Examples Of Power In The Handmaid

Adding to this theme of oppression in the novel is the symbol of Aunt Lydia’s words resonating in the narrator’s head every time she questions Gilead’s rules. Aunt Lydia was one of the figures of authority during handmaids’ training at the Red Centre. For example, when Offred thinks about knowing what is happening in Gilead, what has happened with those whom she loved, with her family and friends, she says: “Knowing was a temptation. What you don’t know won’t tempt you, Aunt Lydia used to say. Maybe I don’t really want to know what’s going on. Maybe I’d rather not know” (233/234). She is supposed to follow rules and live as the government wants her to: as a carrier of babies and nothing else. Handmaids are not allowed to comment on what

In The Handmaid’s Tale, the binary opposites of man/woman or, equally, power/fear exist. The dynamics of power exist along a hierarchy with men primarily at the top. Women are typically below the men in power, except for a select few who traded in their power for loyalty to the cause. Power becomes relative and subjective based on the binary relationship of power with that of fear. Specifically, the Commander illicitly invites Offred to his office after hours where he tempts her with his collection of contraband magazines, which had long been banned in Gilead and would lead to severe punishment or death if discovered. In doing so, he is nonchalantly boasting on the extent of his power. In essence, he is showcasing that with his power he can have a room filled with illicit materials. Simultaneously, though, he is reminding Offred of her complete lack of power. He can offer her so much, but only if she complies with his wishes. In his

‘How is Gilead presented as a place of power and control in the opening chapters of The Handmaid’s Tale?’

Within the totalitarian society created by Margaret Atwood in the Handmaid’s Tale, there are many people and regimes centred around and reliant on the manipulation of power. The laws that are in place in the republic of Gilead are designed and implemented so as to control and restrict the rights and freedom of its inhabitants.

As you read through the handmaid’s tale you see the relationships of the characters develop and the fight for power, however small that glimpse of power may be. The images of power can be seen through out the novel, but there are major parts that stand out to the reader from the aunt’s in the training centre to the secret meetings between the Commander and Offred.

Power is different between women and men. Throughout history there has always been a lower expectation of women in society. The book touches every angle to what was happening in this country, where health conditions are very bad, women were being controlled by men, and women are losing their lives while giving birth. The mortality rate is very high because of the lack of equipment and health

Dictionary.refrence.com states that power is the delegated authority; authority granted to a person or persons in aparticular office or capacity. An individual's power is dependent on their class, race, gender and their roles in society. Authors show power through text in many different ways. In The Crucible Arthur Miller shows how men have more access to power than women, especially the lower class. Women have less power than men, regardless of their partner's status because women are thought of to be less capable, and lower than men.

Hungry for power. Metaphorically querulous. Weak. The Commander is the representation of male insecurity. This character is derived from Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale. Atwood’s novel reveals that hunger for control can lead to the oppression of women, this is demonstrated through the Commander’s characterization, the Aunts attitudes, and some of the Gileadean rules/laws.

Secondly, as stated before the men in the elite society are placed higher than all women. Despite being classified into different groups, women seemed to be placed at the bottom as they are once again stripped from their own independence and rights. This is shown in the book as the women are reassigned to their former jobs as tools for reproduction, cleaning and cooking. They are categorized through their duties and they all serve the men of the elite society, particularly the commander. Thus in creating this arrangement, women are completely inferior to men and have almost no power over them. However, in some cases it is different. For example, Serena Joy who is the wife of a commander has a higher status than someone like Nick, the commander’s chauffer or one of the

The Republic of Gilead is a dictatorship in which men are the superior sex. Men are often in charge, much like the Commander, and are assigned women, one of these being the main character, Offred. Offred is a Handmaid, meaning her goal is to become pregnant, since if she is unable to she could be killed or sent off to the colonies and become what is called an Unwoman, this is yet another sign of power. Furthermore, women are constantly being watched and are often isolated from others due to the lack of freedom, this in turn makes women feel more inferior.

When Gilead first came to fruition, they made sure women didn’t have the right to hold a bank account or own property, “any account with an F on it instead of an M. All they needed to do is push a few buttons. We’re cut off (Atwood, 2016).” The people in charge of Gilead knew a person can be independent as long as they have their own money. Without money the women were hopeless, and it was easier to subdue them and round them up to turn them into Handmaids, Marthas or Econowives. While Offred is forced to become a Handmaid for The Commander, she is still in a place of power.

A character in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale that attempted to maintain her sense of power and identity is Offred. She endeavored to keep her sense of power by rebelling. In Chapter 17, she sneaked into the hallway of her household, thinking her actions were “entirely illegal” (97). Standing in the hall, Offred said, “I like this. I am doing something, on my own.” (97). As a result of Offred sneaking out without anyone knowing, she “liked” it and felt powerful in the moment. The men and women in charge over her could not fully hold her down; she was doing something on her own for a change. Her ability to rebel in anyway gave her a sense of satisfaction, freedom, and power in a society that attempted to take them

also connects to the ranks between men and women . The references hold such power,

In the dystopian novel, The Handmaid’s Tale written by Margaret Atwood, tells a story of a woman named Offred living as a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead. With Gilead being a brand new state, their grasp on power is not completely stable. In order for them to secure their power in their theocratic state, they control and manipulate the use of language by modifying the names of those who holds high authority, regulating the usage of language within their society, and annihilating the written language. As a way for the Gileadean state to have a sturdy hold of their power, they choose to change the titles of the positions that holds high authority. That is , the state of Gilead decides to “sugar-coat” these appellations of the former government. As Offred recalls her days in the Red Center, she

Though the English language has its roots in a male-dominated society where the true meaning of words are now taken for granted. In The Handmaid’s Tale, language facilitates power. In order to effectively rule over class and gender the level of censorship on literature and control of discourses runs high. Atwood uses word choice to expose the shocking structures of the Gilead society and how faulty its foundations are as it was built upon gender inequality. The repercussions of gendered language are evident throughout the novel, implying that the sexist structure of Gilead is a result of oppressive language modern Americans accept and use in every day talk.