Key quotes

‘Nearly naked’ ‘uncovered heads’ ‘cheerful aggressiveness’

• She describes the women in immense scrutiny, providing a full description from their heads to toes – which shows that their bodies are seen as a whole, and are not fragmented in the way that Offred has viewed her own body in the past, separating herself into only the reproductive functions that Gilead valorises. This re-membering of the body puts an end to the disconnectedness surrounding the female bodies of the Handmaids, however this realisation is shown to be an uncomfortable experience for Offred​

• Atwood employs oxymoronic tendences in this passage to show this, using a network of antithesis such as ‘cheerful aggressiveness’ to expose the conflict Offred feels when viewing these ‘nearly naked’ women. This is one of the earliest encounters that we have of Offred upholding some of the Gileadean ideologies, as she reacts in a multifaceted way​

• Atwood illustrates how passivity fuels the force of these regimes, commenting on the fact that indifference and compliance aids the perpetrator. In Gilead’s case, whilst the Handmaid’s passivity is not the cause of the regime, it certainly fuels the force of society, aiding the blind indoctrination of upcoming generations of society and not inhibiting the perpetuation of these damaging ideologies into the future. Throughout the novel, Offred is shown to become subtly influenced by the oppressive patriarchy, and whilst she rebels silently, there has been an influence on her mind – through which Offred is a microcosm for wider society at threat of also adopting beliefs that we know inherently are wrong​

• Through Offred’s internal dialogue and narrative we can see the extent to which has Offred assimilated the ideologies and indoctrination of the regime vs rebellion (acting as a warning)

‘Her fault, her fault, her fault’

• Linguistic relativism: the idea that language can influence our thoughts and behaviour. As Linda Thomas says in Language Society and Power, ‘language can be said to provide a framework for our thoughts, and it becomes very difficult to think outside of that framework.’ ​

• One of the most disturbing examples of this is the reaction to Janine’s confession of being gang-raped.’ It is not just mechanically repeating the words and phrases, but absorbing their meaning and internalising their doctrine until they ‘meant it.’​

• Janine’s Testifying shows how the Aunts use the women to oppress each other, indoctrinating the Handmaids. Influencing their beliefs through brainwashing ​

• This tactic of group chanting or group punishment is used by totalitarian regimes to establish the women as one group, one voice and one collective, entrenching their oppression with the social hierarchy and stripping them from their autonomy or freedom of speech.

‘Under His eye’

• Under His eye’ is an example of one of the state-prescribed greetings that the Handmaids must adhere to. This has explicit connections to the theocracy, which is where a state manipulates the scripture to construct a framework that legitimises violence and subjugation, instilling obedience by portraying such as divinely sanctioned. ​

• Gilead is undeniably an oppressive regime that employs a warped version of biblical moral instruction in order to propagate a perverse ideological structure, and by selectively interpreting passages of the Bible, they justify their oppressive practices as moral - thus cultivating a society that will comply without resistance. This tactic not only suppresses dissent but also creates an illusion of moral high ground, forcing characters to comply under the weight of religious guilt and fear.​

• Offred and Ofglen both conform to the state-issued phrases and naming that Handmaids are obliged to abide by. By adhering to these rules they are removing their own identity and autonomy. Rebellion against this system would promote change, so therefore this passivity and compliance is only laying the groundwork for society to continue to oppress them in this manner.​

• Patriarchal power is evident through an alternative interpretation of ‘His’ as an evidently male power ​

• The repetition of the symbol of ‘eyes’ links to the phrase ‘the eyes are the window to the soul’, therefore the Handmaids wear bonnets with ‘white wings’ to ensure their face, and particularly their eyes cannot be seen by others. This strips them of their autonomy and is metaphorical for the fact that their perspectives remain unvalued and unseen. Situational irony is presented in the way that the Handmaids are under 24/7 surveillance, being constantly watched - yet they are never truly seen.​

‘I made that up, it didn’t happen that way’

• An overt narrator, meaning we are aware of her presence in the novel, and subject to her observations and judgements – consequently providing a limited perspective, as she is subjective and not omniscient​

• She draws direct attention to her own unreliability, and as the narrative progresses there is an increase in negated perception ​

• The novel challenges the narrative of Gilead in an attempt to rewrite it from a female point of view, as Offred recollects her memories and engages in a parodic critique of Gileadean propagandistic discourse. (link to voice in a society that renders her voiceless)

