Susan Glaspell - english.unt.edu

297 Susan Glaspell (1882-1948) United States

Susan Glaspell bears a unique distinction in American drama of having not only written but also produced and occasionally acted in her own productions She

was the cofounder of the influential experimental theater group the Provincetown Players in a wharf theater on Cape Cod in 1915 In addition to writing and producing

middotmiddot ~ middot number of plays she was also a prolific writer of fiction publishing 10 novels and a number of short stories A Jury of Her Peers is based on (and was written shortshylyafter) the dramatic version the one-act play Trifles one of the most frequently proshyduced one-act plays in the United States

Glaspell was bom and raised in Davenport Iowa Following her graduation from Dra11e University she became a reporter for the Des Moines Daily News eventushyally writing her own column The News Girl She soon began to write short fiction publishing at least two stories a year from 1903 to 1922-mostly romances that apshypeared in popular journals like Ladies Home Journal

Glaspells marriage in 1913 to George Cram Cook led to a life in Greenwich Vilshylage and a broadening ofher writing to include playwriting A number of her plays were staged by the Provincetown Players and by the actors of the Playwrights Theatre in Greenwich Village the avant-garde group that she and Cook also founded

Glaspell herself appeared in the role of Mrs Hale in the first performance ofTrishyfles at the Wharf Theatre in 1916 Both the play and the short story have received renewed attention from students interested in female experience as aresult ofGlaspells depiction of distinct domains of language symbol and meaning recognized by her male and female characters

A JURY OF HER PEERS

When Martha Hale opened the storm-door and got a cut of the north wind she ran back for her big woolen scarf As she hurriedly wound that round her head her eye made a scandalized sweep of her kitchen It was no ordinary thing that called her away-it was probably farther from ordinary than anything that had ever happened in Dickson County But what her eye took in was that her kitchen was in no shape for leaving her bread all ready for mixing half the flour sifted and half unsifted

She hated to see things half done but she had been at that when the team from town stopped to get Mr Hale and then the sheriff came mnning in to say his wife wished Mrs Hale would come too--adding with a grin that he guessed she was getting scarey and wanted another woman along So she had dropped everything right where it was

Martha now came her husbands impatient voice Dont keep folks waiting out here in the cold

A Jury of Her Peers

She again opened the storm-door and this time joined the three men and the one woman waiting for her in the big two-seated buggy

After she had the robes tucked around her she took another look at the woman who sat beside her on the back seat She had met Mrs Peters the year before at the county fair and the thing she remembered about her was that she didnt seem like a sheriffs wife She was small and thin and didnt have a strong voice Mrs Gorman sheriffs wife before Gorman went out and Peters came in had a voice that somehow seemed to be backing up the law with every word But if Mrs Peters didnt look like a sheriffs wife Peters made it up in looking like a sheriff He was to a dotthekind of man who could get himself elected sheriff-a heavy man with a big voice who was particularly genial with the law-abiding as if to make it plain that he knew the difshyference between criminals and non-criminals And right there it came into Mrs Hales mind with a stab that this man who was so pleasant and lively with all of them was going to the Wrights now as a sheriff

The countrys not very pleasant this time of year Mrs Peters at last ventured as if she felt they ought to be talking as well as the men

Mrs Hale scarcely finished her reply for they had gone up a little hill and could see the Wright place now and seeing it did not make her feel like talking It looked very lonesome this cold March morning It had always been a lonesome-looking place It was down in a hollow and the poplar trees around it were lonesome-lookshying trees The men were looking at it and talking about what had happened The county attorney was bending to one side of the buggy and kept looking steadily at the place as they drew up to it

Im glad you came with me Mrs Peters said nervously as the two women were about to follow the men in through the kitchen door

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 couldnt cross it now was simply because she hadnt crossed it before Time and time again it had been in her mind I ought to go over and see MinnieJoster-she still thought of her as Minnie Foster though for twenty years she had been Mrs Wright And then there was always something to do and Minnie Foster would go from her mind But now she could come

The men went over to the stove The women stood close together by the door I Young Hendersonthe county attorney turned around and said Come up to the

fire ladies Mrs Peters took a step forward then stopped Im not-cold she said And so the two women stood by the door at first not even so much as looking

around the kitchen The men talked for a minute about what a good thing it was the sheriff had

sent his deputy out that morning to make a fire for them and then Sheriff Peters stepped back from the stove unbuttoned his outer coat and leaned his hands on the kitchen table in a way that seemed to mark the beginning of official business Now Mr Hale he said in a sort of semi-official voice before we move things about you tell Mr Henderson just what it was you saw when you came here yesshyterday morning

The county attorney was looking around the kitchen By the way he said has anything been moved He turned to the sheriff Are

things just as you left them yesterday

299 USAN ULASPELL

Peters looked from cupboard to sink from that to a small worn rocker a little to one side of the kitchen table

Its just the same Somebody should have been left here yesterday said the county attorney Oh-yesterday returned the sheriff with a little gesture as of yesterday having

been more than he could bear to think of When I had to send Frank to Morris Censhyter for that man who went crazy-let me tell you I had my hands full yesterday I knew you could get back from Omaha by to-day George and as long as I went over everything here myself~

Well Mr Hale said the county attorney in a way of letting what was past and gone go tell just what happened when you came here yesterday morning

Mrs Hale still leaning against the door had that sinking feeling of the mother whose child is about to speak a piece Lewis often wandered along and got things mixed up in a story She hoped he would tell this straight and plain and not say unshynecessary things that would just make things harder for Minnie Foster He didnt begin at once and she noticed that he looked queer-as if standing in that kitchen and having to tell what he had seen there yesterday morning made him almost sick

Yes Mr Hale the county attorney reminded Harry andmiddot I had started to town with a load of potatoes Mrs Hales husshy

band began Harry was Mrs Hales oldest boy He wasnt with them now for the very good reashy

son that those potatoes never got to town yesterday and he was taking them this morning so he hadnt been home when the sheriff stopped to say he wanted Mr Hale to come over to the Wright place and tell the county attorney his story there where he could point it all out With all Mrs Hales other emotions came the fear that maybe Harry wasnt dressed warm enough-they hadnt any of them realized how that north wind did bite

