Women Oppressed in Gilead Society: Roles of Women in the Handmaids Tale

Introduction

Gilead society possesses a significant difference between male and females. The women in this society are portrayed to be the weaker gender thus being expected to submit to the men. Women in the Gilead society are oppressed since they were fired from their workplace making them remain dependent and desperate. Women are forced to live the lives of servitude in the Gilead society. The women rights are withdrawn from them since they cannot become property owners, vote or carry out any activity which portrays rebellion in the community. The societal men are taking women as people whose role is to procreate since their bodies are used as objects for pleasure. Atwood uses a language which proves that the only real thing which is vital to women is their womb. The feeling and emotions of women are compared to the cloud meaning that they float on the solid object which happens to be their womb.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Roles of Women in the Handmaids Tale

Wives

Women in the novel are viewed as wives who support their husbands, and they are usually infertile thus being tasked with the role of expanding the Gilead population. These wives are seen as lesser individuals in society because of their gender. The wives were given the role of holding down the hands of household handmaid where they wore blue clothing that symbolized them as being the purest women in the society. In contrast, Serena Joy who was from the household in Waterford was a slave of her creation despite being a wife. This woman was not required to participate in the discussions made by the government since it was a role for the men (Kirkvik 2015). Despite the attempt of these wives trying to sue their husbands so that they can be allowed to read the bible, women end up suffering oppression which shows that there are less female in the higher ranks.

Handmaids

Thee handmaids were perceived to be fertile women who were assigned to the families of the educated commanders and wives. The duty of these women was to carry children for elite families. The handmaid tends to be oppressed by the commanders through rape during the repeat celebrations which were held to make the housemaids conceive. For example, Snyder states that the babies and the handmaid are valuable since they are state resources. The Aunts force the wing wearing women to become handmaids through a system of emotional abuse and physical abuse. These women are taken as property of the men whom they serve hence making them agree to the conditions given to them by men. For example, in the novel, Elisabeth Moss was chosen to act as a handmaid since she could conceive and also viewed as sinners in their past lives (Zarrinjooee and Shirin 67). Therefore, as a handmaid, the woman was to submit to the men without disagreeing with the conditions given to them.

Econowives

These were the gray, muted married women who were brought together since they were loyal to the Gilead teachings. The Econowives remain with their children and low-ranking husbands as long as they live a quiet life which is centered around the religion and they can stay away from sin. Also, these women could be made handmaids due to the sins of their husbands, but they portray the status of not being forced in the servitude like the handmaids or the Marthas. Women in the Gilead society who remained faithful and fertile were made to become Econowives and later getting married to the working class men. For example, Eden who is made an Econowive and married to Nick Blane has grown up believing in the teachings of the Gilead community. Eden believes that the purpose of why she came to this world was to give birth and fill society (Kouhestani 129). Therefore, as an Econowive one had the responsibility of abiding by the rules of the community and religion thus not being categorized as a sinner.

Aunts

Aunts in the Gilead society were given the role of being enforcers, instructors, and chaperones among the women. These women maintained discipline, training, and health which consisted of brutal branding rituals that were meant to regulate the diets consumed by the pregnant handmaids. For example, Ann Dowd ensured that her girls conceived successfully hence providing care to them. Women who played the role of becoming Aunts were past the age of, and the young Aunts followed strict guidelines which maintained the morality of the Gilead society (Zarrinjooee and Shirin 68). Therefore, as an aunt in the Gilead society, they had the responsibility of preserving the well-being and health of pregnant women.

Unwomen and Martha's

These were women who were left to work their sick days in the fields which were poisoned with the toxic chemicals. The unwomen were exploited by the Gilead society thus making them weary. Women who worked in these fields might have disobeyed the Wives, therefore, being executed to the suffering present in these colonies. The Marthas were given the responsibility of serving as household servants to the commanders. The Marthas were highly suited for this position since they were infertile, had low-status and they were loyal to the Gilead authorities (Needham 2015). The Marthas helped the handmaids in raising their children after giving birth. Also, these women had a communication network which allowed them to trade the information secretly, people and goods from the Gilead society.

