1 Dire Warning in the Handmaid’s Tale Majed AlSarraj Mason Educational School ENG4U Mr. Robert Fletcher April 15, 2024 2 Can you imagine what can happen if the United States government is thrown over by a strict religious group? Handmaid’s Tale, is a remarkable dystopian novel written by Margaret Atwood that touched on that imagined future. Atwood built her novel on many cautionary facts that our world suffers from, and her novel tries to draw our attentions to some of those elements in our world that she believes are at risk of erosion or exploitation. These elements of warnings can be classified as Religious Extremism, Totalitarianism, and Women’s Rights. Religious extremism in the handmaid’s tale is the main force that was behind the uprising of an oppressive regime called Gilead. Gilead as a theocratic regime is built on extreme radical Christian beliefs. The beliefs of this regime are used to justify the policies and practices of Gilead, and to keep the iron fist over the population of this regime. The first feature of the religious extremism is the manipulation of religious doctrine. The regime of Gilead adopts certain interpretation of religious texts, which is the texts of the Bible in this case, to justify its oppressive policies and the violence being systematically practiced in the name of God. As an example, the verse of the bible Gensis,30:1-3 is interpreted in a way to convince the handmaids of the practice of making them bear children on the behalf of the infertile wives. Offred, the protagonist describes how the Bible is being read to them in the Ceremony which the event that precedes the rape of the handmaid in the presence of the wife “Then comes the moldy old Rachel and Leah stuff we had drummed into us at the Center. Give me children, or else I die. Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? Behold my maid Bilhah. She shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her. And so on and so forth.” (Atwood, 1985). 3 Another feature of the religious extremism is the enforcement of the religious laws on the population of Gilead. The regime of Gilead imposes strict religious laws to regulate all aspects of its citizens’ lives. Starting from dress code and behavior to the reproductive rights and the family structure. As an example, the Handmaids dress code is to wear long red robe, red shoes, red gloves, and a white bonnet to cover their faces. And there are also special dresses for the Aunts and the Marthas. Offred, the protagonist describes the Marthas’ dress “Rita is in here, standing at the kitchen table, which has a top of chipped white enamel. She's in her usual Martha's dress, which is dull green, like a surgeon's gown of the time before. The dress is much like mine in shape, long and concealing, but with a bib apron over it and without the white wings and the veil.” (Atwood 1985) Last feature of the religious extremism the persecution of religious Minorites. The Regime of Gilead systematically persecutes other Christian groups such as Catholics, and Quackers as they don’t conform with Gilead’s interpretation of the Bible and the radical religious ideology. They are subject to brutal punishments including death penalty. the protagonist explains “We go to the church, as usual, and look at the graves. Then to the Wall. Only two hanging on it today: one Catholic, not a priest though,” Also, later in the news report, the reporter mentions "Five members of the heretical sect of Quakers have been arrested," he says, smiling blandly, "and more arrests are anticipated." (Atwood 1985) The second warning element in Atwood’s work, is Totalitarianism. In "The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood depicts Gilead as a totalitarian regime. This regime practices totalitarianism systematically to dominate the behavior and acts of individuals by keeping it aligned with the vision of the regime, to eradicate any form of opposition or resistance, and to reinforce the authoritarian rule. It also serves creating an atmosphere of fear and oppression among the 4 population of Gilead. Totalitarianism in Gilead is practiced though different practices. The first practice of totalitarianism in Gilead is the extensive monitoring and surveillance. Gilead is closely monitoring all citizens for any type of dissent, or any signs of rebellion. That is done through the Eyes who are the secret security forces of the regime. They are implanted everywhere and they can be one of your household’s members. As an example, Handmaids like Offred feel that they are constantly under surveillance, both in public spaces and inside of their Commander's home. This constant scrutiny creates a climate of fear and paranoia, inhibiting any form of dissent, and ensuring compliance with the regime's vision. the protagonist explains about her idea of Ofglen “It occurs to me that she may be a spy, a plant, set to trap me;” (Atwood 1985) Another practice of totalitarianism is the Control of Information and Communication. Information and communication must be tightly controlled by of Gilead. They present an important propaganda tool to manipulate and promote the public perception of the regime. Also, they might be a weapon against the regime if used by those who could be dissentient to the system. As an example of that during the Ceremony there was only one news channel on TV that spoke on the behalf of regime. Offred, the protagonist describes “Serena clicks the channel changer. Waves, colored zigzags, a garble of sound: it's the Montreal satellite station, being blocked. Then there's a preacher, earnest, with shining dark eyes, leaning towards us across a desk. These days they look a lot like businessmen. Serena gives him a few seconds, then clicks onward. Several blank channels, then the news.” (Atwood 1985). 