The Handmaid s Tale By Margaret Atwood - 1943 Words

The Handmaid s Tale is written by Margaret Atwood and published in 1985. The novel takes place in a city that used to be in the United States, now called the Republic of Gilead. The Handmaid s Tale explores themes of a new totalitarian theocratic state society that is horrific, constantly terrifying, controlling and segregating its subjects. Its main concentration is on the subjugation of women, and it also explores the plethora of means by which the state and agencies gain control and domination against every aspect of these women s lives. The use of coded language and restrictive dress codes also play an important factor as a means of social order and control in this new society. In the Republic of Gilead there’s a Handmaid†¦show more content†¦To this end, Handmaids are assigned to bear children for Commanders and other Offices or members of the elite that cannot conceive naturally. The protagonists and narrator is a female named Offred. The given occupational Hand maid alias of Offred simply means she is ‘Of her Commander who is named Fred . Offred is an intellectual woman, she is also kind, caring, and very thoughtful and perceptive. Unlike her mother, Offred is not a feminist advocate, and has displayed her un-comfort for activism several times throughout the novel. She had a former husband named Luke, and they had a little daughter together before the new regime took over. Offred s purpose is to serve the Commander and his wife, Serena Joy. When Offred is at the crucial point in her menstrual cycle when she is most fertile, the Commander must have passionless sex with Offred in order to accomplish the objective of impregnating her. This is Offred s third attempt; she was not successful with the two Commanders before this one. If Offred fails again she will be declared an Unwoman and sent to the colonies for hard labor. Offred s freedom is completely restricted. She can not have the door to her room totally shut, and she can leave the house only on specific purposeful trips such as to visit the wall or for purchasing grocery items. All the while, Gilead s secret police forces, known only as