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Examples Of Patriarchy In The Handmaid's Tale

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In Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, Gilead's theocratic control of a woman's fertility serves to reinforce patriarchy. With this reinforcement, men uphold their positions of power through the maintenance of the ideal family unit which implicitly controls female sexuality. Denying women the freedom to make their own choices reduces them to the simple function of procreating. Atwood thus critiques patriarchal modes specifically in relation to ostensibly authorizing religious edicts. Offred is forced to live under an oppressed totalitarian regime, where she is a slave, being raped for procreation purposes. Though Offred herself does not think of it that way. She describes her situation using the words “reduced circumstances”, “That is …show more content…

One of the commanders uses the story of Adam and Eve to preach that women should be submissive and obedient, “‘I will that women adorn themselves in modest apparel,’ he says, ‘with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.’ Here he looks us over. ‘All,’ he repeats. ‘But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved by childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.’’’ (Atwood, page 170). This is yet another example of how the bible is used to brainwash women into believing that they should be submissive and silent about their oppression. The story of Adam and Eve, and Eve’s transgressions for eating the apple is used to justify the oppression and control of women. Because Eve sinned, so all women must pay for her mistake by enduring oppression. Men in Gilead justify their authority over women using specific biblical passages such as this. Atwood thus critiques how patriarchy is often justified through the Conservative Christian

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