Essay Sample on Gilead's Women: Oppression and Abuse in Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale'

Introduction

"The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood depicts a dystopian culture, Gilead, in which natives intensely face abuse. The most apparent types of mistreatment are directed towards women. The women in Gileadean do specific jobs, for example, Martha's, who are house workers, or Handmaid's, whose fundamental role is reproduction. They are not allowed in public places and additionally lack the privilege of accessing education. The film's perplexing narrative demonstrates that in such an intensely directed society like Gilead, women and men are denied their rights. Men face sexual oppression. The Gilead society relegates ladies to men, not with the goal of adoration yet for the sole motivation behind reproduction (Katha par. 10). This approach is appalling for ladies, yet it is additionally harsh towards men. Men are restricted from having sexual relations.

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The Handmaid's Tale investigates a world where there has been a devastating dissatisfaction with fertility. Ladies get expelled to routine jobs, and women's liberation is a dead relic from 'the previous times. However, female power is at the core of the film as society structures men to rule over women, their fertility, sexuality, economic independence, and voice (Katha par. 8). In this society, the roles of women are firmly characterized uniquely inside the home setting, labeled as 'the Wives,' 'A Martha.' The 'wings' are signals, to keep the lady from seeing and being seen, thus rendering her undetectable, non-present.

In Gilead, individuals in society are noticeable through their gender, financial status, and age. The pinstripe pieces of clothing, the blue-weaved dresses, and the dark red shrouds are regalia used in characterizing an individual's role in society. Specifically, the handmaid's shrouds likewise say much regarding their position. The way that they resemble a religious woman's outfit, and are also called 'propensities,' meaning modesty and devotion to God. The red shading additionally signifies menstruation and fertility.

Relations of Men and Women in the U.S Today and Dystopian America

The Handmaid's Tale happens in the Gilead society. It is a dystopian culture where prospects are non-existent. In the community, both women and men are subdued explicitly. They have no chance of picking their very own sexual accomplices or experiencing intimate relations. They are also denied education privileges. Keeping individuals uneducated implies that the extremist government can continue controlling society.

The roles of women and men have undergone tremendous changes and are having their most prominent effect in today's U.S society. Several years back, men limited and controlled women's societal commitment. But today, women are seen to be taking a bold step in assuming significant roles in several vital sectors. Their relations and positions in a once male-dominated society have had an increasing improvement as they participate in various fields such as law, business, medicine, professional training jobs, and politics. Previously, for instance, in the dystopian society, women were not part of any political issue, yet they have progressed in numerous viewpoints. For example, they have attained power and continue developing in political offices. Women's Rights Movement is a genuine case of how women have run over emphatically, battling for their economic, social, and political status. I, therefore, feel that modernization and technology have similarly opened new potential outcomes for development around the globe.

Today, there are men in authority still speaking the clear misogyny language, and apply spiritual factors in justifying restrictions on women's lives. Meanwhile, democrats go ahead, taking a highly enthusiastic concern in an attempt to control reproductive rights (Sasha par. 6). "The Handmaid's Tale" 's most alarming repercussion, however, originates from its visualization of a society that urges ladies to continue reproducing even though it happens to be progressively hard for them to do as such. In today's America, similar to dystopian America, there is a decline in birth rate, not due to environmental pollution but as a result of most Americans not being able to envision their ability to raise kids (Sasha par. 7). Rather than being 'handmaids,' the ladies destined to be in the reproductive age are in their twenties attempting to settle their student loans with minimal pay from unstable occupations. In the meantime, today's Republicans, similar to those of the Reagan time, keep on pushing to additional privatize the assets that may encourage child-rearing and childbearing.

Power Relations in Terms of Oppression and Privilege

The Gilead government applies total power to its citizens. Through violence and force, the administration acquired power. It utilizes similar intimidation and coercion to uphold its supremacy. The administration takes part in war with encompassing nations and applies comparable savagery to its people (Katha par. 5). Under strict guidelines, individuals lose their freedoms and identities, yet they must adhere to society's standards concerning how they address one another. Natives, for example, are under the surveillance of spies and military personnel - Eyes. The Aunts even keep Handmaids in consistent dread since they can torture and abuse them (Katha par. 10). The government regularly utilizes this degree of brutality and oppression to have individuals frightened and in this way, become submissive to those in authority.

The Handmaids Tale focuses on the perils of sacred fundamentalism and presents a Socialist absolutism image, referring to permeating moles and under-stocked grocery shops. Although the cultural power reacted to by the narrator, includes neoliberal upheaval, which conspires in women's oppression.

The women who live in Gilead have seen their opportunities, including intimacy and education, stripped away in their now-extremist society. They no longer get addressed by their names, yet they are known by titles that mirror their gender roles (Marthas, wives, or handmaids). However, even though privileges are no longer enjoyed in "The Handmaids Tale,' most women do as is required of them. Provided that they get a few allowances, something substantial that they see as an advantage, they are optimistic. They become inconsiderate, and this has progressively enabled more privileges to be removed (Katha par. 9). The women have little command over their lives. However, they are spies looking out for each other. Since they have this modest quantity of control, they are ready to acknowledge society's rules and their roles.

Conclusion

Lack of freedom and oppression is a typical issue in "The Handmaids Tale." The topic of power and gender are increasingly subjective naturally and dominate this film. Women demonstrate this control by exerting their autonomy, choice, sexuality, language use, as well as their possession. Similarly, men in society experience disempowerment and repression. Their struggles focus on the lack of emotional fulfilments and relieving sexual tension for the sake of reproduction instead of pleasure. Women face inequality in various manners. The convergence of marginalized personalities implies that most women continue experiencing increased unequal treatment. These characters can, for the most part, be depicted by sexual orientation, gender identity, class, ethnicity, and race. The Handmaid's Tale gives a clue that there is one more kind of disparity faced by women and that oppressing any woman naturally crushes all of them.

Works Cited

Katha, Pollitt. "Margaret Atwood Shouldn't Exonerate Aunt Lydia." The Nation. N. p., September 19, 2019. Web. 5 Oct. 2019. Accessed from https://www.thenation.com/article/handmaid-testament-atwood-lydia/

Sasha, Abramsky. "With Trump, We're in The Realm of 'The Handmaid's Tale.'" The Nation. N. p., September 20, 2019. Web. 5 Oct. 2019. Accessed from https://www.thenation.com/article/health-medicaid-climate-housing/