Social Control As Displayed in the Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood Essay

Tags: margaret atwood male dominance totalitarian regime bible

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document

Total Length: 1174 words ( 4 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 4

Page 1 of 4

Margaret Atwood set out to depict a society in the future, one that in her eyes had characteristics that needed to be solved from the present. This novel is dystopian in nature which presents a dysfunctional society in the future as seen in the eyes of the author. It is however instrumental to note that most of the works of fiction that are set in the future, are actually meant to help correct the current vices or giving a precautionary note to the society. Here, the republic of Gilead, fictitiously described represents the regions where women suffer under male dominance like Africa, Iran, India, Guatemala and Germany (Danita Dodson). This novel is set in Gilead which is an imaginary society of the future with a woman called Offred being the protagonist in the novel. It narrates a dystopia in which the freedom of women is restricted by men dominated society and the main tool used is the newly introduced Christian religion. The novel is centered on the freedoms of women, the women lives, procreation and the rights over their own bodies (Wisker G.).

In the novel, the Gilead society, a new republic, is described herein in the perspective and narration of a woman called Offred, one of the so referred to as Handmaids who are seen as breeding tools for the Republic. The tenets of the Christian republic are expressed through the first person narrative of Offred with a few flashbacks of the society before the Gilead society. In some of the instances Offred gets critical of the society through self monologue and other undertones. She further describes the society before the revolution that led to the creation of Gilead, which is very crucial if one is to understand the Gilead society and the vices therein.

Stuck Writing Your "Social Control As Displayed in the Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood" Essay?

View All Our Example Social Control As Displayed in the Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood Essay

Have A Custom Example Essay Written

This first person narrative gives the details the authenticity they deserve and wins the empathy of the reader.

Oppression inn Gilead is seen to be a top issue that Offred highlights, the way she highlights the gender inequalities that exist in Gilead and the power structures that exclude women is a practical show of oppression of the women by men. This oppression is further highlighted in the contrasting manner in which she describes the previous society and the possibly fairer society that the new Gilead republic, this can be seen in the language she uses in describing the first society. The Gilead society is depicted as Byzantine expressed in the extreme and any transgression and cruelty would be meted against someone from undeclared enemies from the regime. The males in Gilead would refute the taking up of the responsibility of fatherhood, which was typical of the status in the Republic, and instead relocate those fatherly responsibilities to the mothers.

The following were the outstanding ways that were used to assert social control by the ritualized society under the totalitarian regime that highly stratified the republic.

Forms of punishment were cruel and meant to eliminate and rebellions. The Aunts at the Red Center carried cattle prods and the Angels carried guns, these were intended to socially control the masses not to be rebellious against the regime but also to punish those who were rebellious. There were also the Salvaging (savage+salvation) and Particicution….....

Show More ⇣

     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


References

Danita Dadson. "We Lived in the Blank White Spaces': Rewriting the Paradigm of Denial in Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale," Utopian Studies: Journal of the Society for Utopian Studies, 1997, 8 (2): 66-86.

Kouhestani. Sexual Oppression and Religious Extremism in Margaret Atwood's

the Handmaid's Tale. 2012. http://www.ipedr.com/vol56/026-ICOSH2012-F10041.pdf

Margaret Artwood. The Handmaid's Tale. 1987. http://www.novelas.rodriguezalvarez.com/pdfs/Atwood,%20M.%20%27%27the%20Handmaid%27s%20Tale%27%27-Xx-En-Sp-Xx.pdf

Shirley Neuman. "Just a Backlash': Margaret Atwood, Feminism, and The Handmaid's Tale," University of Toronto Quarterly: A Canadian Journal of the Humanities. 2006. Summer 75 (3) 857-868.

Wisker G. The Handmaid's Tale. London: Continuum, 2010.

sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Social Control As Displayed In The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood" (2017, April 09) Retrieved June 27, 2025, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/social-control-as-seen-in-the-handmaids-tale-essay

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Social Control As Displayed In The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood" 09 April 2017. Web.27 June. 2025. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/social-control-as-seen-in-the-handmaids-tale-essay>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Social Control As Displayed In The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood", 09 April 2017, Accessed.27 June. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/social-control-as-seen-in-the-handmaids-tale-essay
   

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document
order custom essay example