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Religion In The Handmaid's Tale

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Religion is the basics of what people choose to believe in. It ties in with our morality, to keep us on the correct path and help us distinguish right from wrong. It is what gives us human beings part of our identity. It is what we turn to in times of crisis. However, Margaret Atwood 's novel, The Handmaid 's Tale, demonstrates how the regime uses religion to create authoritarian laws to control the people of Gilead and maintain order within the society. Nevertheless, most, if not all, characters have been insubordinate towards the laws of Gilead. Therefore, rigid religious influences in society lead to corruption, as proven through the characterization of both Serena Joy and the Commander and the role that the brothel plays within the …show more content…

Not only did the Commander have an affair with Offred , but he also had plenty affairs with the Jezebels, which took place in a brothel. The Jezebels are biblical allusions, in which they represent corruption and or wickedness. When the Commander shows Offred the “club,” she tells him that it is forbidden. The Commander replies , “Well officially, but everyone’s human after all.” When she asks him what he means by that , he replies, “It means you can’t cheat nature. Nature demands variety, for men. It stands to reason, it’s part of the procreational strategy. It’s nature’s plan” (Atwood 237). Even though their society has forbidden men to be intimately involved with other women that they are not assigned to, they still do it because it is in their nature. The brothels are there for men of high statuses to break free from strict religious influences. There are many different types of people who attend these brothels. The Commander states, “It’s only for officers from all branches; and senior officials. And trade delegations, of course.” (Atwood 237). Not only do few Commanders attend, but also foreign businessmen. They attend their for sexual pleasure from the Jezebels who work under the Gilead regime. Hence, proving that there is corruption within the society that is tied with biblical beliefs. It is the religious influences in Gilead that led them to be in that

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She is known as a vessel for reproduction having no control over her own body. This reflects her acknowledgement of the degrading and oppressive nature of her circumstances. In conclusion, the oppressive nature of Gilead results in women not being able to own properties, empower themselves, and control their

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Gilead’s True Commanders: The Handmaids Despite the many ways to interpret Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, there’s no denying that the chain of command in Gilead can seem quite fluid when it comes to who is in control (and who has the more at stake). Though the handmaids seem like they should be most afraid, it is actually the Commanders who have more reasons to be fearful, and the handmaids who have genuine power. If all handmaids realized their capabilities, mutinies like that of Mayday would be even more successful.

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The comparison with religion is there; some religion ask for the simply commitment that one finds time to worship the lord every Sunday, or committing to a fasting of some kind for a certain time period. Many follow these commitments because it is what is in their hearts, and it brings them join. There are times for baseball and organized religious what is being asked to do is not the most pleasant, but because one feels it has given so much to them spiritually they find it in the souls to sacrifice what

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The Religion Influences in The Handmaid’s Tale Word Count: 1563 This purpose of this essay is to establish and explain connections between the Christian Religion and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. It is not attempting to point out flaws or discriminate against the religion. Margret Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ is a dystopian novel, that centres around the themes of corruption, oppression, and theocracy. Told in the first person, the novel follows the female ‘Offred’ in her daily life/activities and past experiences in the newly founded “Republic of Gilead”.

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This essay will discuss how The Handmaid 's Tale by Margaret Atwood and Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler represent religion. The Handmaid’s tale In the handmaid’s tale, The republic of Gilead is a fundamentalist Christian theocracy, meaning there is no separation between the state and religion. Gilead is built on the biblical idea that men are more important than women. The bible also has an important role in the naming of objects, buildings and people.

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She knows that there are laws, but she is so desperate that she is willing to break them by suggesting this to Offred, “Maybe you should try it another way”(Atwood 204). She encourages Offred to break the law and have sexual intercourse with another man and plant it as the commander’s child. Her desperation make her take desperate actions and how she achieves to rebel against the government. The Commander the one above all and on top of the official classification of Gilead-Men. He has power and in control of the household.

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The Commander and Offred’s relationship is non-existent at first, but then it develops over time. They start initiating a secret affair in his office which is forbidden against both of them. They are not allowed to be near each other because it’s

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