We come along this road Hale was going on with a motion of his hand to the road over which they had just come and as we got in sight of the house I says to Harry Im goin to see if I cant get John Wright to take a telephone You see he explained to Henderson unless I can get somebody to go in with me they wont come out this branch road except for a price I cant pay Id spoke to Wright about it once before but he put me off saying folks talked too much anyway and all he asked was peace and quiet-guess you know about how much he talked himself But I thought maybe if I went to the house and talked about it before his wife and said all the women-folks liked the telephones and that in this lonesome stretch of road it would be a good thing-well I said to Harry that that was what I was going to sayshythough I said at the same time that I didnt know as what his wife wanted made much difference to John-

Now there he was-saying things he didnt need to say Mrs Hale tried to catch her husbands eye but fortunately the county attorney interrupted with

Lets talk about that a little later Mr Hale I do want to talk about that but Im anxious now to get along to just what happened when you got here

When he began this time it was very deliberately and carefully I didnt see or hear anything I knocked at the door And still it was all quiet inshy

side I knew they must be up-it was past eight oclock So I knocked again louder and I thought I heard somebody say Come in I wasnt sure-Im not sure yet But I opened the door-this door jerking a hand toward the door by which the two women stood and there in that rocker-pointing to it-sat Mrs Wright

A Jury oJ Her feers

Everyone in the kitchen looked at the rocker It came into Mrs Hales mind that that rocker didnt look in the least like Minnie Foster-the Minnie Foster of twenshyty years before It was a dingy red with wooden rungs up the back and the middle rung was gone and the chair sagged to one side

How did she-look the county attorney was inquiring Well said Hale she looked-queer How do you mean-queer As he asked it he took outa note-book and pencil Mrs Hale did not like the

sight of that pencil She kept her eye fixed on her husband as if to keep him from sayshying unnecessary things that would go into that note-book and make trouble

Hale did speak guardedly as if the pencil had affected him too Well as if she didnt know what she was going to do next And kind of --done up How did she seem to feel aboutyour coming Why I dont think she minded-one way or other She didnt pay much attenshy

tion I said Ho do Mrs Wright Its cold aint it And she said Is tt-and went pleatin at her apron

Well I was surprised She didnt ask me to come up to the stove or to sit down but just set there not even lookin at me And so I said I want to see John

And then she-laughed I guess you would call it a laugh I thought of Harry and the team outside so I said a little sharp Can I see John

No says she-kind of dull like Aint he home says I Then she looked at me Yes says she hes home Then why cant I see him I asked her out of patience with her now Cause hes dead says she just as quiet and dull-and fell to pleatin her apron Dead says I like you do when you cant take in what youve heard

She just nodded her head not getting a bit excited but rock in back and forth Why-where is he says I not knowing what to say She just pointed upstairs-like this-pointing to the room above I got up with the idea of going up there myself By this time I--didnt know what

to do I walked from there to here then I says Why what did he die of He died of a rope around his neck says she and just went on pleatin at her apron Hale stopped speaking and stood staring at the rocker as ifhe were still seeing the

woman who had sat there the morning before Nobody spoke it was as if everyone were seeing the woman who had sat there the morning before

And what did you do then the county attorney at last broke the silence I went out and called Harry I though I might-need help I got Harry in and we

went upstairs His voice fell almost to a whisper There he was-lying over the- I think Id rather have you go into that upst~irs the county attorney interruptshy

ed where you can point it all out Just go on now with the rest of the story Well my first thought was to get that rope off It looked- He stopped his face twitching But Harry he went up to him and he said No hes dead all right and wed betshy

ter not touch anything So we went downstairs She was still sitting that same way Has anybody been notified I asked No says

she unconceqled (middotrL Simiddotmiddotmiddotmiddot

Who did this Mrs Wright said Harry He said it business-like and stopped pleat in at her apron I dont know she says You dont know says Harry Werent you sleep in in the bed with him Yes says she but I was on the inside Somebody slipped a rope around his neck and strangled him and you didnt wake up says Harry I didnt wake up she said after him

JUU vU~IN middot VLIJlLL

middot We may have looked as if we didnt see how that CQuid be for after a minute she saidl sleep sound

Harry was going toask her more questions but I said maybe that werent our busishyness maybe we ought to let her tell her story first to the coroner or the sheriff So Harry went fast as he could over to High Road-the Rivers place where theres a telephone

And what did she do when she knew you had gone for the coroner Theattorshyney got his pencil in his hand all ready for writing She moved from that chaino this one over here~Hale pointed to a small chair

in the corner-and just sat therewith her hands held togethe~ and looking dowi middot I got a feeling thad ought to make some conversation so I said I had come in to see if John wanted to put in a telephone and at that she started to laugh and then she stopped and looked at me~scared

At the sound of a moving pencil the man who was telling thestoty looked up I dunno-maybekwasnt scared he hastened I wouldnt like to say itwas

Soon Harry got back and then Dr Lloyd came and you Mr Peters and so I guess thats all I know that you dont

He said that last with relief and moved a little as if relaxing Everyone moved a middotmiddotmiddotmiddot little The county attorney walked toward the stair door

I guess well go upstairsfirst~then out to the barn and around there He paused and looked aroundthe kitchen Youre cowinced there was nothing important here he asked the sheriff Noth~

ing that would-point to any motive middotThe sheriff too looked all around as if to re-GOnvincehmself

Nothing here but kitchen things he saidwitha littlelaughfor the insignificance of kitchen things

middot The county attorney was looking at the cupboard-a peculiar ungainly stru half closet and half cupboard the upper partd itbeingbuilt iin thewalh and the lower partjusithe old-fashioned kitchen cupboard As if its queerness attracted him he got a chair and opened the upper part and looked in After a moment he drew his hand away sticky

Heres a nicemiddotmess he said resentfully middot The two women had drawn nearer and now the sheriffs wife spoke Oh-her fruit she said looking to Mrs Hale for sympathetic understanding

She turned back to rhecounty attorney and explained She worried about that when it turned so cold last night She said the fire would go out and her jars might burst

