"Gilead is set up so that women act against their own personal and collective interests."

In light of this statement, explore the role of the Aunts in The Handmaid’s Tale.

1. The Aunts use psychological tactics in order to control women so that they act against their own personal and collective interests.

   AO2: “Freedom to and freedom from” “You are a transitional generation” “Better never means better for everyone. It also means worse for some” Biblical rhetoric and moral justification

   AO3: The Aunts distort religious texts to serve Gilead’s agenda. For example, their interpretation of women’s roles as "vessels" for reproduction echoes biblical stories but strips them of nuance and autonomy, reducing women to tools of the state. Biblical Reference: Rachel, unable to bear children, gives her handmaid Bilhah to her husband Jacob to conceive on her behalf. Leah, Jacob’s other wife, does the same with her maid Zilpah.

   Connection to Gilead:

   • This story directly inspires the role of Handmaids in Gilead. The Handmaids are forced to bear children for the Wives, mirroring Bilhah’s role in the biblical narrative.

   • Gilead uses this story as a justification for its practices, twisting it into a societal norm rather than a situational solution.

   AO4: In 1984, psychological manipulation is central to maintaining the Party’s power. Techniques like "doublethink" and constant surveillance ensure that individuals conform to the regime's ideology, much like the Aunts indoctrinate Handmaids through rewriting truths and controlling narratives. Similar to the Aunts, the Party employs fear, propaganda, and forced confessions to prevent rebellion and maintain control over the population’s minds.

   AO5: Critique of Internalized Patriarchy: Some feminist critics argue that the Aunts represent the dangers of internalised patriarchy, where women are conditioned to enforce male-dominated power structures. This reflects the feminist concept that women’s complicity in patriarchal systems perpetuates their own oppression, with Aunt Lydia serving as a key example. Opposing View: Other feminist readings suggest that the Aunts may be acting pragmatically, exploiting their limited agency to survive in Gilead, rather than fully endorsing its ideology.

2. The Aunts prevent solidarity between the women, by pitting them against each other

   AO2: “Her fault. Her fault. Her fault. We chant in unison” “It’s not the husbands you have to watch out for... it’s the Wives.”

   AO3: Divide and rule: common real world tactic used in society - e.g. slavery/colonialism through favouritism or punishment. AlsoAtwood cites the Salem Witch Trials as inspiration for her work

   AO4: In 1984, the Party uses tactics like the "Two Minutes Hate" to direct collective anger at a common enemy (e.g., Emmanuel Goldstein), preventing unity among the oppressed. Similarly, the Aunts channel the Handmaids’ frustrations into activities like the Particicution, ensuring that women’s anger is directed away from Gilead.

   AO5: Marxist Interpretations

   • Class Divisions Among Women:

     • Marxist critics argue that the Aunts enforce Gilead’s hierarchical structure, which mirrors the class divisions used in capitalist systems to prevent worker solidarity. Pitting Handmaids against Wives and Marthas ensures that women cannot unite to challenge the ruling class (the male Commanders).

     • Contrasting View: Other readings suggest that the Aunts’ complicity highlights the desperation of those who seek power within oppressive systems, reflecting how individuals may enforce systemic inequities to secure their own survival

3. The Ants are complicit in the oppression of other women while they are also oppressed, and may be acting against their own interests as well.

   AO2: “They had electric cattle prods slung on thongs from their leather belts.” “It’s for the best... It’s not easy for them.”

   AO3: Patriarchal society, internalised misogyny, the Aunts gain relative authority by aligning themselves with Gilead’s regime, but this authority is conditional and limited. They remain subordinate to the male-dominated power structure and can be discarded if deemed no longer useful.

   AO4: In 1984, characters like O’Brien serve as agents of the oppressive regime while also being subjugated by it. Similarly, the Aunts enforce Gilead’s rules but are ultimately controlled by the male-dominated hierarchy. Both portray the paradox of enforcers who are also victims.

   AO5: Postmodern critics also note that the Aunts’ roles fracture their identity as women. By participating in the system, they lose solidarity with other women and ultimately act against their collective interests. This reflects the fragmentation of identity in dystopian and postmodern narratives.