essay: the ceremony
intro:
p1:
AO1:
ceremony is a physical manifestation of how gilead dehumanises handmaids + subsequently women + objectification
how it maintains control over women
ult women serve function to gilead
during these 1970s 80s, second wave feminism fought for reproductive rights, sexual liberation + gender equality
movement faced signif backlash from conservative + religious groups who framed these advancements as threats to fam values + morality
esp how women bodies were commodified in media, advertising + culture
AO2:
"We are containers, its only the insides of our bodies that are important." - pg 103
"The Commander is fucking. What he is fucking is the lower part of my body." - pg 100
"One detaches oneself. One describes." - pg 102
“there wasnt a lot of choice but there was some pg 101
‘regular two-four marching stroke, on and on like a tap dripping = pg 101
"What it really means is that she is in control, of the process and thus of the product. pg 100
AO3:
systematic use of rape in war as discussed in excerpts, parallel to function of ceremony in THT, gilead: sexual violence is institutionalised to control
women seen as reproducers, mirrors handmaids role in gilead: identity stripped down to ability to bear children,
for example ref to systematic rape of women during bosnian conflict, where women were raped so they could give birth to a serbian baby
aimed to control ethnic boundaries by using woman’s reproductive capabilities as a weapon to perpetuate the attackers dominance + erase identity of victimised group
in THT ceremony functions similarly, handmaids reproductive capabilities are commandeered by state of gilead, + ceremony
AO4:
in contrast, in 1984, dehumanisation achieved through suppression of intimacy + sexual pleasures, as sexual acts are reduced to ‘duty to the party, erasing personal agency yet doesn’t specifically target women’s reproductive function
these texts critique systems that objectify + control individuals, THT emphasises gendered dimension of oppression
AO5:
feminist critic may note that serena joy’s discomfort and pain as a critique of patriarchy’s impact on all women, not just handmaids
serena’s loathing demonstrates how patriarchy dehumanises women across classes, reducing wives HMs alike to functionaries in reproductive economy
p2:
AO1:
an ironic form of religious hypocrisy, ironic event - due to the Biblical connotations
AO2:
"This is supposed to signify that we are one flesh, one being. - pg 100
"A mist of Lily of the Valley surrounds us, chilly, crisp almost. - pg 100
prologue - rachel and bilhah story: ceremony directly draws on biblical story of rachel + b in genesis:
rachel, unable to bear children, offers maid to husband as surrogate to produce offspring
gilead distorts narrative + uses it as justification for institutionalised sexual violence + reduction of women to reproductive vessels
gilead weaponises story , irony lies in gileads portrayal of ceremony as sacred while it violates autonomy + dignity of both handmaids + wives
AO3:
1980s saw rise of moral majority - was an american political organisation + movement associated w christian right + republican party in US
movement pushed for integration of conservative Ch values into public policy, inc restrictions on reproductive rights, opposition to abortion + return to traditional gender roles
critiques how religion manipulated to justify patriarchal control over womens bodies
ceremony becomes symbol of this distortion, w gilead using scripture as veneer for systemic oppression
irony lies in perversion of religious ideals of love + sanctity to enforce violence + control
AO4:
compared to ‘the crucible - how reverend parris + other characters manipulate religious doctrine to justify salem witch trials
just as enforcers of gileadan regime distort biblical scriptures, eg rachel + bilhah, characters in the crucible weaponise scriptures to legitimise their personal grudges + societal control
critiques how religious hypocrisy used to uphold oppressive systems
AO5:
marxist critic may interpret ceremony as reflection of how religion is used as ideological tool to reinforce class + gender hierarchies
by invoking bible to justify exploitation of HMs, gilead creates false consciousness? that obscures material realities of womens subjugation
ceremony serves to uphold ruling class, maintaining their dominance while keeping HMs subservient
p3:
AO1:
reinforces hierarchical power structures - positions of each figure of gilead demonstrates such structures
AO2:
"Above me, towards the head of the bed, Serena Joy is arranged, outspread. Her legs are apart, I lie between them, my head on her stomach, her pubic bone under the base of my skull. pg 100
"The Commander is doing his duty. This is serious business. - pg 101
"Serena Joy lets go of my hands. 'You can get up now,' she says. 'Get up and get out.' - pg 102
AO3:
roe v wade
atwood observed cold wars impact on authoritarian regimes on both sides of ideological divide, which used strict hierarchies to control populations
totalitarian states eg soviet union implemented rigid structures to enforce conformity, oft pitting individuals against one another to maintain control
gilead’s hierarchical system, esp during ceremony, enforces conformity by assigning roles to each participant
structure reinforces lack of solidarity against women
AO4:
similarly, in 1984, hierarchical control enforced through partys domination, where personal relationships + sexual autonomy are suppressed to maintain loyalty to state???
AO5:
a feminist critic may argue that although it may seem like some benefit from this hierarchy, its inherent patriarchal nature that serves to benefit men, renders certain individuals, such as wives, as also victims to this hierarchy
wives are still defined and limited by their reproductive capabilities
serena joys complicity in controlling offred highlights way patriarchy forces women into oppressive roles, fostering division rather than solidarity amongst women