Gender and Power in the Handmaids Tale Essay

Topic Question What netherstandings of the issue of grammatical gender and actor are gained from depicting of men and women constructed in the text studied?The nonion of proponent is a fundamental building block of any ancient, modern or futurist fiat. The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood is an example of the distribution of situation across a futuristic lodge, specific wholey a paternal dystopia. The ability which women demand in this society is minimal compared to that held by men, but this is not an unquestionable reality. The issue of gender and military force and highly subjective by nature and by dint ofout this bracing this fact is emphasized and the topics interrelated. Women demonst tramp this situation with their possession and use of language, sexuality, choice and veritable(a) the exertion of their let autonomy. workforce inwardly this society in like manner experience repression and disem military forcement. Their struggle is centered on the absence of emotional needs, along with sexual tensions creation relieved for sport rather than reproduction. Atwood creates these causation struggles through the act of some(prenominal) men and women indoors the text.In terms of female characterization, Offred is an elementary character. Being a first gear person narrator, she offers incredible insight into the world which Atwood has created and her reactions to it, and thereof her own doer of force. The government agency in which language is used shapes this insight incredibly and demonst pass judgment how she batch gain control. The Republic of Gilead imposes strict censorship on language, ranging from forbidding all women except Aunts to read. decided that counterbalance the names of shops were too much temptation for us. Now places are known by their signs alone. p35 to intertwining biblical rhetoric into habitual language. a whirlwind better than the Chariot, much better than the chunky, practical Behemoth.Gilead even re moves the Handmaids names, in this society the are know as OfMale name here in reference to the commandant in which they are placed with. Throughout the novel, Offred resists these rules. She creates her own vision of the world through the use of English. Poetic devices are employ and repeated from the use of a simile in her description of a puppyish guardian His skin is pale and looks unwholesomely tender, like the skin under a scab. p31 to the use of repetition to emphasize points. I am, I am. I am, calm down. p 293 Her fault, her fault, her fault p82. As AngelaCarter, an English novelist once said Language is function and in this respect, Offred has great power in a patriarchal society.The power of language is not all that Offred posses. The characterization of her relations with males in the novel is also important to the flightinesss of power and gender. Similarly to language, sexuality is heavily controlled and keep down in Gilead, especially that of females. The Handma ids (Of which Offred is) don in eludes that are ankle-length, full, gathered to a flat yoke that extends over the breastsp18 with sleeves that are full p18. Her nightgown is also long-sleeved even in summer p201. It is accepted that those within this community go forth not subscribe sex before marriage nor express themselves through the form of masturbation They dedicate no outlets now except themselves, and thats a sacrilege p32 or pornographic mediums. There are no more magazines, no more films, no more substitutes. p32Offred exerts power in these repressed circumstances by going against the convention of Gilead and embracing her womanish features. She takes an active role in resisting this subjugation by tempting the young Guardians. I move my hips a little, feeling the full red skirt sway around me. p32 The kiss she engages in during a secret patch of scrawl with the Commander is also a reflection on the power of her sexuality and choice. The Commander, a high level male indispensabilitys Offred to kiss him. I want you to kiss me p149. She is given the power in this situation, as she has the power to refuse. The power which Offred, as a woman, has in this oppressed society over collect to her sexuality is an important issue.The notion of choice, specifically extrinsic choice is demonstrate with the Commanders want for a kiss is also apparent in different(a) separate of the text. Choice is power and she unceasingly has some choice. The idea of existential philosophy is valid here she always has self determination, even if under duress. If she does not wish to stay a Handmaid she could depart for the colonies and become an Unwoman, shipped of to the Colonies with the Unwomen. where she would have the power of autonomy. The Mayday resistance is also a choice made by Offred. She is asked by Ofglen to search the Commanders room, to give information to the resistance, but she chooses not to. You could go into his room at night, she says. p282Optin g to stay as she is, contentwith her relationship with Nick, she exerts power to say no. Jezebels is also another option, when visiting there with the Commander he offers for her to stay there You might even prefer it yourself, to what youve got. p250 She is sensitive of the decisions which she can make in these situations, There wasnt a attraction of choice, but there was some and this is what I chose. p105 It is through this characterization which her power lies.In addition to these choices Offred along with other females have intrinsic choices and power, being a female with viable ovaries they have the ability to reproduce. In