Power In The Handmaid's Tale

Historically speaking, men have been the ones who lead our societies, function as the breadwinners and have higher salaries than women. In Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, power is a concept that is very unattainable for women in The Republic of Gilead. Gilead’s groups of women throughout their society show the way that women are valued to the men. There are many different defining factors that determine the male generated roles in Gilead, such as fertility or high wealth pre-Gilead. Characters in groups such as Handmaids, Commander’s Wives and Aunts are considered higher class positions, yet they still don’t have control over their own lives. Three characters who specifically are met with this dilemma are Offred, Serena Joy, and Aunt Lydia. Offred, a Handmaid, consistently goes through a battle with her body since her ultimate purpose is to produce for Commanders and their wives. Serena Joy, who used to be a celebrity, is now married to a Commander, without much purpose in life, and struggling to contribute to her society. Aunt Lydia, a religious woman who teaches Handmaids and invests the ideas and teachings of the Lord, tries to insert herself in a society where she doesn’t quite fit. Yet, although these three women are struggling to maintain their societal positions, they can use their voices to help the weaker women in society using information seen in The Empowered Woman. Throughout the poem The Empowered Woman by Sonny Carroll, the narrator’s message is uplifting and empowering, which is what these three characters are lacking. They don’t attain this confidence because while they are seen as

She uses the bible to convey what she believes to be power while teaching all of the Handmaids. Her messages often go against men considering that her lessons usually revolve around sexual activities. In one instance, Offred cites Aunt Lydia telling the Handmaids to be careful around