Control In The Handmaid's Tale

The concept of control is one that is widely misunderstood and one that plagues the history of humanity as a whole. For a concept that is deeply rooted in humanity's history, its unintended consequences are often overlooked. The notion of control has had significant ramifications, From political systems to social standings, from technological advancements to personal relationships, the desire for control has often been a constant driving force for human behavior. There are many different aspects of control seen In the Handmaid's Tale, The Handmaid's Tale portrays a totalitarian regime that controls its citizens through fear and violence, using language and propaganda to reinforce its power structure. The Handmaid's Tale illustrates how power

The citizens are subjected to constant surveillance and harsh punishments, instilling a sense of terror and submission. The lives of the handmaids, in particular, are closely managed and supervised. They are assigned roles that determine their purpose, their mobility is greatly limited, their relationships are controlled, and they must adhere to a strict dress code. Their lives are regulated in every aspect, leaving them with minimal agency or autonomy. The handmaids are often pitted against each other, forced to betray and compete with one another for a favor from their oppressors. They are no longer in possession of their own

Aunt Lydia comforts Offred by suggesting that the disturbing scene in front of her will eventually become commonplace. She states ”Ordinary, said Aunt Lydia, is what you are used to. This may not seem ordinary to you now, but after a time it will. It will become ordinary”(Atwood 33).This quote illustrates how violence in Gilead is increasingly viewed as normal and goes unquestioned. In this quote, Offred and Ofglen observe the corpses of those who have been hanged by Gilead while standing near the Wall. Although the gruesome sight horrifies Offred, she endeavors to suppress her disgust and replace it with a blank emotional stare. In doing so, she recalls Aunt Lydia's declaration that life in Gilead will eventually become routine. Aunt Lydia's words illustrate the totalitarian regime's ability to normalize actions that would ordinarily evoke a human response such as disgust. Gilead's accomplishment in this regard does not involve persuading individuals that their methods are righteous, but rather erasing from their memory any recollection of what an alternative world might look like. This creates an environment in which tyranny and torture become the norm, simply because they are what people are accustomed to. In today's society, women face many challenges that are reflected in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. The oppression and control exerted over women in the novel may seem extreme, but the underlying themes of power dynamics and subjugation are all too