• The presentation of contradictory narrative paths is a form of ‘multilinear narrative’ or multilinear narration. This kind of narration can have the effect of challenging conventions of and conventional expectations about storytelling and linearity and is just one example of the ways in which Offred’s narrative style is arguably radical.​

‘I wait, washed and brushed like a prize pig’

• Offred’s confinement within the physical walls of her bedroom act as a microcosm for the entrapment and subordination of female autonomy within wider Gileadean society. She exposes her emotional limitations within the regime through the images of animals – by likening herself to pigs from psychology experiment she read about pre-Gilead ​

• This image projects a tableau vivant of her societal confinement, not only objectifying herself through the simile of a ‘pig’, but also referencing the fact that in Gilead, her body is the nexus of her status. Society valorises the Handmaids solely for the reproductive purposes, and the actions of being ‘washed’ and ‘brushed’ emphasise this focus on her physical appearance, and her body as her only commodity. ​

• ‘Prize pig’ exposes further the way in which she is the property and accessory of the Commander, that she is a luxury item he can showcase to others – as within the regime not all men are allocated a woman of their own. The ‘prize’ also bears connotations of the reward Offred could provide for the Commander, that through her fertility she could produce him a child. This role is the sole purpose of her conditioning in Gilead, and just as a ‘prize pig’ would have been, she has been meticulously prepared and judged for this role.​

• Offred’s mind has been primed to accept her role in society, just as the body of the pig has been ‘fattened in pens.’​

‘Scrabble’ (‘taste’ ‘into her mouth’ ‘slightly acid on the tongue’ ‘valance’ ‘gorge’)

• The sensory description, especially to do with ‘taste’ and Offred’s wishes to put the scrabble tiles ‘into her mouth’ constructs an image of physically restoring these lost words to her vocabulary, as she is now forbidden from freedom of speech. This projects a tableau vivant of her social predicament, showcases Offred strong desires for unconstrained access to language through images of food-like cravings, ‘delicious’ and ‘slightly acids on the tongue.’ However, despite this deep yearning for freedom, Atwood explores the extent that Gileadean indoctrination has had on Offred’s mind, and that even in this situation in which she is able to manipulate language freely, the words she chooses in scrabble are inextricably linked to her function as a Handmaid within society. She spells out ‘valance’, referencing a bed, ‘zygote’ and ‘gorge’ with explicit reproductive and sexual connotations, all exposing the extent to which the regime permeates her thoughts – not enabling her mind to be free even in given opportunities of liberation. This use of language is symbolic of her oppression and subordination at the hands of a patriarchal and theocratic totalitarian society. ​

• If Gilead reduces Offred to an object, then telling her story can restore her to a subject: someone who has control over her reality. She has so little power in all other aspects of her life that she enjoys this momentary control and temporary freedom of speech​

Nazi Germany

The Nazis believed strongly in eugenics, desiring to breed desirable men with desirable women to populate the country with desirable babies of an ‘Aryan’ race. ​
Resemblant of Nazi Germany too is the way in which citizens of Gilead are ruled by fear; where the Nazis used the threat of concentration camps to prevent active defiance and the elusive presence of the Gestapo to discourage passive resistance, Gilead uses the ‘Salvagings’ to make an example of any rebels and the unidentifiable ‘Eyes’ to instil its citizens with an internalised threat of surveillance. The most explicit allusion to the Nazi regime is where Offred remarks that anyone executed for being Jewish would be marked with a ‘yellow star’​

Atwood taking from history

• In Gilead, the totalitarian doctrine is indeed firstly proposed as a “perfect” catch-all solution to the life-threatening problems from “before” – in which society was struck by an infertility crisis and some form of environmental devastation. Because of these proposed solutions, the inhabitants take the oppression of the individual for granted in favour of the survival of society as a whole.

• The transformation of the novel’s United States into the authoritarian Gilead is shown by Atwood through a few political stages that are feasible to also translate into our own reality. The legitimate rise of Gilead to power draws direct parallels with the rise of Adolf Hitler in the 1930s during Nazi Germany, through his progression from politician to Chancellor to eventual dictatorship.

