the commander

basic level exploitation - should be more resistant: “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing”

Commander embodies the institutional exploitation prevalent in Gilead, where power hierarchies subjugate women. His complicity in this system makes him culpable, despite his outwardly mild demeanor. As Edmund Burke’s warns, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” While the Commander may not exhibit overt cruelty, his passivity and indulgence in the system—by designing or perpetuating policies—enable the systemic oppression of women.

• isnt in complete control of his actions because of the system

• nuremberg defense of just following order

‘accused of harbouring liberal tendencies’

clandestine meetings with Offred, offering her small privileges such as playing Scrabble, signify a potential deviation from Gilead’s rigidity. However, these actions are not rooted in a genuine desire to subvert the regime but in self-serving paternalism. He enjoys his role as a benevolent dictator, suggesting he values personal gratification over systemic change. These gestures of supposed kindness expose his self-perception as progressive while simultaneously reinforcing Offred’s subjugation.

ao4: bluebeard, arabian nights (shahryar), rochester*, postmodern responses to gothic tales e.g. angela carter, BNW (mustapha mond), o’ brien (1984)

• Bluebeard: Like Bluebeard, he exerts control over women within his domain, holding secrets that reveal his culpability in systemic exploitation.

• Shahryar from Arabian Nights: The Commander engages Offred in intellectual activities (e.g., Scrabble) as Shahryar listens to Scheherazade’s tales. Both relationships are transactional and rooted in a power imbalance.

• Rochester (Jane Eyre): His attempts to make Offred complicit in their illicit relationship echo Rochester’s morally ambiguous and manipulative behavior.

• Postmodern Gothic Influences: Angela Carter’s work critiques the passive and patriarchal archetype embodied by figures like the Commander, exposing how seemingly “meek” men reinforce oppressive systems.

• Mustapha Mond (Brave New World) and O’Brien (1984): The Commander is a moral relativist, justifying Gilead’s actions under the guise of necessity while maintaining his position of privilege.

embodiment if the patriarchal structure of gilead - inherited?

role in Gilead reflects the inherited patriarchy described in Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique. Friedan’s “problem which has no name” encapsulates the systemic constraints that the Commander perpetuates. While Serena Joy’s complicity and victimhood are evident, the Commander represents the active architects of a society that reduces women to vessels for reproduction.

In Simone de Beauvoir's landmark feminist work The Second Sex, she argues that the Othering of women, by men, is done in part to allow men the satisfaction of an audience: “Man dreams of an Other not only to possess her but also to be ratified by her... she remains exterior to a man's world and can view it objectively; and being close to man and dominated by him, she does not establish values foreign to his nature... The knight jousts for his lady in the tourney” (171-172). The Commander peacocks for Offred specifically because he views her as a possession rather than an authority; her identity contained (in his eyes) under the umbrella of his own gives him a certainty that her values are the same as his own, and will admire him as he admires himself through her eyes.

betty friedan ‘the problem which has no name’ (feminine mystique), 1963

jezebels

The Commander’s visits to Jezebels highlight his hypocrisy. Jezebels, a space of illicit indulgence for men, contrasts sharply with the strict moral codes imposed on women. This double standard underscores his role in exploiting women while masking it as cultural necessity.

“after all he did for you” - SJ

Serena Joy’s defense of the Commander (“After all he did for you”) reflects the internalized misogyny Miner identifies as pervasive in Gilead. This perspective absolves the Commander while redirecting blame toward Offred, reinforcing the structural inequities Serena herself enforces.

patriarchy vs men

“the commander understands. he knows my situation” - does he really?? seems to think he empathises with her. knows of her situation but could never relate in the same way. maybe implying he too is a slave to the system of gilead unwillingly and that is the way that he 'understands'

• Offred’s perception of the Commander as understanding her plight is ironic. He may intellectually grasp her situation but cannot empathize in any meaningful way. His belief that he is also a victim of Gilead reflects his failure to recognize the depth of women’s suffering. This delusion reinforces his complicity.

“his manner is mild… he looks us over as if he is taking inventory“, “he was so sad“, “he was showing off to me“

The Commander’s “mild” manner—e.g., “he looks us over as if taking inventory” and “he was so sad”—presents him as a paradoxical figure. His outward demeanor may inspire fleeting sympathy, but it masks his entitlement and the dehumanizing nature of his actions. His kindness to Offred through their “illicit” relationship further complicates his portrayal, as these interactions are steeped in paternalism rather than genuine care.

kindness displayed to offred through their illicit relationship - ironically unsexual

“to be asked to play scrabble…seemed kinky in the extreme”

“there had been a letdown of sorts…[hoped for] at the very least some minor sexual manipulation”

• “have an arrangement“ - civil, transactional. - “not the first such arrangement in history, though the shape it’s taken is not the usual”. alleviating some of the guilt but also men in Gilead are isolated. showed her the magazines. doesnt have anything in common with his wife - just is seeking an expression of his wants.

presented as being meek and mild-mannered - not villainous - “the commander, too, is doing his duty“

• “have an arrangement“ - civil, transactional. - “not the first such arrangement in history, though the shape it’s taken is not the usual”

• “difficulty is the wife” - could be offred’s internalised hatred towards SJ. points blame towards different figure rather than the commander, unclear whether we are supposed to feel sympathetic towards him just because she does.

His inability to comprehend her struggles reveals his detachment and limited perspective. Offred’s internalized blame toward Serena Joy—“the difficulty is the wife”—further obscures the Commander’s central role in her oppression. His response to her concerns reflects his passive yet authoritative position, oscillating between vulnerability and entitlement.

chapter 25 - core commander context, go into this bit + find things to say abt commander to back up ideas. is he completely evil aurhoritarian or is he positioned as passive kinda pathetic vulnerable person that vaguely exists in gilead

• do we have any sympathy for him?

last 2 pages of chapter 25 - conversation about butter. commander response to this. offred conversation where has strong response to what commander say

The Nuremberg Trials Defense: One of the most infamous defenses during the Nuremberg Trials was the "just following orders" argument, where defendants claimed they were not personally responsible for crimes because they were obeying higher authority. This defense raises questions about personal accountability and complicity in systemic injustice.

The Commander in The Handmaid’s Tale: The Commander, as a key architect of Gilead, embodies a figure who justifies his actions as being for the greater good or the survival of society. However, he also distances himself from full accountability, often framing his role as a necessity or inevitability rather than an active moral choice. This echoes the way individuals in authoritarian regimes often attempt to mitigate personal blame.

AO5 Analysis:

• From a feminist perspective, one might argue that the Commander symbolizes patriarchal complicity, much like the defendants at Nuremberg represented institutionalized violence under authoritarianism.

• Alternatively, the Commander’s casual enjoyment of privileges (e.g., visits to Jezebel’s) could be seen as demonstrating that he is not merely "following orders" but also actively benefiting from and perpetuating the system.

• A Marxist critic might highlight the Commander’s role in Gilead as reflective of class exploitation, paralleling the systemic abuses justified during the Nuremberg Trials by claims of hierarchical duty.