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Examples Of Classism In The Handmaids By Margaret Atwood

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Women’s Oppression The issue of sexism and classism of women is well described in the Handmaids tale novel by Margret Atwood. In this paper i would like to discuss the issue of both sexism and classism In Atwood novel. The men have all the rights to do all what they want. On the other hand, women could not do so. Women are oppressed in the society they lived in. Nevertheless, women are also classified into many classes. Their status will be different Depending on which color they wear. In the republic of Gilead there was no quality nor justice. In there women are classified by their clothes. The uniforms that they are required to wear represents their status and functions within society. Uniforms can not changed : " Some people call them habits, a good word for them. Habits are hard to break" (24-25). …show more content…

Therefore, the novel classified women as three main classes. The upper class are the Wives of the commanders who wears blue gowns. Which represents the Virgin Mary: "the Wives wear the blue of purity, from the Virgin Mary" (XVII). The Handmaids should wear a white Headdresses "wings" and a red habits as a representative of Blood as Offred said "my face is red: the color of blood, which defines us" (8). Martha’s, wear dull green, like a surgeon's gown " Martha's dress, which is dull green, like a surgeon's gown of the time before" (9) . The lower classes are the ecnowives "the women of the poorer man" as Offred says "These women are not divided into functions. They have to do everythings; if they can." (24). These dresses code or classification means that women are no longer individuals. They are like a classified

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