The Handmaids Tale - Decleration Of Human Rights. Flashcards
Article 2: Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set fourth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race , colour, sex, language, religion political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust , non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Women are treated as inferior throughout ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and prohibited from any type of freedom or choice. They’re classified based off what they can provide for men, each given a specific role within society with its own set of rules and regulations that are to be followed. A woman in Gilead can be one of five “uses”: A wife who has to share her husband in order to get a child, as many of the wives are older and have difficulty conceiving. Or their husband is infertile however they are prohibited from saying so as it can never be the mans fault. A Handmaid, who is forced into sexual interactions with a commander as they are “blessed” with fertility and able to provide children for the commander and his wife. They’re completely stripped of any identity and rights, even down to the right to read and write. A Martha who’s job is to be a housekeeper and look after the wives and commanders. An Econowife who is a house wife in charge of cooking cleaning the groceries and baring children. Or an Aunt who’s job is seen as a high ranking woman responsible for the indoctrination of handmaids, overseeing births and sorting women’s executions.There are also derogatory terms used to refer to homosexuals and people of colour, homosexuals are given the title “gender traitors” while people of colour are referred to as “sons of ham.”
Article 4: No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all forms
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The Handmaid’s are surrogate slaves who have no say in their treatment. The sexual encounters they have to endure are non consensual, essentially making rape within Gilead acceptable. The Marthas are also held in servitude as domestic slaves, assigned the duty of caring for the wife and commander.
Article 5:No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
The use of cattle prods in the Red centre when they rebel against the indoctrination is in humane and degrading, almost viewing the Handmaids as animals. The treatment of the Handmaids in general is degrading, lessening them to nothing but vessels of new life. They’re not perceived as people, rather baby making machines.
Article 9: No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Women’s punishable crimes include adultery or the murder of Handmaid’s. Handmaids have to be present for the “salvaging”and watch the entire process, symbolically consenting the the executions. Men are executed for a number of reasons: adultery, fraternisation or fornication with the opposite sex, opposing the Gilead regime, providing abortions, providing birth control, for being gay or for having opposing beliefs. In one case a man who is condemned as a rapist is subjected to a “Particicution” where the Handmaid’s beat him to death under the instruction of the Aunts. He was a part of Mayday and falsely accused of rape. The bodies of the executed will then be displayed at the wall for all to see. The word “salvaging” is used when referring to an execution as it suggests saving an individual, this is just another of the many ways that Gilead indoctrinates its residents and portrays the dictatorship as a Utopia.
Article 11(2): No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed.Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
The punishments administered to the people of Gilead are heavier than those stated in the US penal system. For example execution for adultery is absurd considering the penal offences for such crime is only classed as a misdemeanour in most states with the more Republican states calling prison time. The penalty for administering birth control is also punishable by death, further enforcing the depths of Gileads dictatorship.
Article 16 (1): Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal right as to marriage, during marriage and its dissolution.
Men are presented as superior within the relationship, they are the ones to read the Bible before the Ceremony. They are also able to commit adulterous acts with the Handmaid, but if the wife is to do so they are eligible for execution. They are not equals in any sense. Article 16 also states the right to a family is available but is also a choice, the handmaids are forces into these “families” and expected to comply with the rules. Offred is also torn from her own family.
Article 18: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; ;this includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in a community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Gilead enforces a strict extremist Christian theology that is based solely upon fundamentalist interpretation of the Old Testament ( Atwood 1985). Anyone suspected to be opposing the ideals of Gilead are eligible for execution.
Article 20 (2) :No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
The red centre brainwashes the Women into submission, through indoctrination and in some cases violence. The women have no choice but to comply. They’re forced into the Gilead society with no say.
Article 21 (3):The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Gilead is a dictatorship, the people have no choice but to comply or face punishment.
Article 23 (1):Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
The women (other then the Martha’s and econowives) are prohibited from working. The Handmaid’s are only able to do the groceries, and even then they are prohibited from reading so pictures of the item are displayed instead.
Article 26 (2): Education shall be directed t the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
The majority of female factions are forbidden to read or write. Gilead is a patriarchal society meaning only men can access higher education, whereas a woman’s position is inferior and they must submit to the authority of men. A clear inequality is presented in all aspects including education.
Article 26 (3): Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
The Handmaid’s if “lucky” enough to conceive, have no say whatsoever over the babies life, in fact as soon as the baby is born it is handed to the commanders wife. The Handmaids influence is prohibited meaning the education that child receives is not her choice.
