Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale takes place in the distant, dystopian future of the Republic of Gilead. In the late 20th century, the United States of America was overtaken by a totalitarian theocracy who replaced the old government and restored traditional values. The state is rigorously patriarchal and the government controls everything, including fertility.
The protagonist is Offred, a Handmaid in the service of the Commander. Handmaids are young women selected to bear children for high ranking elites known as Commanders, who are no longer able to conceive naturally. Offred must not only navigate the strictly regimented environment she finds herself in, but must also try to remember the life that she once had.
Early in the novel, it becomes apparent that Offred has a past that has been forgotten or intentionally blocked out. Offred confirms that she was once married to a man named Luke and had a daughter named Shae. Until the theocracy that is now Gilead took over, Offred was living a normal life, with a job and a family. This new reality is unknown to her, and she is filled with contention and distress throughout much of the novel.
The Republic of Gilead is fiercely antisocial and Offred finds herself deprived of her most basic human rights. Everything is stripped away– sexuality, literacy, security– and she is constantly reminded of her lack of power and autonomy. Her life is dictated by the strict regulations of Gilead and any hint of resistance is subject to grave punishment. As a Handmaid, she is subjected to monthly Ceremonies in which she must lay with her Commander and his Wife in a form of a sacred religious ritual created to ensure the Handmaid’s successful conception.
The novel explores the consequences of the severe limitations of freedom and the resulting feelings of powerlessness. Offred reflects on her current situation and often reminisces to the life she had before the Republic. She also interacts with other Handmaids and Marthas, and it is clear that she is far from alone in her struggle. Despite the oppressive nature of their situation, these women form a kind of makeshift family, providing comfort and a sense of solidarity.
The Handmaid’s Tale is an exquisitely written exploration of female subjugation and the resilience of the human spirit. Through Offred’s eyes, Margaret Atwood paints a vivid portrait of a society relentlessly intent on stealing her autonomy and depriving her of the basic human rights she is owed. Offred ultimately realizes that she is stronger than the oppression imposed on her by the Republic of Gilead and that her own spirit can never be taken away from her. The novel stands as a timeless cautionary tale about the power of governments to strip away citizens’ rights and serves as a powerful reminder that freedom is invaluable.
