‘We’ve given them more than we’ve taken away, said the Commander.’ To what extent do you agree that women have gained under the Gileadean regime?

To begin with, if Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ is viewed in a holistic way, it is clear that the Handmaids have lost many of their rights and freedom within the constraints of Gilead, in conjunction with the genre of social and political protest writing. It is due to the overriding power inflicted on society by those in charge such as the commanders that those lower down the social hierarchy are not allowed to read or write: “writing is in any case forbidden.” This may be seen as an outdated or obsolete way of viewing education and literacy but even historically, when minorities such as women were not allowed to attend schools, the actual act of learning to read or write has not been forbidden, but rather discouraged. In the same way, being educated is praised in a modern society, not punished like in Gilead. By doing this Atwood creates a sense of the uncanny as the reader recognises the idea of a segregated educated system but not to the extent seen in Gilead. The author takes it to what she believes to be the ‘logical conclusion’, perhaps using the novel as a warning for the future of dictatorship and submission to complete power. Furthermore Atwood suggests that a present day audience should feel thankful that they have access to the privilege of education. Conversely, it could be argued that it is illogical to say that taking away freedoms and gaining from society are mutually exclusive. For example the Handmaids are not allowed to wear makeup or use other cosmetic products: “Hand lotion or face lotion… all the things we aren’t supposed to have” and this could be viewed as oppression within the Gileadean regime as material possessions are being taken away from the Handmaids. However, it does open up the prospect that the women in the novel live a more simplistic life which is beneficial to the overall societal running of Gilead. The employment of uniform rules in schools is a contemporary example of Atwood’s exploration of simplistic guidelines which implies that a modern audience are aware of the advantages of uniformity and an uncomplicated microcosm of society. In addition, the Handmaids in Gilead have had their sexuality taken away from them and through this any potential of being overtly sexually objectified has been removed: “we aren’t concubines, geisha girls, courtesans… everything possible has been done to remove us from category.” It is clear from the earlier narrative that women in the 1980s were concerned with sexual liberation as they burn pornographic magazines containing women “with no clothes on” showing a movement away from traditional discrimination. A present day audience may also wish to distance themselves from this objectification due to recent media pressures. However, the Handmaid in Gilead are still reproductively objectified: “we are for breeding” “we are two-legged wombs”. It seems the Handmaids are tolerant of their role, perhaps a reflection of their submission to authority: “nothing is going on here that I haven’t signed up for”.