Mrs Peters middot husband broke into a laugh Well can you beat the women Held for murder and worrying about her preserves The young attorney set his lips I guess before were through with her she may have something more serious than

preserves to worryabout Oh well said Mrs Hales husband with good-natured superiority women are

used to worrying over trifles The two women moved a little closer together Neither of them spoke The coun-

ty attorney seemed suddenly to remember his manners-and think of his future And yet said he with the gallantry of a young politician for all their worries

what would we do without the ladies The women did not speak did not unbend He went to the sink and

washing his hands He turned to wipe them on the roller towel-whirled it for cleaner place

Dirty towels Not much of ahousekeeper wouldmiddotyou sayladiesl middot He kicked his foot against some dirty pansunderthe sink

~ middotTheres a great deill ofwork to be doneona farm saidMrs Hale stiffly To be sure And yet-with a little bow toher-lLknow there are some Dickson bull County farm-houses that do nothavesuch roller towels He gaveitii plillto expose

its full length again middot middot Those towels get dirtyawfulquicbMens hands aren talways as cleari~s they

middotimightbe middot Ah loyal to your sex I see he laughed He stopped and gave hera keen look

But you and Mrs Wright were neighbors I suppose you Were friends too Martha Hale shook her head middot

middotgtIve seen little enough of her of late years Ive not beenin this house----its more middot thana year bull bull rgt And why was that Youdidntlike herl I liked her well enough she replied with spirit Farmers wives have their hands

full Mr Henderson Andthen-She looked around the kitchen middotmiddot Yes he encolJraged

j It never seemed a very cheerfulplace said she mereta herse1fthanto him middot No he agreed I dont think anyone woilldcall itmiddotcheerful I shouldnt say she had the home-making instinct

middot Well I dont know as Wright had either she muttered You mean they didnt get 6n very wel11 he wasqiiicKtoask

No I dont mean anything she answered with decision As she turned a little away fram him she added But I dont think aplace would beanythe bheerfuler for

John Wrights bein in it bull middot Id [ike to talk to you about that amiddotlittle later Mrs Hale he said Iffi ~nxious middot to get the lay of thihgsupstairs now

~ He moved toward the stair door followed by th~ twornen I suppose anything Mrs Peters does11 be alliight the sheriffiriquired Shewas

middot totake in some dothesfor her you know~and a few little things We left in such a hurry yesterday gti The county attorney looked at the two women whom they were leaving alone -there among the kitchen things bull

yes~Mrs Peters he said his glance ~estingonthe woman who was not MrsPeshy ters the big farmer woman who stood behind thesheriWsmiddotwife Of course Mrs Peshy

ters is one of us he said in a mariner of entrusting responsibility And keep your middot eye out Mrs Peters for anything that might be of use No telling you women might come upon a clue tothe motivecand thats the thing we need

Mr Hale rubbed his face after the fashion of a show man getting ready for a pleasantry bull But would the women know a clue ifthey did come uponitlhe said andhavshy

ing delivered himself of this he followed the others through thestair door The women stood motionless and silent lisreningtorhe footsteps first upon the stairs then in the room above them Then as ireleasing herself from something strange MrsHalebegan to arrange the dirty pans under the sink which the county attorneys disdainful push of the foot

middothad deranged middot Id hate to have men comin into my kitchen she said testily--snoopin round and criticizin

)UAN VLAlELL

oOf course its no more than their duty said theshetjffs wife In her manner of timid acquiescence

Qutysallfightreplied Mrs Hale blu(flYjbutlguess that deputy sheriff that corrie6uttomake the fire might have got a middotIittle of this on She gave the roller toyela pull Wish Id thought ofthat sooner I Seems mean to talkabbut her for not having things slicked up when she had to come away in such a hurry

middot She looked around the kitchen Certainly it was not slicked up Her eye was held by a bucket of sugar on a low shelf The cover was off the wooden bucket and beside it Was a paper bag----haIffulI

Mrs Hale moved toward it iShe was putting this in there she said to herself-slowly She thought of the flour in her kitchen at home-half sifted half not sifted She

had been interrupted and had left things half done Wharhad interrupted Minnie Fosshyter Why had that work been left half dcineShemade a move as if to finish it -unshyfinished things always bothered her~and then she glanced around and sa~ that Mrs Peters was watchinghertndshe didnt want Mrs Peters to get that feeling she haJgot of work begun and then-for some reason-not finished

Its ashame about her fruit she said and walked toward the cupboard that the county attorney had opened and got on the chair murmuring I wonder if its all gone

ltwas a sotry enoughlooking sight but Heres one thats allright she said at last She held it toward the light This is cherries too She looked again I declare I beshylieve thats the only one

With a sigh she got down from the chair went to the sink and wiped off the bottle

Shell feel awfulbad after all her hard work in the hot weather I remember the afternoon I put up my cherries last summer

She Set the bottle on the table and with another sigh started to sit down in the rocker But she did not sitdown~ Something kept her from sitting down in that chair She straightened-stepped back and half turned away stood looking at it seeing the woman who sat there pleatin at her apron middot i

The thin voice of the sheriffs wife broke il1 upon her I-must be getting those things from the front room closet She opened the door into the other room startshyed injstepped back You coming with me Mrs Hale she asked nervously Youshyyou could help me get them

They weresoonmiddotback-the stark coldness ofthat shut-up room was not a thing to linger inmiddot

My said Mrs Peters dropping the things on the table and hurrying to the stove Mrs Hale stood examining the clothes the woman who was being detained in

town had said she wanted Wrightwascosel she exclaimed holding up a shabby black skirt that bore the

markS of much making over I think maybe thats why she kept so much to herself I sposeshefelt she couldnt do her partjand then you dont-enjoy things when you feel shabby She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively-when she was Minnie Foster one of the town girls singing in the choir But that-oh that was twenty years ago

With a carefulness in which there was something tender she folded the shabby clothes and piled them at one corrier of the table She looked at Mrs Peters and there was something in the other womans look that irritated her

AJUry O]l-1er reers

She dont care she said to herself Much difference it makes to her whether Minshy

nieFoster had pretty clothes when she wasagirl Then she looked again and she wasnt so surej in fac~ she hadnt at anytime been

perfectlysure middotabout Mrs Peters She had that shrinking manner and yet her eyes looked as if they couldseea long way into things i

