A Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood, author of A Handmaid’s Tale, wrote “Better never means better for everyone... It always means worse, for some,”(Atwood 211), showing that nothing can be perfect for everyone. A Handmaid’s Tale tells of Offred’s life before the Republic of Gilead takes over the United States and shows her place in the aftermath of the theocratic takeover. Although Offred is finally released from her position as a Handmaid by Nick, it is unclear if she survived the journey to Canada at the end. Accoring to Merriam-Webster, a utopia is “an imaginary place in which the government, laws, and social conditions are perfect” (“Utopia.”). In Margaret Atwood’s A Handmaid’s Tale, the corrupt theocracy, harsh statutes, and abusive social structures all

The Republic of Gilead shows many governmental flaws, including its position as a totalitarian theocracy. Although this type of government may benefit the few in power, it oppresses a huge majority of the population, in this case the women. The women’s bodies are politicized and used only for the purpose of creating children. Offred recalls that “(her) nakedness is strange to (her) already… (She) do(es not) want to look at something that determines (her) so completely,” proving that Offred knows her body is only valued because of its fertility (Atwood 63). By using religion to justify certain actions, the theocracy also unfairly defaults to the Christian viewpoints. This corruption invalidates other religious beliefs and forces many people to either convert or face persecution. Because Offred is Luke’s second wife, they fear the retaliation of the Christian theocracy enough that they make plans to flee. Offred states “that’s one of the things

In the social caste, women are only viewed as valuable if they are able to produce children. The misogynistic culture creates unfair social structures and devalues women who are incapable of producing children. Aunt Lydia tells the Handmaids that “a thing is valued… only if it is rare and hard to get,” (Atwood 114). In reference to the fertility crisis, Aunt Lydia is telling the Handmaids that they are only valuable because they can produce children, a harsh reality in their social standing. Offred also recalls a hanging on the wall of two men caught sleeping together. When Moira later mentions that “not all of those Gender Traitors end up on the Wall,” she confirms that homosexuals are also taken to the colonies to be punished for their crimes (Atwood 248). Similar to how the women in the society are treated, gay men also find themselves degraded because of their inability to reproduce. These punishments of hangings and forced labor shows the homophobia found in the Republic of Gilead, another imperfect social condition. Finally, the Republic of Gilead encourages the population to view the hangings and even take place in the execution. Offred recalls “beginning to feel again: shock, outrage, nausea. Barbarism,” while taking place in the Particution(Atwood 280). The cruel participation of the Handmaids in the criminal’s execution shows very clearly the abusive social