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Examples Of Misogyny In The Handmaid's Tale

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Dystopian literature is used to convey somewhat realistic versions of our society that we can connect to. Dystopias are usually futuristic and are used to convey a warning for us to avoid certain scenarios that could affect our future. In Margaret Atwood's, The Handmaid’s Tale she chose to convey exaggerated but real life examples of Misogyny, her novel acts as a social commentary on several issues, and addresses how Patriarchy is used to restrict/control women socially, politically, and economically through the use of labels, the lack of money/ job opportunities, and through dehumanization. In The Handmaid’s Tale labels/names are used as a means of control. The most obvious way that labels are used in the novel to control women is by the …show more content…

The first step the government took in taking away women’s independence was taking their jobs, Offred recalls her boss walking in and saying, I have to let you go, he said. It’s the law, I have to. I have to let you all go. He said this almost gently, as if we were wild animals, frogs he’d caught, in a jar, as if he were being humane (Atwood, 176) The government strategically does this because they understand that money is power, by taking away the women’s job they are leaving them powerless, vulnerable, and dependent on men to survive, this even makes some of them turn to illegal prostitution, The Commander explains how respectable women went from lawyers to prostitutes after the reforms, “Well we have quite a collection. That one there, the one in the green, she’s a sociologist. Or was. That one was a lawyer, that one was in business, an executive position; some sort of fast-food chain or maybe it was hotels. (Atwood, 238)” This shows exactly how strong, successful women were reduced down to Prostitutes in a attempt to create better lives for themselves. The women chose to be prostitutes rather than work for men as econwives, handmaids,

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The women were tired of having to stay in the “domestic sphere” as shown at an address to graduates at the Young Ladies’ Academy of Philadelphia by Priscilla Mason where she states, “The Church, the Bar, the Senate are shut against us. Who shut them? Man; despotic man, first made us incapable of duty, and then forbid us the exercise. Let us by suitable education, qualify ourselves for these high departments.” The women knew the disadvantage the men gave them by not allowing them to be in positions of power and barely educating them.

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In many ways, history can solely reinvent itself. Women's representation in modern times has shown development ever since, but there are still elements that contribute to societal misconceptions toward women. Margaret Atwood, the best-selling author of The Handmaid’s Tale, expresses the evolution and the possible fates to which women are subject. Through The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood portrays a representation of current anti-feminist viewpoints by reflecting current perspectives of pro-life stances, as well as recurring oppressions against women's economic growth and rights.

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Men dominated this industry and the women focused their attention on the family and their home. The roles of the men and women both carried

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210 Words | 1 Pages

In Gilead, societal norms have become extreme in their modest ways; they call for polite practice, but will punish any misbehaviors with death. One example of this is The Wall. As Offred and Ofglen take their prescribed walk, they seem to continuously find themselves there. While society continues its “perfect” ways, former doctors and scientists are punished with death on The Wall for the rest to see. From the wall there are “bodies hanging, by the necks, their hands tied in front of them, their heads in white bags tipped sideways onto their shoulders” (Atwood 32).

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Wash Yourself From Brainwash: 1984 1984 is the dystopian novel that inspired Margaret Atwood to write The Handmaid's Tale. George Orwell, the author of 1984, reflects on different aspects of society during this time. He described how the Party used its power to influence the people of Oceania from the Party's life perspective. The Party manipulates its members into thinking there is no past shown through the thoughts of the main character, Winston, from the beginning to the end. 1984 demonstrates the ownership of one’s body and conscience by terminating privacy, act of conformity, and the need to control people at all costs.

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Many women were in fact belittled by the ideal of true womanhood and exhibited characteristics such as submissiveness or piety. Gilman also employs somber diction throughout the story, such as “crawl”(55) and “creep”(58) to suggest that covert agency is the only way for women to improve their situations at

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Cassadina Mei English 2 Ms. Hayman 4/04/2023 HMTE As a contributing member of society, everyone plays a role in this world. In Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale, the story takes place in a futuristic dystopian United States. Only the United States is no longer united and a new form of patriarchal government now controls every movement of their citizens. In Simone de Beauvoir's The Second Sex, she discusses how women have always been systematically oppressed and viewed as “the other” in relation to men.