This all you was to take in asked Mrs Hale No said the sheriffs wifej she said she wanted an apron Funny thing to want

she ve~tured in her nervous little way for theres not much to get you dirtyin jail goodness knows But I suppose just tomiddot make her feel middot more natural If youre used to

wearing anmiddotapron- She said they were in the bottom drawer of this cupboard Yesshyhere they are And then her little shawl that always hung on the stair door Shetook the small gray shawl from behind the door leading upstairs and stood a minute looking at it

Suddenly Mrs Hale took a quick step toward thebther woman Mrs Peters Yes Mrs Hale Do you think she-did it A frightened look blurred the other things in Mrs Peters eyes middot Oh I dont know she said in a voice that seemed to shrink away from the

subject Well I dont think she did affirmed Mrs Hale stoutly Asking for an apron and

her littleshawLWbrryiri about her fruit bull Mr Peters says- Footsteps were heard in the roomabovejshe stopped looked

up then went on in a lowered voice Mr Peters says-itookS bad for her Mr Henshyderson is awful sarcasticin a speech and hes going to make fun of her sayingshe didnt-wake up bull

Fora moment Mrs Hale had no answer Then Well I guess John Wright didnt wake up-when they was slippin that rope under his neck she muttered

No its strange breathed Mrs Peters They think it was such a-funny way to kill a man

Shebegan to laughj at sound of the laugh abruptly stopped Thats just what Mr Hale saidsaidMrs Hale iri aresolutelynarural voice

There was agun in the house He says thats what he cant understand Mr Hendersoh said coming Out that whatwas needed for the case wasa motive

Something to show anger-or sudden feeling Wellmiddot I dont see any signs of angetaround here said Mrs Hale1 dont-

She stopped It wasasifher mind tripped on something Her eye was caught by a dish-towel in the middle of the kitchen table Slowly she moved toward the table One half of it was wiped clean the other half messy Her eyes made a slow almost unshywilling turn to the bucket of sugar and the half empty bag beside it Things begun-and not finished

After a moment she stepped back and said in that manner of releasing herself Wonder how theyre finding things upstairs I hope she had it a little more red

up there You know-she paused and feeling gathered-it seems kind of sneakingj lockingherup in town and coming out here to get her own house to turn against herl

But Mrs Halesaid the sheriffs wife the law is the law II spose tis answered Mrs Hale shortly She turned to the stove saying something about thatfire not being much to brag

of She worked with it a minute and when she straightened up she said aggressively

3Vt USAN ULASPELL

The law is the law-and a bad stove is a bad stove Howdyou like to cook on this-pointing with the poker to the broken lining She opened th~ oven dooi-and started to express her opinion of the oven but shewas swept into her own thoughts thinking of what it would mean year after year to have the stove to wrestle with The

bullthought of Minnie Foster trying to bake in that oven-and the thought of her never going over to see Minnie Foster--

She was startled by hearing Mrs Peters say A person gets discouraged-and loses heart

The sheriffs wife had looked from the stove to the ~ink--to the pail of water which had been carried in from outside The two worrien stood there silent above them the footsteps of the men who were looking for evidence against the woman whohad worked in that kitchen That look of seeing into things of seeing through a thing to something else was in the eyes of the sheriffs wife now When Mrs Hale next spoke to her it was gently

Better loosen up your things Mrs Peters Well not feel them when we goci~t lvrs Peters went to the back of the room to hang up the fur tippet she was wearshy

ing A moment later she exclaimed Why she was pieCinga quilt and held up a large sewing basket piled high with quilt pieces i

Mrs Hale spread some ofthe blocks on the table Its log-cabin pattern she said putting several middotof them together Pretty

isnt it

They were so engaged with the quilt that they did not hear the fciotstepson the stairs Justasthe stair door opened Mrs Hale was saying

Do you suppose she was going to quilt itor just knot it The sheriff threw up his hlInds They wonder whether she was going to quilt it or just knot it

There was a laughfonhe ways of women awarming of hands over the stove and then the county attorneY said briskly

Well lets go right out to the barnand get that cleared up I dont see as theres anything so strange Mrs Hale said resentfullYi after the

outside door had closed on the three men-our taking up our timewith middotittle things while were waiting for them to get the evidence I dont seeasits anything to laugh about

Of course theyve got awful important things on their minds said the sheHfPs wife apologetically

They returned to an inspection of the blocks for the quilt Mrs Hale was looking at the fine even sewing preoccupied with thoughts of the womahwho had done that sewing when she heard the sheriffs wife say ina queer tone

Why look at this one She turned to take the block held out to her The sewing said Mrs Peters in a troubled way All the rest ohhemhave

been so nice and even-but---this one Why it looks as ifshe didnt know what she was about

Their eyes met-something flashed to life passed between them then asif with an effort they seemed to pull away frQfleach other A moment Mrs Hale sat there her hands folded over that sewing which was so middotunlike all the rest of the sewing Then she had pulled a knot ahd drawn the threads

Oh what are you doing Mrs Hale asked the sheriffs ~ife startled Just pulling out a stitch or two thats not sewed very good said Mrs Hale mildly

AJury dtHer feers

ldont think we oughttotouch thihgsMrs Peterss~idmiddota litth~helplessly middot Id just fihishupmiddotthismiddotendansweredMrs HaleltstiUirirhatmild miltter-qMact fashion i r bull j bull ii

middot She threaded a needle and started to replace bad sewingwith-good Fora little while she sewed insilence Then inthat ti)intimidvoiceshe he~rd middot

MrsmiddotHale i middotsmiddot middotmiddotii T middot bull

YesMrs Peters i bull middoti bull

~Whatdo you supposeshe wasso~nervousmiddot abouti(middot middot i middotr ) -

middotiOh [dont know said Mrs Hale asifdismissing a thing not important enough to spend muchmiddottime on~ I dontknow asshewa~~nervous hew awfulqueer some- times when Im just tired bull h middotmiddotmiddot t-

middot She cut a thread and out ofthe corner of hereydooKed upatMrs PetersThe small lean face of the sheiiffswifeseemedtohave tightened up Her eyes had that look of peeriD-gdnto something Butthe next mombif~hemovedmiddot ahd s~id inher thin indecisive way rmiddotmiddot - i ~