• Atwood herself states that ‘nothing went into the book that had not happened in real life somewhere at some time’ which reinforces this, extending her novel to become a microcosm applicable to the entirety of humanity as a collective, encompassing all of history and all of the future. She poses the thought that ‘ “it can’t happen here” could not be depended on: Anything could happen anywhere, given the circumstances.’ And it is not only in history that examples of alt-right politics are prevalent – it extends to our present-day society also​

Language key sentences

• The importance of language is highlighted as the main instrument of ideological and social subordination in the dystopian world of Gilead. Language is no longer a tool for the simple means of communication, but instead is a political weapon designed to impose ideology, entrench hierarchies, limit communication and freedom of expression, and maintain patriarchal control​

• It is important to first distinguish between speech and voice. Speech – and its inverse, muteness – simply signify the inability to make a sound or use language. Voice, on the other hand, is a more metaphorical concept, where what is most important is being heard. Consequently, we must wonder whether Offred can maintain her voice without needing speech or if, more negatively, she is able to speak, but cannot be heard.​

• Liberation from slavery, and liberation in general in inextricably linked with reading and writing. By undermining the Handmaid’s access to language, it strips them of their autonomy and freedom of expression, denying them the ability to communicate or share thoughts. Inhibition from reading also limits the information available to them, and they are unable to access any news that is not spoon-fed to them by the indoctrinating regime. This socially and mentally paralyzes the Handmaids, preventing any uprising or cultivation of their own critical thoughts and opinions. Boundaries and restrictions are enforced even on their thoughts, restricting what they can say or think – without access to free language there is very little that the women can do, fundamentally stripping them of their human rights. This is how Gilead preserves its power, not only in the present, but also going forwards.

Threat key sentences

• Atwood creates an overarching sense of threat that permeates the entirety of her novel – with the principle aim of providing a warning to society of the dangers of complacency. She illustrates tragically how the freedoms and democracies of our present day society that we take for granted can be stripped from us at any moment, urging people to take active action in resisting the powers of the patriarchy, right wing authority and theocracy that were the downfall of Gilead.​

• Atwood emphasises this ease to which humanity can revert to former ways, and whilst Gilead may seem unimaginable to us now, it may not in the future.​

• The rise of the theocracy, patriarchy and ring-wing authoritarianism cannot be prevented through silence, and therefore we are our own greatest threats by allowing this to happen.​

• By grounding her dystopia in real-world parallels, Atwood invites readers to reflect on the fragility of democratic freedoms and the importance of vigilance in protecting them. Her portrayal of Gilead emphasizes how power can corrupt faith, turning it into a weapon, rather than a source of solace or justice ​

Gender key sentences

• As gender theory has evolved, theorists argue that gender is a social construct: people are born a certain sex, but their gender is shaped by the society that is around them. Therefore, if a person is born female, they are socialised into embracing a feminine identity. By analysing the different roles assigned to men and women in Gilead, we can see the traits that society valorises, and gain an insight into society’s idealised archetypes of gender.​

• Utilizing the critical feminist dystopia concept, Atwood explores the parallels between Gilead's oppressive regime and the actual threats to gender equality and women's rights in various societies in the present. Analysis of The Handmaid's Tale serves as a poignant critique of patriarchal structures and a call to action for addressing systemic gender disparities of alt-right politics

• Puritan associations with hanging in the 17thC, where the religious fundamentalism in Puritan society was based on more circumstantial matters than evidence, similar to that of Gilead

Religion key sentences

• Margaret Atwood created a fundamental Christian totalitarian regime in The Handmaid’s Tale to explore the dangers of combining religious extremism with unchecked political power. The Republic of Gilead serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting how oppressive ideologies can exploit faith as a tool for control, particularly targeting women’s rights and autonomy, as women are now divided into rigid classes determined by an idiosyncratic elucidation of the Bible. ​

• Atwood was inspired by historical and contemporary examples of regimes that used religion to justify subjugation, which is exemplified today in countries such as Afghanistan where the Taliban took control and revoked freedom of religion. For example, the Taliban issued restrictions on female clothing, forcing them to wear the Islamic coverings niqabs or burqas (which cover the entire body aside from the eyes) that are not dissimilar from the robes of the Handmaids.