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Often times throughout fictional literacy works, authors will create an imaginary and futuristic universe. This universe can be either be a utopia or a dystopia. When an author decides to set their literacy work in a dystopia universe, that universe is under the illusion that a perfect society is maintained throughout a totalitarian control. Under a totalitarian control, people are often dehumanized and lead a very fearful life. There is no individual freedom whatsoever, just the government’s control in every aspect of life.

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Some of these methods include destroying identity through classification, objectification, and indoctrination. Most women of Gilead are sufficiently repressed that they seem to accept their assigned roles, at least outwardly resigned to their fate. Atwood uses gender roles in The Handmaid’s Tale to show the lengths to which misogynistic totalitarian governments will go, to protect their dictatorships. The Republic of Gilead is a hierarchical society which requires complete submission of women to men. By taking away women’s paid jobs, confiscating their property, draining their bank accounts, and giving them no recourse, the male leadership leaves women in a fully dependent and subservient position.

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The importance placed on both genders fulfilling very limited and strict roles in The Handmaid’s Tale creates a miserable society with unfortunate consequences. The ever-looming presence of gender roles that causes much misery had the Gilead citizens stuck in the mindset of women must do one thing while men must do another. An example of this attitude is present in the Commander and his feelings towards Offred, as in the

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Eventually, the eroding of identities and sense of agency eliminates the ideological resistance needed for a genuine uprising. Duncombe continues that the creation of a “’false consciousness’” occurs when an oppressed group is indoctrinated with a belief in the justice and uprightness of a system that oppresses them (2107). In fact, this same “false consciousness” seems to apply to Aunt Lydia herself, as she shares misogynistic values. She does not seem to consciously acknowledge her own oppression, such as forced illiteracy, within the republic she so vehemently promotes. So, while she is undeniably complicit in the continuation of the status quo, she also remains a victim of the dangerous doctrines of a misogynistic government.

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In this written text, the emphasis will be on Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale and as well as the way Atwood portrays women and how it can be argued to show the oppression of women. The main purpose is to analyze the way women are treated throughout this book and depict why they are represented this way in the society in Gilead. Then, comparatively, observe the men’s domination over women and how they govern this society. In The Handmaid’s Tale, women are stripped of their rights, suffer many inequalities and are objectified, controlled by men and only valued for their reproductive qualities. The Gilead society is divided in multiple social group.

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1122 Words | 5 Pages

Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, argues that women are instruments of the patriarchy, that women know this, and that women allow the system of oppression to live on. Her fictions ask, “What stories do women tell about themselves? What happens when their stories run counter to literary conventions or society’s expectations?” (Lecker 1). The Handmaid’s Tale is told through the protagonist, Offred, and allows readers to follow through her life as a handmaid while looking back on how life used to be prior to the societal changes.

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Rebellion in The Handmaid’s Tale Imagine not being able to do what you used to do because some actions are forbidden in this new society. In the Handmaid's Tale, Gilead is a dystopian society where people are limited to certain actions. Throughout the story, Offred’s actions are rebellious because she has broken so many rules. Atwood demonstrates that restricted expression leads to rebellion by showing the Commanders and Offred’s affair developing throughout time and the actions of both characters.

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Atwood connects the political events to show how Gilead gained control and keeps their control by establishing fear into the women. Gilead stays in control by limiting speech to religious references, keeping the women from talking about the oppression they are suffering. Additionally, women are blamed for the social issues that were present in a pre-Gilead society such as rape, abortion and adultery. Women get the blame for the issues and men do not suffer consequences since it is in their nature to cheat. Atwood uses allusions to the Old Testament and historical events to satirize the oppression of women in political, religious and social

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