Essay on The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood - 636 Words

A woman’s power and privileges depend on which societal class she is in. In Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale each group of women are each represented in a different way. The three classes of women from the novel are the Handmaids, the Marthas and the Wives. The ways in which the women are portrayed reflect their societal power and their privileges that they bestow. A woman’s color of clothing that she wears reflects her social class status and what she is capable of. If a woman is able to have sex freely, or at all, is also dependent on her class. A women’s role in the dystopian society is also based on her class. Both of these factors reflect her power and privileges. The role of a woman in this society is entirely†¦show more content†¦The Marthas are the servants. They are the women that will take care of the children. The wives wear blue. This symbolizes being calm and peaceful; even though this is not how they actually are. T he Wives are married to the Commanders. The handmaid’s have a baby with the Commanders to permit the Wife and Commander to have a family of their own and the Martha’s look after the baby once it is born. Depending on the class in society, the women have certain freedoms towards sex. The Handmaids are only allowed to have sex with the Commanders. Not only are the Commanders the only ones with whom they are allowed to have sex with, but they also have to have sex with them because it is their job. The Handmaids are forced to have sex with the Commanders solely for the purpose of reproducing. If the Handmaids do not reproduce, it means failure. â€Å"Each month I watch for blood, fearfully, for when it comes it means failure†(84). It is not stated if the Marthas are able to have sex or not. The Marthas fall into their place because they are unable to reproduce; therefore they are not forced to have sex like the Handmaids. The Wives are allowed to have sex with the ir husbands. The wives have no restrictions placed on them saying they can have sex with their husbands. The wives can do this because they have a significant amount more power than the other women in the society. The wives have thisShow MoreRelatedThe Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood954 Words   |  4 PagesImagine growing up in a society where all women are useful for is to reproduce. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is an excellent novel of what could potentially be the fate of the future one day. The main character, Offred, moves into a new home where she is there to perform â€Å"rituals† with the Commander, head of the house, so she can hopefully reproduce herself. Basically, she is a sex slave and birthing a healthy child is all she is wanted for. 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