• Puritan hangings in the 17th century - where religious fundamentalism was based on more circumstantial matters than evidence, similar to that of Gilead

‘Offred’

• The importance of language is highlighted as the main instrument of ideological andsocial subordination. The names people are given determines the way they perceive themselves – with ‘Offred’ emblemising infers the subjugation of women and their ‘ownership’ by men

• The name of Offred is patronymic - meaning it has been derived from her Commander’s name, and she is the property ‘of - Fred’. Hence, it is used not to separate her from other people, but to relate her with a man. Margaret Atwood converts Offred to a commodity from a woman having defined her as a male’s possession. She is no longer considered as a living person but as a ‘thing’ to make use of. In this respect Atwood successfully draws the theory of the philosopher Simone de Beauvoir according to which women are the imitation of men and when she acts as human, she just imitates the male. Atwood, in this work significantly expresses that the social notion of ‘human’ is ‘male ‘and not ‘female’. It is reflected when Offred is allowed to be treated as human on the condition of her association with a man.

‘Red’ (use in Offred quotation)

• The most prominent use of colour symbolism would be the use of ‘red’ as the designated colour of the Handmaids. The women are inextricably linked to ‘red’ to evoke images of menstruation - denoting explicitly their fertility and child-bearing properties. The bodies of the Handmaids in Gilead act only as vessels for the reproductive desires of society, and they are not given autonomy over themselves.

• Whilst ‘red’ traditionally has connotations of love or romance, this is ironically subverted through the alternate interpretations of ‘red’ as portraying violence, blood and anger – intrinsically linked to the suffering of the Handmaids oppressed by the Gileadean regime and subjugated into institutionalised rape every month. Enforced ‘red’ dress ensures unity among the women, by acting as a visual control mechanism that suppresses individuality and consequently perpetuates the rigid social hierarchies of Gilead – where reproductive functions are a Handmaid’s only defining feature.

• However, by enforcing strict dress codes, ‘red’ simultaneously marks the Handmaids as distinct and noticeable, which forces audiences to confront this paradox of invisibility and visibility in society.

• But, Atwood’s authorial decision to use ‘red’ extends beyond exploring solely the characters of the Handmaids, it also encompasses wider society and historical context. ‘Red’ has been used throughout literature to expose women of sexual sins or impurity, most notably in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlett Letter’. The term a scarlet woman refers to a woman who is notorious for having many sexual encounters, originally derived from the Bible, so is widely recognised as a link towards the sexual role of the Handmaids. Atwood also uses these red robes to explore the history of the United States, by drawing parallels to the clothes of founding fathers during 17th century Puritanism. This reinforces Atwood’s belief that America was founded upon religious extremism, and highlights the dangers that can arise from allowing theocratic and patriarchal powers to indoctrinate the minds of society.

• References to history warn audiences of a reversion to former standards and repetition of the atrocities of the past. To further this, ‘red’ is also a universal warning colour used to caution danger. The Handmaids therefore being dressed fully in red could project a warning tableau vivant of the threat of societies like Gilead, and how it is feasible that these ideologies could translate into our own reality. By grounding the dystopia in real-world parallels, Atwood invites readers to reflect on the fragility of democratic freedoms and the importance of vigilance in protecting them

‘Ordinary, said Aunt Lydia, is what you are used to. This may not seem ordinary to you now, but after a time it will. It will become ordinary’

• Exposes the extent of the indoctrination that occurs in such societies, and the ease with which humanity can revert to former ways. Whilst it may seem unimaginable to us now, it may not in the future. Gilead succeeds, not by making society believe that its ways are right, but by making people forget what a different society could be like: torture and tyranny become excepted when it is what you are used to.​

• Evidence of the matriarchal oppression​ oppression of the Aunts, with the interjection of Aunt Lydia’s voice into Offred’s thoughts acting as a microcosm for the indoctrination and power that the regime holds over women in society, pervading even their personal thoughts​

• While feminine identities are fragmented to symbolise different gender roles and ideals, the prominent male characters are meant to symbolise different manifestations of the patriarchy. The roles of women are divided into different identities that are meant to represent different feminine ideals. Gilead is able to reduce women to only one aspect of their identity – for example the Wives epitomise domesticity, the Handmaids symbolise reproduction and the Marthas symbolise housekeeping. Through segmenting their identities into separate roles, the women are conditioned to view each other as adversaries. This envy is strategic, as it prevents the women from forming alliances and organising to rebel against the Gileadean regime​

‘Frailroad’ ‘now enjoying an equally charming Arctic Chair’

• His pun of the pejorative slang term ‘frail’ to produce ‘Frailroad’ is a contemptuous, demeaning and misogynistic sidesweep that, sadly, produces laughter from the audience.

