Critical Interpretations Flashcards
feminist perspective on the hierarchy in Gilead
feminist critics often draw attention to the fact that men in Gilead are given respect based on their rank and profession
but women are defined and divided by their specific roles within a purely domestic or sexual context
this arbitrary and divisive situation encourages women to dislike, despise and fear eachother
feminist perspective on Offred’s rebellion
from a feminist perspective, it’s problematic that Offred only ever engages in overt rebellion through a man, she never does so herself or of her own accord
e.g. her relationship with Nick, the Commander allowing her to read, etc
her relationship with Nick eventually dulls her rebellious spirit and she becomes even more accepting of Gilead (“I want to stay here with Nick”)
feminist perspective on the relationships between women in Gilead
relationships between female characters are varied, some are problematic and based on hate and envy, while others have strong foundations of mutual respect, love and solidarity
male-female relationships are also analysed and dissected in huge detail
nevertheless, the novel was written over 30 years ago, so it is worth asking whether some female characters now seem dated or stereotyped
psychoanalytical interpretation of the Commander and Offred’s relationship
the relationship between Offred and the Commander can be likened to Stockholm Syndrome, which occurs when prisoners or hostages develop positive emotional ties to their captors
the Commander is Offred’s oppressor, he is responsible for her suffering and extreme restriction yet she often feels sympathy for him
Freud explained such behaviour as a survival instinct that allows victims of abuse to protect and preserve a sense of their own self-worth
psychoanalytical interpretation of Janine’s breakdowns
Janine seems to suffer episodes of dissociative fugue at the Red Centre and after the Particicution, which involves a person undergoing a severe identity crisis
often sparked by a period of intense physical or emotional stress
in regressing to her former life as a waitress, this seems to be exactly what Janine is doing
demonstrates the pressures of living in such an viscously oppressive patriarchal regime
feminist interpretation of Offred’s narrative and the Historical Notes that follow
Offred’s story is recovered far into a future where she no longer exists, and a feminist viewpoint would see this as symbolic of women’s voices raised in protest against the patriarchy and the ability of the female voice to always break through and eventually be heard
however, the professor’s speech in the Historical Notes can be seen as reductive, so does Offred’s story really endure or is her voice of protest ultimately erased and invalidated by a male authority figure?
interpretation of Pieixoto’s sympathy or need to ‘understand’ Gilead
Professor Pieixoto says “Our job is not to censure but to understand” which implies a certain level of sympathy for the patriarchal regime and demonstrates that the risk of falling back into such a regime is ever present unless we condemn such regimes and learn from history
