The Handmaid's Tale Flashcards
Berlin Wall (context)
Atwood was living in West Berlin, encircled by the Berlin Wall, while writing the novel. As such Atwood experienced the wariness and the feeling of being spied on, as if under strict surveillance. This then influenced the construction of the fictional world of Gilead as Offred herself recognises similar feeling throughout the novel.
WWII (context)
Having been born in 1939 and come to consciousness during World War II, Atwood recognised how established orders could vanish overnight and how the belief that ‘it can’t happen here’ could not be depended on. This notion aided in the construction of the fictional world of Gilead as we see through Offred’s flashbacks how quickly the regime was instated.
Handmaids (context)
The novel’s biblical precedent is the story of Jacob and his two wives, Rachel and Leah, and their two handmaids (one man, four women and twelve sons whom the handmaids could not claim). This biblical precedent influenced Atwood when constructing the fictional world of Gilead as it mirrors the hierarchy within the republic of Gilead with Commanders at the top, Wives, then handmaids.
Forbidden to read (context)
By the beginning of the nineteenth century, the slave trade from Africa had assumed gigantic proportions. People were being stripped of their human rights as they couldn’t control money, have jobs outside of the home read, etc. This period of cruel mistreatment influenced Atwood upon the construction of the fictional world of Gilead as it is evidently demonstrated towards women in the novel, for example, women are forbidden to read and are instead provided with pictures in place of words.
Child-stealing (context)
During Argentina’s “Dirty War (1976-83), the country was under strict military rule. As such, they had the power to conduct cruel practises such as child-stealing. This practise consisted of placing the children of people the government thought of as subversive with military families and allies to avoid raising another generation of what the military rulers considered left-wing radicals. Thus it is evident that the “Dirty War” influenced Atwood in constructing the fictional world of Gilead as we see how this practise is repeated during the birth of baby Angela as well as during the kidnapping of Offred’s daughter.
Virgin Mary vs. Mary Magdalene (context)
The costumes worn by the women in the novel link to their biblical allusions as handmaids wear red (symbolising fertility and menstrual blood) whereas the wives wear blue (symbolising purity). As well as this, the colour red is associated with desire and sin, linking handmaids to the bible’s Mary Magdalene while the wives’ blue clothes alludes to the purity of the Virgin Mary. This biblical allusion shows how Atwood was influenced by the Bible when constructing the fictional world of Gilead as the harsh contrast between the wives and the handmaids forces women to remain in opposition to prevent uprisings.
Nazi Germany (context)
During the holocaust, Nazi soldiers wore a specific green-grey colour of uniform to allow them to be distinguished from the Jewish prisoners. The soldiers maintained a sense of brutality and inhumane treatment towards their prisoners that led to later punishment during the Nuremberg Trials. Moreover, those who were imprisoned in the concentration camps were often tattooed with a four digit number in order to keep track of the population. These elements of Nazi Germany have notably influenced Atwood when constructing the fictional work of Gilead as the Aunts in the novel wear similar coloured uniform to the soldiers and conduct similar brutal practises towards the handmaids in the Red Centre. Moreover, we see how Offred has a tattoo of “Four digits and an eye, a passport in reverse.” which is similar to that of the concentration camp identification system
Decree 770 (context)
In 1967, Romania’s communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu signed Decree 770 which restricted the legislation that allowed the use of abortion and contraception. This was instated in the attempt to increase the population from 23 to 30 million inhabitants as Ceausescu believes that population growth led to economic growth. Thus many women were forced to bear children as there was no legal means to terminate/prevent pregnancies, so Romanian orphanages suddenly became overcrowded with children. This decree has influenced Atwood upon constructing the fictional world of Gilead as we see how the handmaids are forced to bear children for the high-rank couples of Gilead against their will.
Phyllis Schlafly (context)
Phyllis Schlafly is a right-wing activist who believes a women’s role is strictly confined to being the homemaker, tasked with caring for their husband and children. Schlafly is a staunch opponent of abortion, same-sex marriage and modern feminism as a whole. This individual has aided Atwood when constructing the fictional world of Gilead as she is the inspiration for Serena Joy and the views in which she advocated during the time before.
Analepsis
The frequent flashbacks to the time before illustrate to the audience how the dystopian world of Gilead has evolved from our world today into this totalitarian government, linking to how the novel is a piece of speculative fiction that warns the audience that the events of the novel could happen.
Patriarchy (theme)
Throughout the novel there is an underlying theme of patriarchy as all male characters in the novel maintain some sense of power over women. For example, it is evident that the Commanders hold a physical and psychological power over the handmaids (through the monthly state-sanctioned rape as well as the maintained sense of infantalisation towards women). But even the male characters who are not typically involved with the regime hold this same sense of power as Offred notes how Luke “liked knowing about such details” that Offred did not and even Professor Piexoto dismisses Offred’s story, instead criticising her for not discussing “the workings of the Gilead empire”.
Humanity (theme)
Amid the horrors of Gilead, we see how Offred is able to empathise with Serena Joy during the Ceremony, showing how her humanity is not taken away from her despite Gilead’s efforts to do so. As such we see how the novel offers a different perspective, compared to Orwell’s 1984, regarding what government can and cannot do when reducing people’s humanity.
Heroism/feminism (theme)
-Offred refuses to relinquish what Orwell in 1984 called the “ownlife” by retaining her individualism and humanity (e.g. spreading butter on her hands and face) as her way of maintaining her sanity. Although this is a passive act, it still displays her defiance as a heroine.
-Other heroines include Moira, Offred’s mother and Ofglen, all of whom are more outspoken and active rebels. As a result, they all receive harsh punishments such as being sent to the Colonies.
