The Importance Of Surrogacy In The Handmaid's Tale

Surrogacy is not usually a word which is used in someone’s daily vocabulary. So, what does it mean then? By definition of Merriam-Webster, Surrogacy is a woman who becomes pregnant usually by artificial insemination or surgical implantation of a fertilized egg for the purpose of carrying the fetus to term for another woman. Surrogacy can be seen throughout The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood but also in modern-day society. Personal attitudes towards surrogacy, how society views surrogate mothers, and mother’s views towards surrogate mothers are all points which are shared between these two topics. But despite bearing some minor similarities, the differences between the attitude towards surrogates differs throughout the characters in The

To begin with, today's society has a very split opinion on surrogates. According to Conceive Abilities, a blog, states how part of society looks at surrogates as “compassionate and altruistic” by choosing to offer their wombs who women who experience infertility. Whereas, Conceive Abilities also explains how society views surrogacy as dangerous and unethical. Stating how because the birth is surgical people argue it is unbiblical and unnatural, putting the mother's health at risk as well as the unborn child. While either side is not deemed right or wrong, there is definitely a split on viewpoints. However, throughout The Handmaid's Tale there is a consistent opinion how society views surrogacy. Handmaid's are viewed as merely an object, being stripped of everything which humanizes them; from their names, ability to read and write, and freedom. Authoritative figures like the Commander try to remind Handmaids of their “duty” of surrogacy throughout the book by manipulating them using Bible verses, one of them being, “Give me children, or else I die. Am I in God’s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? Behold my maid Bilhah. She shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her” (Atwood 88). As the government is based on religion, there is an expectation these authoritative figures try to create for the Handmaids. In other

These differences can be seen through the personal attitudes of surrogates, society views of surrogates, and mother’s attitudes towards surrogate mothers. Even though Webster gives one definition of “surrogacy” it can be seen how people in different societies can take very different meanings to