Challenges Experienced by Women in the Novel

Sexual Objectification and Oppression

The author of The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood depicted the role of women in the Gilead society as an object which was used in meeting the requirements of men. Women were portrayed to exist so that they can give men sexual satisfaction that is depicted depending on the reason and will of the female characters which are destroyed through the serving of the men's interests. Sexuality has been termed as the Offred enslavement where women are treated as second class humans hence giving honor to men. For example, the case of Nick and the commander viewed Offred as a sex object hence not respecting her personality (Pettersson 2010). Therefore, oppression for the women present in the society is facilitated by their biology thus becoming exploited by men to be instruments for their satisfaction.

Oppression for women has been taken up in the current society since they are used as a sex object. Women tend to submit to men making them take advantage of the women. Being dependent on male gender results in oppression since women do not own anything. Some women are involved in prostitution due to the lack of essential products to be used in their lives (Pettersson 2010). For example, the Japanese Imperial Army used women as sex slaves hence proving that women are still used as sexual objects in the current society.

Roles of Men and Women in the Current Society

Men and women are involved in the leadership sector thus helping the management and organizations in the achieving the set goals and objectives. Men and women present in leadership come up with decisions which help in solving challenges encountered in the organizations. Collaboration between the two genders has made it possible for the companies to realize their dreams and end up attaining the best results from the actions taken by both sexes. The hiring of both genders in the organization has helped in promoting diversification in offices and organizations. Sharing of various roles in the organization has helped in faster conduction of the tasks which are assigned to workers present in the organization. The management tends to hire both genders since they possess different abilities which help them in achieving their mission. For example, in grading and selection companies, women take the highest percentage since they possess adequate skills in selecting the right quality products that fetch reasonable prices in the market (Zarrinjooee and Shirin 66). Therefore, allowing both genders to participate in leadership helps them to realize their potentialities and abilities.

Women have the role of caring for the family while the men provide for their families. Women take care of the children and the husband by ensuring that everyone is comfortable. Men in families bring food to the family and pay the bills which might arise in a family setting. Also, sharing some roles in the families helps to build oneness and to instill to the children appropriate qualities which will make them become responsible persons in the future. In the family, both parents play a vital role in guiding the children thus causing them to believe in what they do for the acquisition of relevant results. Women advice men on proper strategies to take in families to avoid challenges which they might encounter in decision making (Needham 2015). Therefore, women in families and the current society assist in decision making leading to the achievement of the best results.

If Women are Still Controlled in the 21st Century

In the current society, women are not controlled, but they are encouraged to participate in various activities and leadership in the community. Women participate in decision making thus tabling their ideas which make organizations, management, and families to achieve their set goals and objectives. Also, laws and policies have been developed which govern against the oppression of the female gender thus being given equal chances in the society. Individuals who are caught controlling women in the community are subjected to the law, therefore, getting fined. The individual in society are trying to create awareness to the women so that they can get involved in carrying out different tasks in the community. For example, women are given the chance of becoming leaders in various organizations making them realize their capabilities (Needham 2015). Therefore, providing equal opportunities to both men and women without discrimination has led to the growth of the society thus improving the standards of living in people.

How I Feel Towards Surrogacy

I support surrogacy in society since it helps mothers who cannot have babies to have an opportunity of being called a mother. Since there is an agreement between the surrogate mother and the other family, I do not see any harm in having a baby for another woman. Surrogacy is essential when the laws are set which protect the intended parents, surrogate mother and the child who was born through surrogacy. Therefore, surrogacy is vital whenever the intended parents experience challenges or are suffering from conditions which make them not to have children.

Surrogacy is not an ideal way to populate the country since it has different legal, socio-cultural, religious, and psychological and ethical concerns. For a family to be accepted to acquire a child through surrogacy, they have to undergo various processes which to prove they will take care of the kids. Also, the surrogate mother has to be protected from any danger that would be experienced from either the internal or the external environment.

Conclusion

The Novel, The Handmaid's Tale, has the different of roles women in the Gilead society thus showing that women were controlled and made to submit to the men. Women passed through different challenges which led to inequality and loss of lives to women in the Gilead society. In the current society women are respected, protected and given chances to participate in different activities which will enable them to realize their dreams and capabilities. For the development of oneness and trust among the families and societies, every individual has to respect other persons and help them to achieve their set goals and objectives in their lives. Therefore, respecting and supporting women in society helps the society to grow and live in harmony with each other.

Works Cited

Kirkvik, Anette. Gender Performativity in The Handmaid's Tale and The Hunger Games. MS thesis. UiT Norges arktiske un...