Men

Question 1

Commander as a symbol for the architype of the patriarchy

Answer 1

• a wealthy white Christian man valued not only by modern society but particularly by gilead, his position allows him to exert control not only through institutional means but also through personal interactions, creating a subtle and complex form of oppression
• Robert Dahls the concept of power says the theory of power OVER is someone having power over another to make them do things they wouldn’t do. This is how the commander influences offered and how gilead influences the subjugated handmaids
• attwood uses the commander to underscore how the modern day patriarchal beliefs of masculine dominance can be used to perpetuate oppression on in intense level if taken to the extreme in a regime such as gilead. As a second wave feminist attwood called for the rejection of domesticity and gender roles and uses the power wielded the commander as a cautionary figure

Question 2

Men intro (prob not relevant as not compatible to Frankenstein)

Answer 2

In The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood humanizes male characters to reveal how seemingly benign figures can insidiously wield power in a patriarchal society. Through the Commander, she explores the archetype of hegemonic patriarchy, showing how men in positions of dominance can override anyone in a subjugated position. Despite the Commander’s avuncular charm, he embodies how patriarchal control operates subtly, reinforcing systemic oppression. Similarly, Luke, modeled on the ‘new man’ of the 1980s, appears progressive and even feminist, yet his internalization of sexism and lack of awareness about women’s realities links the complacency of men during the second-wave feminist movement to the oppressive systems of Gilead, highlighting how easily such a regime could take root. In contrast, Nick’s position within the lower class allows him to form a human alliance with Offred, rooted in shared solidarity and sexual desire. Through Nick, Atwood underscores how class and societal status can lead to subjugation, positioning him as an equal to Offred despite the rigid gender hierarchy, and a counterpoint to the subtle power wielded by those in more privileged positions.