Gileadean society this gives them a huge power advantage collectible to declining birth rates and increased infertility, sterility and genetically mutated babies. a graph, showing the birth rate per thousand, for years and years a slippery slope, down past the vigour line of replacement. p123 Ironically, it is due to this power advantage that they are control. Suicide is also another intrinsic power which all characters in this novel possess, although, its characterization in the Handmaids is the most prominent. The concept that suicide is an ultimate bid for exemption and exertion of power is an understood perception of characters within The Handmaids Tale.The removal of all objects which could be used to hurt oneself from the Handmaids rooms portrays this. I know why there is no glass, in front of the water-coloured picture of blue irises, and why the window only opens part and why the glass is shatterproof. It isnt running away theyre claustrophobic of. p17 as well as Offreds musings when she believes she will be captured. The notion of suicide becomes very real to her as a means of get down and power. I could noose the bed sheet round my neck, hook myself up in the closet and throw my weight forward, p304 These intrinsic powers exist within the characters of The Handmaids Tale, the help form the society of Gilead and show the thinkable choices which can be made by its citizens.Moira is an embodiment of the power which females hold in Gilead. She epitomizes those who fought back and were not completely obliterated. She lives on the outskirts of Gilead and rejects its values whilst still existing as an institutionalized portion of the society. in relation to her clothing Government issue. p254 She chooses the alternate(a) path toOffred. Moira fled the red center, succeeding on her second try. Moira has escaped p140 Moira didnt reappear. p143 So here I am. They even give you face cream. p261 She exists in an outreach of the government, under the power of the patriarchy, and yet doesnt suppress herself to the point which other females within The Handmaids Tale do. She still engages in transgendered acts, its not so bad, theres lots of women around. masculine paradise, you might call it. p261 bunss, and implied drinking and drugs. . and theres drink and drugs, if you want it. p261 You want a cig? p25 5 Moiras characterization holds power in this society, particularly over herself and her wants and needs.The control of wants and needs is a way in which this society functions. It is a patriarchy which suppresses all women and most men, though men have inherently more rights. This is exemplified through the character of Nick. The characterization of him is paradoxical by nature. In hierarchal terms, Nick has little power. He is a mild level guardian without even an Econowife. He lives here, in the household, over the garage. execrable stats he hasnt been issued a woman, not one. p27 He is perceived by those in power to have little of it. He doesnt rate. p27 In reality, he has power. He has chasms of in material power. He has knowledge of Mayday either due to his involvement in it or the eyes Its all right. Its Mayday. Go with them p305 Nick, the private Eye. p305 and has access to the black market.He has a cigarette stuck in the corner of his mouth, which shows that he too has s omething he can affair on the black market. p27 He manages to engage in a fleshly and emotional relationship with Offred whilst still maintaining the guise of faithful Gileadean citizen though even then, the only reason he able to start this relationship was due to the Commanders Wife fix uping him to bed with Offred. I was intellection of Nick, she says and her voice is almost soft. p216 The idea the he influenced this engagement is always a possibility however, as he has initiated contact with her prior to that. then(prenominal) he winks. p28 The power which Nick holds in this novel is that of intangibility. His power is neer outright stated, but the implications of it are visible.This is a stark contrast to the tangible power dis simulated military operationed in Commander Fred.The characterization conveyed through him shows he is a strong public figure and may have even orchestrate the creation of Gilead. Weve given them more than weve taken away. p231 Which, in a way make s him the creator of his own demise as he too is suppressed by the patriarchy he is not having his emotional needs met, and thus has to search elsewhere. In doing this he gives power to someone else in order to fulfill these needs, this apparent when he asks Offred to his study at night to play scrabble. Id like you to play a game of scrabble with me p148 Despite this, he remains locked in traditional beliefs about gender all weve done is return to Natures norm. p232 and his power is a result of his male gender.Gender and power are integral parts of the society portrayed in Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale, as with any society. Understandings surrounding these issues are found within this novel. The characters within Gilead freshet with the different forms of power which they encounter, including that of language, sex, choice, intrinsic and extrinsic notions and the effect of a dystopic patriarchal society has on its citizens. These forms of power are explored through the charac terization of both male and female characters. Overall, The Handmaids Tale intertwines the issues of gender and power expertly and her constructed characters carry for the notions of power contained within the text with ease.BibliographyThe Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood