What Analysis of the Female Role Does Atwood Offer in The...

The Handmaids Tale is set in the early twentieth century in the futuristic Republic of Gilead, formerly the United States of America. The Republic has been founded by a Christian response to declining birthrates. The government rules using biblical teachings that have been distorted to justify the inhumane practices. In Gilead, women are categorized by their age, marital status and fertility. Men are categorised by their age. Women all have separate roles in society, and although these roles are different, they all share the same theme: Every woman is confined to the home and has a domestic duty. Marthas are cooks and housekeepers, and handmaids have one duty, which is to reproduce, growing and giving birth to babies to the childless†¦show more content†¦In Gilead, women are treated like objects and all of their rights are taken away from them. They cannot vote, hold property or jobs, read, or do anything else that might cause them to become rebellious or independent, and un dermine the men, or the state. Even the shops where the handmaids go to buy food do not have names on for them to read, just pictures. The only thing important about a woman now is her ovaries and her womb, as they are reduced to just their fertility. `I used to think of my body as an instrument of pleasure... `...Im a cloud congealed around a central object, The language that Atwood uses here shows that a womans womb is the only solid, real thing that they possess. A womans emotions, feelings and other body parts are like `a cloud, they are insignificant and not real, and are seen to just float around the solid object that is their womb. Enforcers of the regime, such as the Aunts believe that this is a better, safer world for women. One of them states that in the time before, women had freedom to, and now they have freedom from. This means that they will not be raped or abused, they will not be whistled at, and will not have to be scared of anything when walking alone. However, what is happening to them in this new society, is, in reality, much worse. The novel is a shocking look at the future. With an originalShow MoreRelatedThoughts on Feminism and Dystopia in the Handmaid’s Tale Essay1044 Words   |  5 PagesNovember 2012 Thoughts on Feminism and Dystopia in The Handmaid’s Tale The Annotated Bibliography Dopp, Jamie. Subject-Position as Victim-Position in The Handmaids Tale. Studies in Canadian Literature / Études en littà ©rature canadienne [Online], 19.1 (1994): n. page. Web. 27 Nov. 2012 Dopp believes that Dopp believes that the goal of The Handmaid’s Tale is to work against the oppression of women, While he feels that is actually does the opposite. Dopp Argues that the way the test is writtenRead MoreTheme Of Women In The Handmaids Tale1784 Words   |  8 PagesThroughout history, women have been shamed and oppressed in different aspects of life. In The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, the oppression of women continues into the dystopian future. One cannot read The Handmaid’s Tale without seeing the problems of gender separation among roles and treatment in society. Although a feminist story, The Handmaid’s Tale gives some surprisingly sympathetic portrayals of men while those of women can be critical. Men are the most mysterious characters; theyRead MoreHow Are the Two Female Protagonists Offred from â€Å"the Handmaids Tale† by Magaret Atwood and Celie from â€Å"the Color Purple† by Alice Walker Oppressed by Men, in What Ways Are Their Situations Similar and How Do They Deal4443 Words   |  18 Pagesâ€Å"How are the two female protagonists Offred from â€Å"The Handmaid’s Tale† by Magaret Atwood and Celie from â€Å"The Color Purple† by Alice Walker oppressed by men, in what ways are their situations similar and how do they deal with the pressure and abuse?† Abstract The purpose of this essay is to look at how the two protagonist women, Offred from â€Å"The Handmaid’s Tale† and Celie from â€Å"The Color Purple† are treated in literature. This essay aims to answer the question: â€Å"How are the two protagonist women