The dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood depicts a dismal and repressive society called Gilead, which is rather unsettling. Gilead is a totalitarian state where women, in particular, are subject to extreme restrictions in a future unlike ours. The main character, Offred, is a handmaid in a totalitarian dictatorship, and her experiences there show the harsh measures taken to control her socially, politically, spatially, and physiologically. Offred is a mirror through which we can view Gilead’s repressive regime and how it turns her life into a physical dystopia. Offred has a strict dress code that she must adhere to; she has limited freedom of movement and association, and she is dehumanized through the loss of her name, which forces her to accept oppression like the ceremony. This piece will discuss Offred’s dehumanization and character change due to the oppression and control she experiences as a handmaid.
Offred’s acceptance of the ceremony’s systemic injustice demonstrates her internalized oppression. Recounting her experience at the Ceremony, Offred reflects, “Nor does rape cover it: nothing is going on here that I haven’t signed up for” (Atwood 89). This phrase perfectly captures Offred’s conflicted feelings about her life and the restrictive culture in which she exists. This remark alludes to “the Ceremony,” a monthly ceremony in Gilead in which handmaids are coerced into having sexual relations with their male spouses in order to procreate and further the state’s reproductive ambition. Offred’s narration of the Ceremony event reveals her inner thoughts and feelings as she reflects on and recounts the incident. Offred’s internal turmoil and how she has been bullied and used by the repressive Gileadian rule are reflected in her comment, “Nor does rape cover it: nothing is going on here that I haven’t signed up for.” On the one hand, by saying, “rape does not cover it,” she appears to agree that the Ritual is a sort of rape. Yet she also seems to feel some degree of cooperation, as if she’s decided or consented to participate in the ceremony despite her physical autonomy being violated. This line emphasizes how the tyrannical regime of Gilead has deprived Offred of her freedom and agency. She feels helpless and defeated as she is forced to take part in a ceremony that abuses her body as if she has no option but to conform to society’s norms. It’s easy to feel Offred’s inner turmoil as she tries to square her free will and moral compass with the repressive expectations imposed on her.
Offred is burdened by the rules of attire that she must follow as a handmaid. The handmaids are confined to servitude, wearing long scarlet skirts and white wings that hide everything save their eyes. This clothing code is meant to keep the handmaids from standing out as individuals and to keep them mindful of their role as reproductive tools. Offred describes the dress code as “We are containers, it’s only the inside of our bodies that are important. The outside is taboo.” (Atwood, chap.4). The objectification of women and the reduction of their reproductive value is shown by this remark. Women are only considered valuable for their potential to reproduce, and their bodies are viewed as nothing more than vessels for the fetus. The phrase emphasizes the rigid gender roles and cultural standards of Gilead via the lens of the “inside” vs. the “outside” of the body. The state’s reproductive agenda requires the protection of the “inside” of the body, which symbolizes the reproductive organs. The “outside” of the body, however, is off-limits. This includes things like outward appearance, outward expression, and individual action. This means that handmaids and other women are not permitted to decide about their bodies, looks, or lifestyles. Their bodies are used as instruments of the state to ensure they comply with predetermined gender roles and social norms. Even more so, the quote’s use of the term “taboo” emphasizes that any departure from the anticipated norms about women’s bodies is discouraged and condemned in the culture of Gilead. Offred loses agency and her ability to make decisions for herself due to her dehumanization. The regime is always keeping tabs on her and controlling her every move. In her own words, Offred explains that she has no control over her situation since “I am a passenger on the driverless train; I am not the driver.” (Atwood, chap. 30). This comment emphasizes how dehumanized Offred is; and how she has been relegated to the role of a bystander in her own life.
The restrictions on Offred’s movement and association are another kind of oppression. A “guardian” is a hired escort who must accompany each handmaid whenever she leaves the house. “He’s not our husband, he’s a job,” Offred says of the guardian (Atwood 78). This phrase emphasizes the guardians’ dehumanization and role as rule enforcers in the handmaids’ lives. Offred’s regimen is strictly enforced, and she faces harsh consequences if she deviates from it in any way. The devaluing and objectification of human relationships in Gilead are reflected in the phrase, “He’s not our husband, he’s a job.” Offred’s role as a handmaid reduces her to little more than a womb to produce offspring for the elite. The monetization of human beings in Gilead is further emphasized by using the term “job” to describe the guardian’s position. It dehumanizes the guardian, making him or her feel like nothing more than a machine. The government of Gilead controls every area of Offred’s existence, including her relationships and interactions with others, as shown by this brutal portrayal of life in Gilead. Space control is a tyranny that limits Offred’s freedom of movement and interaction. Handmaids are practically confined to a small area since they cannot leave the house without their escort. Because of this ban, they are cut off from the rest of society and cannot communicate with others, obtain assistance, or evade the repressive Gileadian government.
Offred is dehumanized when her identity is taken from her. As Offred puts it, she has become “no longer a person but a thing, a missing person, disappeared without a trace.” (Atwood, chap.3). The term “no longer a person” alludes to the fact that the harsh Gileadian dictatorship has robbed Offred of her humanity. Handmaids like Offred have no rights in this dystopian society and are treated as property. They are valued only concerning their reproduction ability and are allocated responsibilities based exclusively on this criterion. Offred’s humanity and feeling of worth are diminished when she is seen as nothing more than a means to an end (procreation). Offred’s dehumanization is emphasized even further by using the word “a thing.” It refers to something lacking the capacity to feel, think, or desire anything independently. Offred loses any sense of free will when she becomes the state’s property and is deprived of her humanity. Offred loses her humanity due to the repressive regime’s treatment of her and becomes invisible to them. That Offred is “a lost person, disappeared without a trace” is a metaphor for how the government of Gilead has erased her unique identity and free will. She is wiped from existence, made into nothing more than a number or a nameless number in the eyes of the authority. She loses any sense of who she is and is further dehumanized by the government’s insistence that she play by its rules and duties.
Women’s rights are illuminated in the news story “In Israel, TV’s dystopian ‘Handmaids’ is protest fixture,” which draws comparisons with Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale. The importance of women’s rights concerns and the fight for gender equality are highlighted in this news piece. It exemplifies the efforts of Israeli women to bring attention to their struggles and their desire for equal rights via the medium of popular culture. The influence of art and media in molding public discourse and motivating social movements is demonstrated by using television programs like “Chayot” as a tool of protest. Like the dystopian society shown in The Handmaid’s Tale, the one in “Chayot” severely limits women’s rights and treats them harshly. This similarity is crucial because it shows that Atwood’s work is still timely in depicting the effects of sexism and the dilution of women’s rights.
Work Cited
Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid’s Tale. 1st Anchor Books ed, Anchor Books, 1998.
“In Israel, TV’s Dystopian ‘Handmaids’ Is Protest Fixture.” AP NEWS, 17 Mar. 2023, https://apnews.com/article/israel-protests-women-patriarchy-rights-legal-handmaids-49b4b5a4d4d3da81d6433f36dd22f215.
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