Theme Of Patriarchy In The Handmaid's Tale

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The United States of America; the former powerhouse of the world, became a country that is taken over by religion and no longer controlled by a democratic society. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood follows the perspective of Offred who showcases the struggle of living and the oppression the Handmaids go through in their daily lives. While it is arguable that freedom is given if they comply to rules, that is not directly true, the Handmaids live in harsh conditions that restrict the women of their rights; where they are objectified as means for reproduction, are being oppressed by being unable to voice out their opinion freely without punishment, and are under patriarchy. In the novel, the reproductive rates have been dropped suddenly. …show more content…

In the household, the Commander is the most powerful, with a servant assigned to him. A strong argument of patriarchy is the name given to the main character itself. “My name isn’t Offred, I have another name, which nobody uses now because it’s forbidden.” (Atwood 99). The names that the women are given are the names of the Commander. Offred means of Fred, the commander. This shows the discrimination of Handmaids through the stripping of rights, and also shows the reader which gender is the authoritative figure. It is clearly shown that there is a clear line that shows the power of men and the submissiveness of women. Indeed, The Handmaid’s Tale is all about the struggle of living and the oppression the Handmaids go through in their daily lives. The Handmaid’s tale demonstrates feminist theory because the novel showcases Oppression, Objectification and Patriarchy towards females which are all evident themes. Margaret Atwood presents this ideology through many situations which include but, not limited to the following; The inability to voice out the opinion, the dominance of men in the household, and the objectification of women where they are seen only as means for

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