• Offred’s story seems to have fallen into the worst possible hands, as Piexioto is clearly someone who is unable to enter into the emotional register of a very harrowing narrative. It is apparent that Offred’s experiences of being sexualised and commodified under Gileadean regime are more or less precisely the same way as she is being commodified and sexualised now through his misogynistic remarks, which worries audiences about the ease with which this post-Gilead society could revert to former ways. (‘now enjoying an equally charming Arctic Chair’)

• By making careless jokes about the horrific experiences of the Handmaids attempting to escape from the regime, he invalidates their struggles and showcases a vulgar ignorance towards the realities of life under a totalitarian regime. ​

• The closing line, ‘are there any questions?’ gives the novel a perpetually ambiguous conclusion, used purposefully by Atwood to give audiences a chance to reflect on what we have just read, and leave the storyline open to further concerns about the future of society.  

Historical notes - ‘it was up to professor was and myself to arrange the blocks of speech in order’

• Atwood uses the historical notes as a framing narrative to highlight the tendency of historical records to marginalise or erase female voices

• The closing line, ‘are there any questions?’ gives the novel a perpetually ambiguous conclusion, used purposefully by Atwood to give audiences a chance to reflect on what we have just read, and leave the storyline open to further concerns about the future of society.  

• Offred’s life as we know it was reconstructed through the male perspective. The historical notes are yet another way in which Atwood explores male control over female stories and lives. The undercutting of the power of Offred’s narrative and the minimising of its significance exemplifies how easily female voices can be silenced

• the historical notes also suggest that Atwood has a view of history quite different to that of most dystopian writers - that history is often cyclical rather than linear, with recurring patterns over time, rather than either progress towards the good, or regression towards the bad

Feminism context

• second wave of feminism was from early 1960s-1980s, so directly influenced the Handmaid’s Tale, and would have been the most influential era of feminism for Atwood

• Betty Friedan published the Feminine Mystique, which argued that women were unhappy confined in their roles as wives and mothers and that they have been socially conditioned to consent to being so.

• Roe v. Wade (1973) just over 10 years before publication related to reproductive freedom. However n June 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending nearly 50 years of a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion.

• Offred herself fragments her own self-concept, by using the deliberate disconnection ‘One detaches oneself. One describes.’ The use of ‘one’ instead of any personal pronouns such as ‘I’ or ‘my’ dehumanises herself, exploring Offred’s coping mechanism of removing herself from the process.​

• Showcasing separation of her body, not viewing herself as a complete person or complete identity. Gilead valorises her solely for her reproductive services and nothing else – her integrity, personality or identity bears no importance to them​

• Atwood makes the Ceremony disturbing by subverting any expectations we had of sexual relationships, crafting a functional atmosphere of disjointed dehumanisation which contrasts the emotions of romance that would be expected. The regimented and almost corporate nature of the procedure is explored through the use of short sentences to create a fragmented and blunted feel about their intercourse, which highlights how the experience is depersonalising and distant for the Handmaids.​

• Atwood employs the use of the profanity ‘fucking’ to showcase a vulgarity and colloquialism that further represents the lack of emotion or dignity during the Ceremony. This assertion of taboo language violently contrasts the strict religious phrases that Offred must conform to in her daily life, exposing the strength of her opposition and resistance to the constraints of Gileadean society. ​

• Atwood does not only explore female subordination during Gilead, but also uses the Ceremony to explore the oppression of women throughout all of history, providing social commentary against the misogyny and patriarchal power that has been present for centuries. Offred recalls a quote of advice from Queen Victoria, instructing women to ‘close your eyes and think of England.’ This illustrates how women have faced, and continue to face, these issues of marital/legalised rape across the world, and with reference to Queen Victoria show that not even royalty can escape this oppression. The Marital Rape Act was published in 1991, 6 years after the publication of The Handmaid’s Tale, exposing that at the time of Atwood’s writing, this rape was legalised in society. This therefore increases the impact of the Ceremony scene on initial audiences, as it was something that perhaps could mirror issues facing their own society.​