In a world full of immoral power, is there any way we can predict the consequences of corruption? Well, speculative narratives offer us an insight into the potential possibilities of the future, effectively foreshadowing disturbing realities deriving from corrupt and immoral power. This is evident in Margaret Atwood’s speculative dystopian novel (1985), and Bruce Miller’s television series adaptation of the novel (2016), where both composers explore the erosion of women’s reproductive rights and society’s complicity in a totalitarian regime’s subjugation. Together, both texts portray the detrimental effects of immoral power through an individual’s loss of identity and absolute surveillance of Gilead, compelling us to reflect upon corrupt powers …show more content…
Atwood uses the symbol of the eye to represent the internalisation of the panoptic gaze, a concept developed by Michel Foucault, which refers to a societal mechanism of control and surveillance where individuals regulate their own behaviour due to the potential of being constantly watched. The effect is evident in Offred’s hesitance and paranoia of her actions, in the caesura paired with the repetition, ‘Perhaps.Perhaps.Perhaps.Perhaps he is an Eye’, portrays her uncertainty of being watched, therefore she regulates her actions considering the possible consequences of defiant action. The absolute surveillance further infiltrates Offred’s consciousness, compelling her to internalise dystopian rules and regulations set by the Gilead, where in her micronarrative, she refuses to call the Ceremonary ‘rape’, and that ‘nothing is going on here that I haven’t signed up for’. The irony captures the totalitarian Gilead’s permeation of Offred’s moral compass, rendering her incapable of confronting and rationalising the abuse of Gilead’s power, leading to voluntary compliance. Miller further conveys Atwood’s cautionary message of the dangers of internalisation and compliance of those under surveillance under corrupt power through the characterisation of Aunt Lydia, exposing the pervasive nature of misogyny coexisting within those held in higher power. The metanarrative of the Gilead corrupts her ability to comply with and instil immoral and misogynistic values, evident in the bruised apple scene, where the close-up shot of the softened facial expression of Lydia in, ‘You're absolutely right, but sometimes we have to do what's best for everyone, not what is fair’ portrays the dichotomy between her role as a ‘torturer’ and nurturer,
The novel “The Handmaid’s Tale” illustrates the life of women in the Republic of Gilead. The current government was replaced by monotheocratic dictatorship which is centered on biblical principles. Furthermore, this new regime immediately took away the women’s rights such as the right to have a job, properties of their own, and money (Rothstein, p. 1). The protagonist in the novel is a woman, previously have control over her life, but this power was instantly taken away from her by the new government
Religion, power, and politics. What are those things and how do they differ? Do they? Margaret Atwood in her book “Handmaid’s tale” shows us that sometimes all these three concepts join together and represent the great power that can rule over the whole nations. And there are only a few people on the top, who use this power to subordinate masses. They create their own rules and cover it all under the word “religion”. The book illustrates how the most absurd things become normal for the society. And
The Handmaid’s Tale: The Abuse of Power Influenced by Religion Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale offers insights into the realities of the depiction of power and its impact on society in a chilling dystopian world where all societal structures have deteriorated. The narrator of the novel, Offred, is first introduced during the first of many flashbacks. Offred is a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, who throughout the novel navigates a life through the strict inhuman schedule that should ultimately
The more power people get, the more freedom they feel they have. “The Handmaid’s Tale” is a society that was created by a group of people who strengthen and maintain their power by any necessary means including persecution and death. However, characters that play the role in the dystopian fiction novel from “The Handmaid’s Tale” by, Margaret Atwood have certain roles that leads them to do things they are not allowed to. Atwood reveals that power leads to breaking laws as emphasized through the tone
Power in The Handmaid's Tale As you read through the handmaid’s tale you see the relationships of the characters develop and the fight for power, however small that glimpse of power may be. The images of power can be seen through out the novel, but there are major parts that stand out to the reader from the aunt’s in the training centre to the secret meetings between the Commander and Offred. The first we see of the struggles of power between people is when the novel opens and we first see
Woman by Anne Sexton, Homecoming by Bruce Dawe and the novel, The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, effectively convey different aspects of power. It is evident through the texts that each individual life form contains their own personal power as a result of identity. Women in particular, possess the capacity to bear life. However, it can be interpreted that this power is divested of as a result of physical and hierarchal powers. Alongside these forces is the cyclical nature of life and death,
One of the most important themes in the novel is power. Gilead is in a dictatorship, so power and manipulation is on the top. It is close to impossible for one to protect themselves from the government and have no hope of help from the outside and that’s is one of the characteristics of power that is the most visible. Power from one direction is always displayed, rather than people getting a consent from the government and maintain how the society should be run. The government in Gilead must cover
In a society within The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood where men control women and have all of the power, Offred must stay strong and not give in to the pressure of Gilead. While it might seem like the Wives dominate over the Handmaids within Gilead with a naturally more desirable position within society compared to the Handmaids, this is not the case. Every Wives quest for a baby has a journey featuring social sacrifices of their own as they try and reach the end goal of peace with their own
In “The Handmaids Tale” Margret Atwood’s, character was a Serena Joy playing the role as the head of the household towards the women. She gave orders, and did not want to be around the handmaids unless truly necessary. She made it noticeable to the handmaids by telling Offred, “I want to see you as little as possible,” (Atwood pg. 15). I felt as though Atwood had Serena act that way to show authority because she was the face of Gilead, for the women. Atwood wants the background of the story to seem
An Analysis of How Internal and External Powers Affect an Individual Plato’s statement that “The measure of a man is what he does with power.” entertains the idea that an individual is defined by the power they possess. There are two main components of the powers that affect an individual, their own internal powers and the external powers from the society around them. While internal powers stem more from individuality, external powers root from societal norms like patriarchy and the gender inequality
Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is a theocratic authoritarian state wherein the citizens are subjected to religious persecution, an unjust legal system, and gender discrimination. There are many mechanisms of societal control and repression discussed throughout the novel, including; public executions, repression of women’s rights, and “The Eyes,” in effect the secret police. By utilizing fear and the public’s desire for safety, the government of Gilead maintains a tremendous amount of power over its citizens
In a world where men can create their own heaven by stripping away the rights of others is known to have an enormous amount of power. This power was used to create a world which is known as Republic of Gilead, a society that defies equality by stripping away people’s rights and name in order to establish a more sustainable society. The founder of Gilead, which is the Commander began to build a totalitarian society because of the low reproduction rate, causing him to assign women to certain roles
Everybody wants power in life, whether it is to take over a state, country, or even the world. Sometimes power is equal and sometimes it is not sometimes power is used for good, sometimes power is abused for selfish desires. Everybody wants power in life, whether it is to take over a state, country, or even the world. Sometimes power is equal and sometimes it is not sometimes power is used for good, sometimes power is abused for selfish desires. Sadly, we see a lot of power being used for selfish
A Handmaid’s Tale displays a society in which gender roles and functions in society are strictly controlled and determined by those in power. The story and the epilogue remind us of the fragile nature of our rights and freedoms and how easily they can be stripped away and how much we rely on the people in power. Female sexuality, reproduction, and masculinity are present throughout the book and present an interesting parallel to our current society and the role of gender and the law. The Gilead regime
through analyzing Margret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.A nature that can be related to the consequences of exercising power without liberty. Usually, the exercise of male power needs a degree of liberty for the subjects, otherwise, the power will face its inevitable fate, which is women’s resistance or recalcitrant nature. It is normal for any form of power to face a form of resistance, because when power is misled, recalcitrant nature comes to refine the power. In this way, it is too normal for having