Peters' Pressure

In Glaspell’s A Jury of Her Peers, Mrs. Peters is one of two jurors on the case of a woman being accused of murdering her husband. She’s a soft-spoken, polite woman who doesn’t want to be on the case, but must. On top of this, her husband is the sheriff who appears as a prime example of what a sheriff should be. The past-stereotype of “strong husband, oppressed, quiet wife” is very present throughout the story, relevantly with regard to both Mrs.Peters and the woman she’s juror of.  Mrs. Peters’ character arc is heavily influenced by her having lived this way for some time.

On one side, Mrs. Peters desires to remain her quiet self and not stray from her current public image. It’s the easiest thing and doesn’t provoke any sort of conflict or negative views from the majority of others. On the other side is what Mrs. Peters wants, and what she goes after. She finds out that the woman accused of killing her husband did in fact do it, but tries to prove her innocent. Mrs. Peters does this rather than telling the truth because the woman had been abused and controlled by her husband for a long time. She can relate and feels the murder was justified, so she pursues satisfaction towards her individuality, and deals with the negatives that occur as a result.

Mrs. Peters proves that she’s strong-willed by taking the difficult path. She fights, lies, and struggles for her fellow oppressed women. While the case is based on one woman, Mrs. Peters actions are for all of them.