Feminism and Power in The Handmaid’s Tale

The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian novel set decades in the future. Author Margaret Atwood utilises the roles of Offred’s mother and best friend Moira to represent feminism and the effect of power. These figures are crucial because they teach a modern audience the value of rebelling against injustice. The motif of power is significant in the characters of Moira, and Offred’s mother.

Feminism Through Offred’s Mother

In the theocratic society depicted in Atwood’s book, women are assigned certain tasks in society; the Handmaid’s role is to simply procreate for partners in high authority. Offred’s story alternates between the parent and flashbacks through the entire novel, which is written in a non-linear fashion by Atwood. Offred barely remembers a memory of being in a park with her mother in a flashback. Offred was upset because she thought her mother wanted to spend time with her, but she quickly discovered that this was not the case. She watched her mother at a feminist protest. She recalls seeing her mother burn “pornographic magazines” that featured naked women on the covers. The mother of Offred represents radical feminism throughout the entire novel. Offred acknowledges that she now regrets not giving her mother’s radical needs more attention. Offred’s mothers’s act of feminism is significant because it serves as an illustration for modern audiences, demonstrating that society needs to protest for equality, and Atwood indicates that if not enough people do this, society may begin to resemble Gilead. Offred’s, and all passive feminists’, failure to take action has resulted in her being deprived of all fundamental human rights, which serves as a warning. As a result, Atwood subtly cautions readers in the present about the significance of Offred’s mother. The lesson Atwood is emphasising overall is that inaction on equality may ultimately lead to modern-day society becoming similar to Gileadean society - Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Moira’s Desire For Power

Moira is another character who Margaret Atwood uses to symbolise revolt. Offred recalls Moira’s successful escape from the Rachel and Leah Center in her memories (otherwise referred to as The Red Center). Atwood emphasises the value of revolt against wrongdoing through this flashback. Offred is a character foil of Moira, who opposes Offred’s tendency to take no action against Gilead. This is significant as the two contrasting characters reflect the two possible outcomes that can result from an individual’s decisions. In contrast to Moira, who managed to flee the Handmaid institution for a while before being caught and coerced into prostitution, Offred, who failed to revolt against Gilead, is now being subjugated by a powerful man. Despite being apprehended, Moira’s escape and rebellion are significant because they demonstrate freedom and choice. However, Moira states “What’s the point” while she is at Jezebel’s Offred then queries what transpired to her. Moira gets a choice after being captured during her attempted escape, which is to be sent to the colonies, or be sent to work as a prostitute at Jezebel’s. Jezebel’s represents a fate worse than death for her as Moira is presented as a radical feminist throughout the novel, so her fate as a prostitute for high-command men would be a fate worse than death for her as it goes against everything she believes in. A modern audience may infer from this rhetorical inquiry that Moira had given up on revolt. Here, Atwood might be trying to tell the reader that giving in to societal pressure from men never results in success. Offred refers to Moira as a contemporary “feminist” before Gilead. As seen by Offred’s mother burning porn magazines, Moira’s feminism may be related to the second wave feminism that existed prior to the Gileadean dictatorship Second wave feminism refers to the prime time period of women’s rights’ activism. As she conveys the impact and importance of rebellion, even if it was not entirely successful, Moira’s character is crucial. Through her contrast to Offred, which highlights the disparate outcomes for submissive and rebellious people in a corrupt system, Moira is also significant.

Significance Of Female Power

In the end, Moira and Offred’s mother stand for the importance of equality and the strength of women. As Offred is a mediocre character who makes no significant attempts at rebelling against the institution, these two people provide the reader. Sense of action against Gilead. By burning publications with pictures of women baring their bodies for cash, Offred’s mother stands for women’s freedom. While Moira’s persona conveys to the reader that any act of resistance is important, even if it is unsuccessful. To avoid a dismal society and the subjugation of women, Atwood emphasises the importance of maintaining authority through Offred’s mother and Moira. Both, Offred’s mother and Moira, are also representatives of the motif power in the novel. In Gilead, almost everything in Offred’s life is controlled by someone else. Her story and her thoughts are her way of finding “control” and, therefore, power within herself. By controlling the “story”, Offred is able to regain some of her power through storytelling and through her memories. Moira often serves as an inspiration for Offred’s subversion. She encourages Offred to resist Gilead’s oppression and, in doing so, inspires Offred to realise her own power to act. Offred states herself that “I want gallantry from her, swashbuckling, heroism, single-handed combat. Something I lack”. (Chapter 38). Moira’s escape can also be interpreted as a catalyst for the theme of power. Atwood uses Moira to exemplify inspiring others to take action and realise their own power. After her escape from the Red Centre, Offred remarks: “Moira had power now, she’d been set loose, she’d set herself loose (…) Moira was like an elevator with open sides. She made us dizzy. Already we were losing the taste for freedom, already we were finding these walls secure (…) Nevertheless Moira was our fantasy.” (Chapter 22). By escaping from the Red Centre, Moira rejects Gilead’s new society and takes back power for herself. The Handmaids are inspired by Moira’s escape, and Offred describes it as their “fantasy”.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Offred’s mother is significant as she promotes feminism and conveys the idea that a lack of feminism can eventually result in the subjugation of women in a dystopian society. The significance of Moira also lies in demonstrating the power and influence of any act of revolt against those who are wrong, even if it fails. As well as this, the theme of power enunciates the importance of feminist characters. Summarised, Moira and Offred’s mother serve as examples of the significance of holding onto power in order to stop the sexism of women in the future.