs. Wright, because he assumes that all women are knowledgeable on that subject-an obvious stereotype. Such comments continue throughout the story. Just a little later, the county attorney again said, "But would the women know a clue if they did come upon it?" (Glaspell, 413). Here, the attorney is expressing his opinion that women are inferior beings with a lower level of intelligence than males-another stereotype. Ironic, however, is the fact that the despite these generalizations, the attorney says, "'And yet, for all their worries, what would we do without the ladies?'" (Glaspell, 412). The men demean the women only to come back with a comment about how they play such an integral role in life.

I also thought it was interesting how often the women were not referred to by their own names, but rather as "the sherriff's wife" or "Mr. Hale's wife" even after we have gotten to know the characters farely well. Is this another way of illustrating male dominance? I hesitate to say so, however, because the men are also occasionally referred to as the possession of their wives as well ("Mrs. Peter's husband).