5 The last practice of totalitarianism as a cautionary element in Atwood’s novel is the brainwashing and Ideological compliance. Gilead as a totalitarian regime aim to promote absolute loyalty among its citizens through relentless Indoctrination and Ideological manipulation. For example, the Aunts use religious eloquence and extreme punishment in the process of training of the handmaids to make them forget all what they used to believe or know and adopt the regime’s beliefs and mentality. They also enforce the compliance and obedience among the handmaids ensuring their ideological conformity. Offred, the protagonist states “The Republic of Gilead, said Aunt Lydia, knows no bounds. Gilead is within you” she also states “They want us to hear the screams and grunts and shrieks of what is supposed to be either extreme pain or extreme pleasure or both at once, but they don't want us to hear what the Unwomen are saying.” (Atwood 1985). The last element of waring in the Handmaid’s Tale and can be the dominant theme in the novel, is the Erosion of women’s rights. Atwood vividly portrays how women are systemically oppressed and deprived of their basic rights, and reduced to be reproductive tools or domestic labors owned by their commanders. The first aspect of women’s rights erosion is the loss of autonomy and power. Handmaids in Gilead confined in their commanders’ households, powerless, and owned by their commander. They don’t have autonomy over their bodies and lives. As an example, they are raped by the commander without any ability to resist or object. Offred, the protagonist describes the way she is being raped by the commander in the presence of the wife holding her hands “My red skirt is hitched up to my waist, though no higher. Below it the Commander is fucking. What he is fucking is the lower part of my body. I do not say making love, because this is not what he's 6 doing. Copulating too would be inaccurate, because it would imply two people and only one is involved.” (Atwood 1985). Another aspect of women’s rights’ erosion is the restriction of movements and communication. Women in Gilead’s society are strictly limited in their freedom of movement and social communication. They are divided into certain groups which are the handmaid’s (whose job to bear children), the Marthas, and the Aunts. Each group has its limit of movement and socialization. And every group is subjected to constant surveillance and monitoring. Any form independent socialization or a breach to the closed cycle would lead to a serios consequences such as death. For example, Handmaids are permitted only to do some grocery shopping with another handmaid. Offred, the protagonist mentions “"Blessed be the fruit," she says to me, the accepted greeting among us. "May the Lord open," I answer, the accepted response. We turn and walk together past the large houses, towards the central part of town. We aren't allowed to go there except in twos.” (Atwood 1985). Finally, the last aspect of the erosion of women’s right is the systematic violence and oppression against women. Gilead regime enforces strict rules on gender roles. Anyone who tries to resist or challenge the regime’s regulations will be subjected to brutal punishment, including physical violence, imprisonment, and even death. For example, the Handmaids are always under the fear of punishment for any type of perceived transgressions which lead to an atmosphere of terror and submission. Offred, the protagonist describes Janine who was under the horrible experience of Testifying “Last week, Janine burst into tears. Aunt Helena made her kneel at the front of the classroom, hands behind her back, where we could all see her, her red face and dripping nose. Her hair dull blond, her eyelashes so light they seemed not there, the lost eyelashes of someone who's been in a fire. Burned eyes. She looked disgusting: weak, squirmy, blotchy, pink, like a 7 newborn mouse. None of us wanted to look like that, ever. For a moment, even though we knew what was being done to her, we despised her.” (Atwood 1985). In her Novel “The Handmaid’s Tale” Margert Atwood sheds the light on alarming facts in our world today by creating a unique portray of an imaginary dystopian society governed by an oppressive regime. This regime is practicing number of acts that ring an alarm to us as readers. Firstly, the practice of religious extremism which is distorting the doctrine of the faith, enforce the extreme religious rules, and persecute all of the opponents. Secondly, the tyranny of Gilead practices totalitarianism which is featured through the monitoring of the citizens, control of information and communication, and brainwashing and ideological compliance. And the last element and the dominant, is the women rights which is practiced through loss of autonomy and power, restriction of movement and communication, and systematic violence and oppression. This novel was published in 1985, but now after around 40 years we don’t see the picture of the world any brighter. Those elements Atwood warned us about in her novel are still present in our world today and even stronger than any time before. 8 References Atwood, M. (1985), The Handmaid’s Tale. McClelland & Stewert. https://icmotrospaises.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/the-handmaids-tale-margaretatwood.pdf