Well1 mustget thosedothes wrapped Theymaybe thrQughsooner than we think middotI wonderwheidCbuld findap(ewoft~aperahd string middotmiddot bull In that cupboard maybe suggested Mrsmiddot(Halejafterl~ glance aroimdOile piece

of the crazy sewing remainedunripped~ MrsmiddotPeters hick tumed tMartltaHale now ~crutinized that piece compared it wilh ithe daintYiaccuratesewipgofothe other blocks The differencewasstartling Holdingthis blockmade herfeeLqueer as Wthe distraCted thoughtsofthewoman who hadmiddotperhaps turnedtd It to try imd quiet hershyself were communicating themselves to her middot ~

Mrs Peters voice middotousedmiddother middotmiddot i Heresabirdcagei~ she said Did she have abirdj middotMrs ) Halemiddot

Why I dont know whether she did or not She turnedto ilookat the cage Mrs Peters was holdingup IIve notbeenhere in sciong She sighed There was aiman round last yearsellingcanades cheap-but I dont know as she tookone Maybe she didmiddot She used tosingreaLpiettyherself

Mrs Peters lookedaroundthekitchen fmiddotmiddot

Seemskindmiddotof funny tomiddotthink of abirdhere She half laughed~ari attempt to put up a barrier But she must havehadone1-or why would she have a cageIwon~ der what happened to iL i tmiddotmiddot I suppose maybe the cat got it suggested Mrs Hale resiiming her sewing

No shedidnthaveacat Shesg6t that feeling somepeoplehiveaboljt Catsshybeingafraid ofthem When they brought her to ournouseyesterday my cat- goUn the room and she was real upset and asked me to takeiit out

My sister Bessie was like that laughed Mrs Hale i bull i f shy

The sheriffs wife did not reply The silence made Mrs Hale turn round MrsPe- terswas examiningthebirdcage

Look at this door she saldsI6wlyIts brokeOnehingel1as beenpuUed apart Mrs Hale came nearer Looks as if some one must have been--mugh with it - Again their eyes met--startled questioning apprehensive For a momentneither

spoke nor stirred Then Mrs Hale tur~ing awaysaid brusquely bullbull If theyre going to find any evidence I wish theyd be about it I dont like this

place But Im awful glad you came with me Mrs HaleMrs Peters putthe bird-cage

on the table and sat down It would be lones6mefor rrie--sitting herealone

307 middotuUflN VLAihLL

iYeSj invould wouldnr Itl agreed Mrs ~Hale a certain determined naturalness in herivoiceiiShe pkkedupthe sewing but now it dropped inherlapiandshe murmured in~different voice But I tell you what I do wish Mrs Peters I wish I had come over sorrjetimes when sne Was here l wish---lhad

But of course youwereawftiJbusyMrs Hale Your house-and your children iI couldve come retorted Mrs Hale shortly I stayed away because it werent cheerful-and thats why I ought to have come I-she lookedaround-Ivenever liked this place Maybe because its down ina hollow arid you dont seemiddotthe road I donlr-know what it is but its a lonesome place and always was I wish I had come bVer to see Minnie Foster sometimesdcan see now She did not put it into words Well yoil mustnt reproach yourself counseled Mrs Peters Somehow we just dont see how it is withothedolks tillcsomethingcomes up

Not having children makes less work mused Mrs Hale after a silence biltit makes aquiet hous~andWrightout toWorkaliday--and nocompanyWhe~hedid come in Did you know John Wright Mrs Peters Not to know him lve seen himih town They say he was agoodman

lfes----good conced~dJoh~W~ights neighbor grimly He didnt ddnk and kept hls word as well as most J guess and paid h is debts But he was a hard man Mrs Peshyters Just topass middotthe time Of day withhim~ She stopped shivered a little Like a lawwindthatgets to the bone1HefeyefeUupon the cage on the table beforeher and she added almost bitterly I shoLild think she wouldve wanted a birdr Suddenlysheleanedforwardlooklng intently at the cage But what db you spose wen~ wrong with it

I dont know returned Mrs Peters unless it got skk and died Bilt after shesaidihhe reached over and swung the broken door Both women

watehed it as if-somehow heldbyit I YoudidntkriowherWMis Hale asked a gentler note in her voice

Not till they brought her yesterday said the sheriffs wife She--come to think of it she was kind oflike a bird herselCReal sweet and pretshy

ty but kmd of tlmLd and-fluttery How~she-did--change r That held her for al[1g dm~ Finally asifstr1Jck with a happy thought and reshy

lteveamp to get back to everyday things she exclaimed i Tell youhat Mrs Peters why dont you take the quilt in with you It might take up hermmd

Why IthinkthatsareaLnice idea Mrs Hale agreed the shedffswife as if she too Were glad to come into the atmosphere of a simple kindness There couldnt possibly be any objection torhat could there Now just what will I take I wonder if her patches are in here-and her things

They turned to the sewing basket Heres some red said Mrs Hale bringing out a roll of cloth Underneath that

was a box Heremaybe her scissors are in here-and her things She held it up What a pr~ttx boxl Ill warrant that was somet)ling she had a long time ago-whenshe was a gLrl o

She held it in her hand a moment then with a little sigh opened it Instantly her hand went to her nose Why----

Mrs Peters drew nearer-then turned away Theres something wrapped up in this piece of silk faltered Mrs Hale This isnt her scissors said Mrs Peters in a shrinking voice

Her hand not steady Mrs Hale raised the piece of silkOh Mrs Peters she cried Its-

Mrs Peters bent closer Its the bird she whispered

But Mrs Petersl cried Mrs Hale Look at itl Its neck-look at its neck Its all~other side to She held the box away from her

The sheriffs wife again bent closer middot Somebody wrung its neck said she in a voice thatwas slow and deep bull middotAnd then again the eyes of the two women met-this time clung tOgetherin a I~k

ofdawning comprehension of growing horror Mrs~ Peters looked from the dead bIrd to the broken door of the cage Again their eyes met And just then there was a sound at the outside door

