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Stephens 1
Shaquita Stephens
Dr. VanNostrand Engl 1302
04/16/2023
Research Argument
Two separate ladies who cope with the identical struggles of being married women in the late 18th and early 19th century are the subjects of the short tales "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin and "A Jury of Her Peers" by Susan Glaspell. Men and women weren't treated equally during that period.
Although the Declaration of Independence states “We believe that all men are created equal and that these rights—among others, like the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—were granted to them by their Creator” (Ahmetspahic). Women did not have many rights when the Declaration of Independence was written, which raises the question of whether it is referring to males or both genders.
Women's independence, originality, and creativity were restricted.
When it comes to marriage, gender roles are a hot topic. Women are frequently expected to behave politely, be accommodating, and appear in traditionally feminine ways. According to the conventional view of marriage, men provide financial support for the home, while women take on the responsibilities of motherhood and housekeeping. Due to these gender norms, women are subject to personal limitations and are undervalued. In terms of family decision-making, marital satisfaction perceptions, and interactions between couples, gender roles appear to be quite important.
Women were not allowed to vote, own property while still married, attend college, receive equal
pay, work in many professions, or even report severe domestic violence. Women who were seen to be overly rebellious or contentious may face harsh and embarrassing public punishments. Particularly when
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it came to marriage, women's legal rights were limited. Women were totally under the father or guardian's supervision until they were married when power was transferred to their husband since their legal position was identical to that of children. Domestic abuse was not seen at the time as a crime or a concern by the criminal justice system.
Women frequently felt alone in the world. Women's lives were limited to taking care of their homes. Many women yearned for freedom. These liberties included but weren't restricted to, freedom of expression, autonomy, the right to live without fear of violence, and freedom of education. Some ladies yearned for freedom from their partners as well.
The death of Louise Mallard's husband is revealed in "The Story of an Hour." She initially experienced loss, but after some reflection, she discovered an opportunity. She also became aware of her newly discovered independence. Mrs. Mallard recognized that while she didn't always love her husband, she did occasionally. She prayed that this newfound freedom would remain for many years after her awakening.
She found comfort in the knowledge that she would one day be able to live for herself after spending years living for her spouse. The idea of being free from her husband's influence gave her a sense of liberation. Louise Mallard had reclaimed her ability to choose. She believed that her spouse had
suppressed her. Additionally, she thought that oppression was wrong.
Susan Glaspell's short fiction "A Jury of Her Peers" details the inquiry into a strange murder that occurred in a rural area of Dickson County. In this short narrative, gender roles, the negative consequences of social isolation on people's emotional and mental health, and the responsibility of neighbors to look out for one another are discussed. Being cut off from society by her husband, John Wright left Mrs. Wright a lonely childless lady. Because her husband attempted to keep down her self-
worth by making her feel unworthy of leaving the house and engaging in social activities, Mrs. Wright
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was compelled to wear ripped and worn clothing. Mr. Wright declined to purchase a telephone, depriving his wife of even the most basic interactions that town life may have provided a woman at the time.
Domestic violence is shown through John Wright's seclusion and insensitivity to his wife's needs. “Any incidence of threatening conduct, aggression, abuse, or control involving two adults or adolescents older than 16 who are or have been in a committed relationship or are relatives, regardless of gender or sexuality, is included in the present definition of domestic violence abuse”(Walls). The victim of such abuse may experience psychological issues because of the seclusion, which may be quite upsetting. Over twenty years, Minnie Wright endured this loneliness and cruelty alone, with only a canary as her solace. “The most prevalent kind of domestic violence is emotional abuse; almost 50% of American men and women claimed to have encountered emotional hostility at some point in their lives” (Hazrati). Mr. Wright discovered this and killed the canary. Mrs. Wright concluded that Mr. Wright was slowly killing her just like he had done to her bird. The loss of her bird plus the knowledge that Mr. Wright was killing her emotionally seemed to be the tipping point for Mrs. Wright's mental health. The need to change this way of life dawned on Minnie Wright. Mrs. Wright then killed Mr. Wright after making this supposition.
“The women try to identify the initial eye and even the metaphorical eye by looking at a much bigger picture of societal importance than the males, who started the tale by seeking for an eye for an eye straightforwardly” (Bendel). It is obvious that men and women have distinct perspectives, despite the fact that some people may think the legal system is black and white. For instance, although the women felt that justice was served by Mrs. Wright killing Mr. Wright, the males thought that justice had to be done because Mrs. Wright murdered Mr. Wright. There would be more women convicted if women
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didn't weigh in on cases. “Ultimately, we see a rather considerable and occasionally dramatic decrease in
convictions for female defendants charged with "other" offenses following the reform” (Anwar). Both of the ladies in the short stories felt oppressed. upon some point in each tale, the ladies experienced joy upon achieving their independence. Due to their husbands' overbearing behavior, both ladies had marital difficulties. Without death, neither woman could feel free in any way. Both short stories make it clear that women battled the demands of gender norms, a lack of independence, and equality.
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Works Cited
Ahmetspahic, Adisa, and Damir Kahric. "It's a Man's World: Re-examination of the Female Perspective in Chopin's 'Desiree's Baby' and 'The Story of an Hour'." The ESSE Messenger, vol. 29, no. 1, summer 2020, pp. 23+. Gale Literature Resource Center, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A684155624/LitRC?u=txshracd2585&sid=ebsco&xid=5b0cba5f. Accessed 16 Apr. 2023.
Walls, Elaine, and Katherine Drape. “Recognising and Supporting Families through Domestic Violence and Abuse.” British Journal of Nursing, vol. 30, no. 3, Feb. 2021, pp. 156–59. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.proxy.tvcc.edu/10.12968/bjon.2021.30.3.156
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Hazrati, Maryam, et al. “The Dyadic Effects of Controlling Emotional Abuse on Subjective Emotional Experience in Iranian Older Married Couples.” Australian & New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, vol. 38, no. 3, Sept. 2017, pp. 514–28. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.proxy.tvcc.edu/10.1002/anzf.1252
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Bendel-Simso, Mary M. “Twelve Good Men or Two Good Women: Concepts of Law and Justice in Susan Glaspell’s ‘A Jury of Her Peers.’” Studies in Short Fiction, vol. 36, no. 3, Summer 1999, p. 291. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9220656&site=eds-live.
Anwar, Shamena, et al. “A Jury of Her Peers: The Impact of the First Female Jurors on Criminal Convictions.” Economic Journal, vol. 129, no. 618, Feb. 2019, pp. 603–602. EBSCOhost, https://doi-org.proxy.tvcc.edu/10.1111/ecoj.12562.