The Handmaids Tale The Commander Tells

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Margaret Atwood in her novel The Handmaids Tale discusses more on dystopian and Utopian society. Atwood wrote her novel depending on the prevailing circumstances during the time of writing her novel some of which included politics, women rights, and issues concerning religion. Atwood’s novel is still relevant to the current generation because most of the issues facing contemporary society are discussed in her novel. Therefore, there is a higher probability that modern society may be in a way of embracing the dystopian society. Fundamentally, Atwood in her novel presents the protagonist Offred in her process of change from the past life she lived to a Handmaid (Wilson 11). Offred lived with her daughter and husband before the forming of the Gilead. Atwood’s novel can be said to be a dystopian genre. Dystopia is a term used to mean imperfect societies while utopia means perfect imaginary societies. Thus, one is the opposite of the other hence dystopia can be said to be the wrong utopia. Dystopian aspects are largely depended on religious fundamentalism and feminism in attaining dystopian atmosphere.
Some of the most evident dystopian features in Atwood’s novel are the loss of freedom, social hierarchy, and complex mechanics of fear. Feminism has greatly influenced Atwood and mostly in the writing of her novel. Atwood explores sexual desire in the novel at length. She argues that sex can be used as a tool for rebellion. Atwood gives an example of Offred and Guardian in their relationship which was forbidden. Moreover, Atwood goes on to explain the correlation between the rise of the misogynistic regime and religious fundamentalism in the United States (Hintz & Elaine 24). Atwood’s novel portrays totalitarian theocracy by observing some religious acts and beliefs which subject women to household chores such as acting as housekeepers and rearing children. Language can also be used as a tool of rebellion against the administration.
The term dystopia can only be clearly understood by first understanding its opposite which is utopia. Utopia means perfect imaginary societies. However, scholars like Gordin and Prakash argue that the opposite of utopia is not necessarily dystopia (Wilson 51). They support their arguments by asserting that the real opposite of utopia would be a completely unplanned society or one which is deliberately awful. Various dominant dystopian features in the Atwood’s novel such as loss of freedom and social hierarchy are revealed in the first person narrator, the main protagonist being Offred. His narrative helps us to understand many political aspects in the United States and how the Christian fundamentalists have abolished them (Yoran 15). Evidently, Gilead’s republic is misogynistic, which means that power is only given to men and women have no right to question this since they are seen as weak and unable to lead. According to Malak, dystopia is mainly concerned with power issues. In this regard, Atwood’s novel uses power as a caricature of human potential. Healthy women in Gilead’s republic are instructed and subjected into unwanted or forced sex with Gileadan ideology.
The social administration in the Handmaid tales compr...