Mrs Hale slippedthebox under the quilt pieces in the basket and sankmiddotinto the chair before it Mrs Peters stood holding torhe table The country attorney and the sheriff came in from outside

Well ladies said the county attorney as one turning from serious things to litshytle pleasantries have you decided whether she was going to quilt it or knot it

middot We think began the sheriff1s wife inmiddot a flurried voice that she wasgoingtoshyknot it

middot He was too preoccupied to notice the change that came in her voice o~ that last Well thats very interesting Im sure he said tolerantly He caught sLght of the

birdcage Has the bitdflown middot We think the cargotit said Mrs Hale in a voice curiously even

He was walking up and down as if thinking something out Is there a cad he asked absently Mrs Hale shot a lOok tip at the sheriffs wife Well not now said MrsPeters Theyre supersfitious you know they leilVe She sank into her chair The county attorney did not heecl her No sign at all of anyone having COme in

from the outside he said to Peters in the manner ofcontinuing an interrupted conshyversation Their own rope Now lets go upstairs again and go over it piece by piece It would have to have been someone who knew just the-

The stair door closed behind them and their voices were lost The two women sat motionless not looking at eath other but as if peering into

something and at the same time holding back When they spoke now i~ was as if they were afraid ofwhat they were saying but as if they could not help saymg Lt

She liked that bird said Martha Hale low and slowly She was going to bury it in that pretty box

When I was a girl said Mrs Igteters under her breath my kitten-there was a boy took a hatchet and before my eyes-before I could get ~here- She covered her face an instant If they hadnt held me back I would have -she caught herself looked upstairs where footsteps were heard and finished weakly-hurt him

Then they sat without speaking or moving I wonder how it would seem Mrs Hale at last began as if feeling her way over

strange ground---I1ever to have had any children around Hereyes made a slow sweep of the kitchen as if seeing What that kitchen had meant through all the years No Wright wouldnt like the bird~she said after that-a thing that sang She used to sing He killed that too Her voice tightened

JQ9~ -middotw 0UAN ULASlELL AJury ofHer Peers

Mrs Peters moved uneasily i Ofcourse we dont know who killed the bird I knew John Wright was Mrs Hales answer It was an awful thing was done in this house thatnightMrsHale said the shershy

f(swife Killing a man while heslept~slipping a thing round his neck that choked the life out of him

Mrs Hales hand went out to the bird-cage - His neck Choked the life out of him We dont know who kitled himjwhispered Mrs Peters wildly We dont know MrsHale had not inoved 1fthere had been years and years6f--nothing then a

bird to sing to you i itwould beawful--stillLafter the bird wasstilU middottwas as ifsomethirig within her not herself hadspoken and it found inMrs~ Pe

ters something she did not know as herself l kndw what stillness is shesaidin aqueermonotonous voice When we

homesteaded in Dakota andmyenfirstbcibydied--after he was two years old-and me with no other then-

Mrs Halestirred Howsoondo you suppose theyll be throughlobking forevidence I know what stillness isrepeatedMrs Peters iri just the same way Thenshetoo

pulled back The law has got to punish crime Mrs Hale she said in her middottight litshytle way~ ~ i

LWishyoudseeniMinnie FOster was the answer when she wore a white dress with blue ribbons and stood up there in the choir andsang

The pictureof that girl the fact that she had livedheighbbr to that girl for tWenshyty years and had let her die for lack oflifewas suddenly morethan she could bear

Oh I wish Id come over here once in a while is1e )cried That was a crime That was a crime Whos going to punishihat We mustnt take on said iMrsPeterswlth afrightehedlook toward the stairs

I might a known she needed help I tell you Its queer Mrs Peters We live dose together and we live far apartWeallgo through the saine things--its all just adifshyfererit kind of the same thing If it werent why dQ you and 1understandWhydo we know-what We know this minute middotmiddot

She dashed her hand across hereyesThenseeingrhe j~r of fruit on the table she reached oudor it and choked olitmiddot -

If was you I wouldrtttellher hedruitwas gone Tell hetit aint Tell her its all right-aU of it Here---take this in to prove it to her She--s1e may never know whether it wasbroke or notmiddot

She turned away Mrs Peters reached out for the bottle of fruit as if she were glad to take it~asif

touching a familiar thing having something to do could keep her from something else She got up looked about for somelhlng to wrap themiddotfruit in tooka petticoat from the pile ofclothes she had brought from the front room and nervously started Wind ing that round the bottle

My she began in a high false voice its a good thing the men couldnt hear us Getting all stirred up over a little thing like a~ead canary She hurried over that As if that could have anything to dci with-with-=My wouldnt they la1lgh

Footsteps were heard on the stairs Maybetheywould muttered Mrs Hale-rrtaybe they wouldnt No Peters said the county attorney incisivelYjits all perfectly dear except

~

the reason for doing it Butyou know jurieswhen (itcbrries towomendpoundthere as some definite thing~s6mething ~oshow Somethfngtomake astoryabout Athmg that would connect up with thisclumsywayofdoing it Jmiddot J 0 t 1hacovert way Mrs Halemiddotlooked at Mrs rPetersnMrsPeretswis lookihgather

Quickly they looked awayfrbmeachother ~The outer dobr~peqe~ltpdMr Hale came in ~ r middotmiddot~ ~ ~ ) - )- rmiddoty~ middot~ ~~ ~~~- L H 1~ ~dmiddot

Ive got the team round now he said FrettycoHoutthere~i lt bull lim going to stay here awhile by myself the county attorney suddenly announced You can send Frank out for me cant you he asked the sher~ff I want to go over everything Im not satisfied we cant do better middot

Again for one brief moment the ~owo~~rs eyes found one another Themiddotsheriff came up to the table Did you wanttoseewha~MrisiPet~rs wa~ going totakein ~ i

