Martha Hall In Susan Glaspell's A Jury Of Her Peers

The character of Martha Hall in the story “A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell, is torn between two things: the law and her instinct. Marth is normally a virtuous woman. However, in her particular situation she is faced with, she reacts differently. Martha chooses to follow her feelings, which reflects the true essence of her character. From the beginning of the story, Martha Hale is shown as very cautious and nervous. When the sheriff and her husband come to get her, she is apprehensive about going to the crime scene. When she is actually about to enter into the Wrights’ house, she hesitates. The story reads: “Even after she had her foot on the door-step, her hand on the knob, Martha Hale had a moment of feeling she could not cross that threshold. And the reason it seemed she couldn’t cross it now was simply because she hadn’t crossed it before.” (Jury).

As the story continues, the characters engage in

In “Jury”, Martha is forced to accept her social position and be treated as inferior due to the men around her. In the brief encounter we see between the Mayor and the couple enrolling their children in a new school, there’s a much more modern exchange. The Mayor treats the women as equals and speaks to them the same way he’d speak to anyone.

The Mayor is described as “a small dark man with high cheekbones and a sharp chin who looks remarkably like an American character actor I can’t quite place” (American Princess) by the author. He talks with the women about America and its’ affairs. The most intriguing part of their exchange, however, is when he asks who the mother is. In the first story, if one of those men were to hear “both” as the Mayor in this story did, there would be an uproar. However, he just says, “Pas de problem,” (American Princess) which is defined as “no