PATRIARCHY AND GENDER ROLE: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF WOMEN SUBJUGATION IN A JURY OF HER PEER BY SUSAN GLASPELL

Abstract

This study analyzes feminism, gender roles, and women’s oppression in A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell through the feminist theory of Simone de Beauvoir presented in The Second Sex. The research explores how patriarchal society constructs women as inferior and confines them to domestic roles. Using qualitative research methods, textual analysis, close reading, and feminist literary criticism, the study examines themes of gender inequality, patriarchy, loneliness, domestic confinement, and female resistance. The analysis reveals that male characters underestimate women’s intelligence and dismiss their concerns as trivial, while female characters use emotional understanding and observation to uncover the truth behind Mr. Wright’s murder. Minnie Wright’s life reflects the emotional and psychological suffering caused by patriarchal oppression, symbolized through the dead bird and broken birdcage. The study further highlights female solidarity between Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters as a form of resistance against male domination. The research concludes that Glaspell challenges traditional gender roles and emphasizes women’s intelligence, emotional strength, and struggle for equality and freedom.