The county attorney P~ltk~911Prhe aprpn FI~ ~llgpe~~ ii Oh guess theyre not ve~y d~ngerous thilg~lthe ~llcentle~hlve Pckedqut Mrs Hales hand was on the sewing basket inwhichthe bo~ltvascon~ealed She

felt that she ought to takeherhal1cloff~9eJgtask~~ Shedid n()t~e~tI) a)gtk t9BejP~(ked up ~n~ ~f the quiitblocks which ~he)a~piledQnto lt()venhe hox JierJyesfelt like

fire She had afeeling tha~if4e took up tpe ba~ket sgthe(wquld~rllt~~lh lt frop~hlm Buthe did nottake it Ilp Withanothe(itdelaughi middothe tume9aw~y saWllg NojMrs Peters does1tneed superVisingrorthat matt~ra sheriffgts wife is marshy

ried to theJaw Everthink qf it that way Mr~ P~ters i lt- 1 Mrs Peters was standing beside the tableMrsHaleshQtalook iup at herbut

she could not see her face Mrs~ Peters hadtumed away When she spoke her voice was muffled

Not-just that way shesaid Married to the law chuckled Mrs Peters husband He moved toward the door middot

into the front room and said to the county attorney bull I just want you to come in here a minute George We ought to tfike a look atthese

windows Well be right out Mr Hale said the sheriff to the farmer who was still waiting

by the door Hale went to look after the horses The sheriff followed the county attorney mto

the other room Ag~in-forone moment---the two women were alone in that kitchen

Martha Hale sprang up her hands tight together looking at that other woman with whom it rested At first she could not see her eyes for thesheriffs wife had not turned back since she turned away at that suggestion of being married to the law But now Mrs Hale made her turn back Her eyes made her turn back Slowly unwillshyingly Mrs Peters turned her head until her eyes met the eyes of the other wom~n There was a moment when they held each other in a steady burning look Ln which there was no evasion nor flinching Then Martha Hales eyes pointed the way to the basket in which was hidden the thing that would make certain the conviction of the other woman-that woman who was not there and yet who had been there with them all through the hour

For a moment Mrs Peters did not move And then she did it With a rush forward she threw back the quilt pieces got the box tried to put it in her handbag It was too big Desperately she opened it started to take the bird out But there she broke-she

could not touch the bird She stood helpless foolish

SUSAN GLASPELL I Nikolai Gogol

There iwasthesoundbf aknbbtutning inthdnnerdoor Martha Hale snatched (1809-1852) the ~bFfrOrri theshetiffswifeand got ifinthe pocket of her big coat just as the shershy Russia)iff ar)d the countyattCimey cameback into thekitchetl bull ~WeH Henrysaid the cdtintyattomey facetiously O~at least we found middotout that i~~~

rshewasriotgbingtoquilt it She wasgoingtowhat is it you caJl it ladies Mrs Hales hand was against the pocket of her coat We call it--kriotitiMr Henderson j bull I

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Questions

L How do Mrs Hille arid Mrs Peters discoverMiririie Wri~hts hlotive for murder lmiddot 2 Mrs I~et~rs insists thattheiaV i~the law what eve)ts~ persualtleher to participate in theex6nerationofMinnie Wrights Ciline1How d6es the storydemoristrate the

ochangesthatocclii in her ahdMrSHaler ~ lt ) Cb~sidei)ciwieachof the fo1l6wlnKdemertrsof the s~oiy ~ilrries a double Illeaning

k1lQt stranguUitifm Crimejaw evidencei motivejury 4 i Whatd6e~middott~esto~implynexpreS~ingdiffe[ennvays in whiChmen and wofuen

Jnterpreteventsahd even objectsiiri anenvirOnmentl Are these differences exag c geratedlHowdoesthNeader become a participantin intetpretationand judgment

5 What is t~e signiflc~nceofthe titlei What conflicting vle~s of the law are eic~ i presse~ in thestorylAre theyresolvedl

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N~~~~~~c~1~t~n~Co~~dd~~~1 ~J~Z~~~hodeg~i~d ing Nikolais ~hildhood middot Gogols mother was only 15 whenNikblaitiias born s~e wehion io bear 11 morechildren Steeped in folklOre she was 4n important source of the folk Iegeruis and supersti tiOns ofUkrainian life inGogolsedrly stories

Gogol hadhopesiif being anaetoTbUt his highly nervoilsnature aridh~ fearof peoshyple made it difficultarhim to sUcceed at that or most other professiOnS His defeats were exaggerated for him because of his high sense ofpUrpose He tri~dseveral jobs inclUding the civil service arid eventually acquired a position for which hehadabsolutdy no qualshyificatiOris as aprofessor ofmedieval history at the University ofSt Petersburg His disshyastrbus performance soundS like a situation he might haveinv~ted for oneafhis stories

Event1illly Gogol tried writing fiction baSed ori Ukrainian fairytald legbuls arid romantichdriortales the first volume Evenings on aFarmNear Dikmka (1831) made his success arid name immediately He also Wrote severaplays the best known of whiCh The Inspector Geheral (1836) exposed the posturings arid foibles ofa crbsssectionof Russian tQwnspeople His masierpiece Dead Souls (J 841) sati~ rizes the gree4 and corrUption ofRussian ldndowners with epic sweep arid humor

Although itmight seem as if Gogol were a radical social critic in fact hewaspoliti~ cally cOrJervative he intended for Dead Souls(whiCh he never corripletid) to erid with his herb Chichikovsrefarm andche salvation of traditiimal RUSsia

Gogols mastery of the cprriicgTotesque~the juxtaposition ofhumbriino ho+rorshyis one of his unique contributions to narrative f6mLHis mingling of the commOnplaCe with the uncanny orsupernatural as in The Overcoac artahis mastery ofcaricature are eeTnents ()f his indelible style Moreover hisp6ignant sioriof the plight ofthe little man marked ci turhing P9int in Russian literature the daraetiroithe underdog Or so~

Cial misfit is understood not as anuisance or afigure to be mocked but asa human being who is ehtitledw his share of happiness However he may not fi7Uthat haPPiness as

middotGogolhimselfdid ilotSplit betweeri his artistic gifts and his mdraL cet[linties Gogol evenshytually died ofmelancholy mental angUish arid selFstarvation anhe age of41 Gogols fnjIitenceon Russian literature waSprofouiUi he isregarded as the father

of Russian realism~ Dostoevsky remarked We all emergedfromtJefolds ofGogols overcoat The Russi(In writer Vladimir Nabokovobserved the following in his Lecshytures on Russian Literature

