Uncovering Power Dynamics and Symbolism in Relationships in The Handmaid's Tale

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Explore the intricate power struggles and symbolic elements embedded within relationships in The Handmaid's Tale, focusing on characters like Offred and the Commander. Delve into themes of hierarchy, hypocrisy, and abuse of power, as well as the significance of color and social class in shaping these relationships.

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The Handmaids Tale Tutorial Seminar Topic: When one explores the conflicts and/or power relationships between characters, they often uncover the deeper messages within the text. Address this statement referring to The Handmaid s Tale.

Relationships in The Handmaids Tale Discuss in groups What Relationships are there? What themes are there? Are any of these relationships symbolic? If so what of?

Relationships Offred and the Commander Offred and Serena Joy Offred and Moira

Discuss: In what way is the symbol of Colour significant to the relationship of the Commander and Offred? 4

Offred and The Commander: Colour Relationship is the most obvious in terms of a relationship symbolic of gender hierarchy, hypocrisy, abuse of power. Relationship very hostile to begin with, kissing is forbidden between us.This makes it bearable. black for the commander - black has connotations of power and intimidation, danger even, much like the Commander s name. and the one assigned to me, which is red - red can be seen as the colour of love, passion and desire, however here it is used as a symbol of a women s fertility and the oppression of their desire. The colours of these characters uniforms symbolic of the imbalance of power in their relationship.

Offred and the Commander: Social Class/Forbidden Highlights that the power of the commander s higher social status makes him immune to certain effects of the Gillhead Government. on the fourth evening he gave me hand lotion Why? he asked, as if he really didn't know. Maybe he didn t. It was the first time he gave any evidence of being truly ignorant of the real conditions under which we live in. she, lost control then a little she exclaimed, Jesus Christ, you ought to know. My voice was angrier than I d intended, be he didn't even wince. However the fact that he allows offered such am abrupt and harsh response suggests that he has sympathy towards her situation. Also suggests a shift in their relationship.

Offred and the Commander: Balance of Power He himself shows desire but instead it is Offred who holds the power here. He reached his hand up as if to touch my face, I moved my head to the side to warn him away. Although it is a brief moment, it still is a shift in the balance of power. She tells him off, Don t do that again He apologises, I m sorry, he said. I didn't mean to. She herself acknowledges the significant change in the balance of power within their relationship. You can see from the way I was speaking to him that we were already on different terms. However, she quickly acknowledges that the nature of their relationship remains unfaltering, The fact is that I m his mistress There is no doubt about who holds the real power.

Discuss: How does Offred see the Commander? How does she view their relationship? 8

Offred and the Commander: Offred s View of Relationship I don t love the Commander or anything like it, but he s of interest to me, he occupies space, he is more than a shadow. Offred is acknowledging the peculiarity and in a way uniqueness to their relationship. She is aware that she doesn't love the Commander , but she still is aware that she feels something towards him. Fact that she says that all he is is more than a shadow. emphasises how empty her life is to her. Reminds us of how she describes her and Offglen walking, Doubled, I walk the street. This double is similar to a shadow, it is a mirror image of herself. Offred s view of her relationship with the Commander reflecting the emptiness created by the oppression of women and their desire.

Discuss: views on Offred s relationship with Serena Joy? How does this compare to that of Offred and the Commander? 10

Offred and Serena Joy: Social Classes I am a reproach to her; and a necessity - Offred is an unwanted presence to Serena Joy, I want to see as little of you as possible . Yet at the same time she is a necessity to her. Serena Joy needs offered as she cannot conceive children by herself, because she is forbidden to do so. Its not the husbands you have to watch out for, said Aunt Lydia, it s the Wives. - Implying they are dangerous- they are the ones really in control. She doesn't acknowledge my presence in anyway, although she knows I m there. I can tell she knows, its like a smell, her knowledge;-something gone sour like old milk. - reflecting Offred s unwanted presence- it s like a punishment for Serena Joy as she may not want Offred but she needs her. They're talking about me as though I can t hear. To them I m a household chore, one of many.

Offred and Serena Joy: Necessity Give me children or else I die, am I God s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? Behold my mind Bilah. She shall bear upon my kneed, that I may also have children by her. The government of Gillhead is built upon the literal meaning of the Bible. This is the foundation from the Bible for the Ceremony, which is Offred s opportunity to conceive. At the ceremony Offred tells us, My arms are raised; she holds my hands, each of mine in each of hers. This is supposed to signify that we are one flesh, one being. What it really mens is that she is in control of the process and thus of the product. -once again highlighting that it is Serena Joy who holds the real power in this relationship. During the ceremony the only feeling that Offred s acknowledges is, The rings of her left hand cut into my fingers. -she only acknowledges pain- this physical pain reflecting the mentally scarring pain of this situation and their relationship.

Discuss: What is significant within Offred and Moira s relationship?How is it different to the others we have discussed? 13

Offred and Moira: Jealousy/Admiration At times she can appear both jealous and scared of Moira and her abilities. Jealousy/Admiration: When offered gets given a, small electric fan to help with the humidity , she says, If i were Moira I d knowhow to take it apart and reduce it ti its cutting edges - She admires Moira s capability and innovative nature. Bu quickly acknowledges, I m not Moira . She acknowledges this, but also may be reminding herself of this. Highlighting her flicker of fear of what she may become if she does not control herself. Moira and Offred s relationship symbol of the double- Moira is symbolic of Offred s more passionate and confident side. Moira is more outgoing then Offred, she successfully escapes, Moira marched straight out the front door, with the bearing of a person who knew where she was going. - Moira has confidence that Offred doesn t have.

Offred and Moira: The Double Moira sitting on the edge of my bed, leg crossed, ankle on knee, in her purple overalls, one dangly earring, the gold fingernail she wore to be eccentric, a cigarette between her stubby yellow ended fingers - one of Offred s memories that she remembers at night in her, time out . She admires Moira s see of individuality, even in the time before, how she was eccentric , suggesting even then Offred was not as outgoing and confident as Moira. Their relationship features the symbol of the double. Offred s frequent flickers of memories of Moira act as a reminder of her desire and temptation to embrace her more passionate side, but also as a warning to herself- of hat she could become.