The Overcoat is a grotesque and grim nightmaremaking bUick holes in the dim pattern of life After readil1g Gogol oneseyes may become gogolized and one is apt to

see bits of his world in the most unexpected places [S]omething like Akaky Aka4evichs overcoat has been the passionate dream of this or that chance acquainshytance who never has heard about GogoL

The Overcoat in its u~ique fusion of humor and suffering arid in itsstarkrenshydering of the absurd universe that lurks just beneath the commonplaCe one is unarshyguably one ofthe worlds great rnasterpieces of short fiction

~ 311

299 USAN ULASPELL

Peters looked from cupboard to sink from that to a small worn rocker a little to one side of the kitchen table

Its just the same Somebody should have been left here yesterday said the county attorney Oh-yesterday returned the sheriff with a little gesture as of yesterday having

been more than he could bear to think of When I had to send Frank to Morris Censhyter for that man who went crazy-let me tell you I had my hands full yesterday I knew you could get back from Omaha by to-day George and as long as I went over everything here myself~

Well Mr Hale said the county attorney in a way of letting what was past and gone go tell just what happened when you came here yesterday morning

Mrs Hale still leaning against the door had that sinking feeling of the mother whose child is about to speak a piece Lewis often wandered along and got things mixed up in a story She hoped he would tell this straight and plain and not say unshynecessary things that would just make things harder for Minnie Foster He didnt begin at once and she noticed that he looked queer-as if standing in that kitchen and having to tell what he had seen there yesterday morning made him almost sick

Yes Mr Hale the county attorney reminded Harry andmiddot I had started to town with a load of potatoes Mrs Hales husshy

band began Harry was Mrs Hales oldest boy He wasnt with them now for the very good reashy

son that those potatoes never got to town yesterday and he was taking them this morning so he hadnt been home when the sheriff stopped to say he wanted Mr Hale to come over to the Wright place and tell the county attorney his story there where he could point it all out With all Mrs Hales other emotions came the fear that maybe Harry wasnt dressed warm enough-they hadnt any of them realized how that north wind did bite

We come along this road Hale was going on with a motion of his hand to the road over which they had just come and as we got in sight of the house I says to Harry Im goin to see if I cant get John Wright to take a telephone You see he explained to Henderson unless I can get somebody to go in with me they wont come out this branch road except for a price I cant pay Id spoke to Wright about it once before but he put me off saying folks talked too much anyway and all he asked was peace and quiet-guess you know about how much he talked himself But I thought maybe if I went to the house and talked about it before his wife and said all the women-folks liked the telephones and that in this lonesome stretch of road it would be a good thing-well I said to Harry that that was what I was going to sayshythough I said at the same time that I didnt know as what his wife wanted made much difference to John-

Now there he was-saying things he didnt need to say Mrs Hale tried to catch her husbands eye but fortunately the county attorney interrupted with

Lets talk about that a little later Mr Hale I do want to talk about that but Im anxious now to get along to just what happened when you got here

When he began this time it was very deliberately and carefully I didnt see or hear anything I knocked at the door And still it was all quiet inshy

side I knew they must be up-it was past eight oclock So I knocked again louder and I thought I heard somebody say Come in I wasnt sure-Im not sure yet But I opened the door-this door jerking a hand toward the door by which the two women stood and there in that rocker-pointing to it-sat Mrs Wright

A Jury oJ Her feers

Everyone in the kitchen looked at the rocker It came into Mrs Hales mind that that rocker didnt look in the least like Minnie Foster-the Minnie Foster of twenshyty years before It was a dingy red with wooden rungs up the back and the middle rung was gone and the chair sagged to one side

How did she-look the county attorney was inquiring Well said Hale she looked-queer How do you mean-queer As he asked it he took outa note-book and pencil Mrs Hale did not like the

sight of that pencil She kept her eye fixed on her husband as if to keep him from sayshying unnecessary things that would go into that note-book and make trouble

Hale did speak guardedly as if the pencil had affected him too Well as if she didnt know what she was going to do next And kind of --done up How did she seem to feel aboutyour coming Why I dont think she minded-one way or other She didnt pay much attenshy

tion I said Ho do Mrs Wright Its cold aint it And she said Is tt-and went pleatin at her apron

Well I was surprised She didnt ask me to come up to the stove or to sit down but just set there not even lookin at me And so I said I want to see John

And then she-laughed I guess you would call it a laugh I thought of Harry and the team outside so I said a little sharp Can I see John

No says she-kind of dull like Aint he home says I Then she looked at me Yes says she hes home Then why cant I see him I asked her out of patience with her now Cause hes dead says she just as quiet and dull-and fell to pleatin her apron Dead says I like you do when you cant take in what youve heard

She just nodded her head not getting a bit excited but rock in back and forth Why-where is he says I not knowing what to say She just pointed upstairs-like this-pointing to the room above I got up with the idea of going up there myself By this time I--didnt know what

to do I walked from there to here then I says Why what did he die of He died of a rope around his neck says she and just went on pleatin at her apron Hale stopped speaking and stood staring at the rocker as ifhe were still seeing the

woman who had sat there the morning before Nobody spoke it was as if everyone were seeing the woman who had sat there the morning before

And what did you do then the county attorney at last broke the silence I went out and called Harry I though I might-need help I got Harry in and we

went upstairs His voice fell almost to a whisper There he was-lying over the- I think Id rather have you go into that upst~irs the county attorney interruptshy

ed where you can point it all out Just go on now with the rest of the story Well my first thought was to get that rope off It looked- He stopped his face twitching But Harry he went up to him and he said No hes dead all right and wed betshy

ter not touch anything So we went downstairs She was still sitting that same way Has anybody been notified I asked No says

she unconceqled (middotrL Simiddotmiddotmiddotmiddot

Who did this Mrs Wright said Harry He said it business-like and stopped pleat in at her apron I dont know she says You dont know says Harry Werent you sleep in in the bed with him Yes says she but I was on the inside Somebody slipped a rope around his neck and strangled him and you didnt wake up says Harry I didnt wake up she said after him







































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Susan Glaspell - english.unt.edu