2.14.3

Chapter 43

Test yourself on Chapter 43

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Chapter 43 - Summary and Key Quotations

After the 3 women are executed, Aunt Lydia orders the Handmaids to form a circle for a "Particicution", which is when the Handmaids all participate in the execution of a "supposed" offender.

The Guardian is killed

The Guardian is killed

  • A Guardian, who has obviously been beaten badly beforehand, is brought forward.
  • Aunt Lydia announces to the waiting Handmaids that this man is guilty of raping a woman, who then became pregnant and the baby died.
  • The news of this outrage whips the Handmaids up into a frenzy. They are driven mad by their desire for a child and the alleged brutality of this man.
  • Aunt Lydia blows a whistle and sets the Handmaids on to the man, who is beaten to death by the women.
Ofglen's compassionate blow

Ofglen's compassionate blow

  • Offred notices that Ofglen delivers an extremely vicious blow to the man's head. When she is speaking to her afterwards, she finds out that this is actually an act of compassion. Ofglen wanted to knock him out so he didn't suffer.
  • She says that he was actually a part of the May Day resistance party, and not a rapist. This is why Ofglen decides to try to reduce his suffering in his last moments.
__"Tear, gorge... isn't Luke"__

"Tear, gorge... isn't Luke"

  • "I want to tear, gouge, rend"
    • The hatred echoes the 'two-minute hate' in Orwell's 1984. Citizens are encouraged to hurl abuse at Goldstein, a scapegoat, so that they're too distracted to criticise the regime.
  • "It isn't Luke. But it could have been"
    • Although Offred is initially roused to hatred, she soon realises that the victim is not just an anonymous figure to loathe, but a human being like Nick or Luke whom she cares for.
__"An *it*"__

"An it"

  • "He has become an it"
    • In chapter 30, Offred claimed that to murder something, you need to think of it as an 'it' instead of having actual living worth.
Jump to other topics
1

Author Background

1.1

Margaret Atwood

1.1.1Margaret Atwood
2

Chapter Summaries

2.1

Chapter 1: Night I

2.1.1Chapter 1
2.2

Chapters 2-6: Shopping II

2.2.1Chapter 22.2.2Chapter 32.2.3Chapter 42.2.4Chapter 52.2.5Chapter 6
2.3

Chapter 7: Night II

2.3.1Chapter 7
2.4

Chapters 8-12: Waiting Room IV

2.4.1Chapter 82.4.2Chapter 92.4.3Chapter 102.4.4Chapter 112.4.5Chapter 12
2.5

Chapter 13: Nap V

2.5.1Chapter 13
2.6

Chapters 14-17: Household VI

2.6.1Chapter 142.6.2Chapter 152.6.3Chapter 162.6.4Chapter 17
2.7

Chapter 18: Night VII

2.7.1Chapter 18
2.8

Chapters 19-23: Birth Day VIII

2.8.1Chapter 192.8.2Chapter 202.8.3Chapter 212.8.4Chapter 222.8.5Chapter 23
2.9

Chapter 24: Night IX

2.9.1Chapter 24
2.10

Chapters 25-29: Soul Scrolls X

2.10.1Chapter 252.10.2Chapter 262.10.3Chapter 272.10.4Chapter 282.10.5Chapter 29
2.11

Chapter 30: Night XI

2.11.1Chapter 30
2.12

Chapters 31-39: Jezebel's XII

2.12.1Chapter 312.12.2Chapter 322.12.3Chapter 332.12.4Chapter 342.12.5Chapter 352.12.6Chapter 362.12.7Chapter 372.12.8Chapter 382.12.9Chapter 39
2.13

Chapter 40: Night XIII

2.13.1Chapter 40
2.14

Chapters 41-45: Salvaging XIV

2.14.1Chapter 412.14.2Chapter 422.14.3Chapter 432.14.4Chapter 442.14.5Chapter 45
2.15

Chapter 46: Night XV

2.15.1Chapter 46
2.16

Historical Notes

2.16.1Historical Notes
3

Dedications & Epigraph

3.1

Dedications & Epigraph

3.1.1Dedications3.1.2Epigraph
4

Context

4.1

Setting

4.1.1Setting
4.2

Literary Context & Genre

4.2.1The Canterbury Tales & The Scarlet Letter4.2.2Links to Dystopian Fiction
4.3

Political Context

4.3.1Berlin & Iran4.3.2The New Right in America
4.4

Historical Context

4.4.1Puritan New England
4.5

Parallels: Read World & Gilead

4.5.1The Underground Femaleroad4.5.2Children of Ham & Soul Scrolls4.5.3Offred's Tattoo, Salvaging & Illegal Abortions4.5.4Unwomen, Colonies & Giving Away Offred's Daughter
4.6

Religious Context

4.6.1Religious Context
5

Narrative Structure & Literary Techniques

5.1

Narrative Structure

5.1.1Narrative Structure
5.2

Literary Techniques

5.2.1Literary Techniques5.2.2Colour Symbolism
6

Themes & Imagery

6.1

Themes

6.1.1Survival & Language6.1.2The Female Body
6.2

Imagery

6.2.1The Garden & Doubles
7

Characters

7.1

Female Characters

7.1.1Offred & Moira7.1.2Offred's Mother, Ofglen & Ofwarren7.1.3Serena Joy & Aunt Lydia
7.2

Male Characters

7.2.1The Commander7.2.2Nick & Luke
8

Readings

8.1

Readings of The Handmaid's Tale

8.1.1Eco-Criticism8.1.2Complacency
9

Recap: Main Quotes

9.1

Quotes by Chapter

9.1.1Chapters 1 & 29.1.2Chapters 3 & 49.1.3Chapters 5 & 69.1.4Chapters 7 & 89.1.5Chapters 9 & 109.1.6Chapters 11 & 129.1.7Chapters 13 & 149.1.8Chapter 15 & 169.1.9Chapters 17 & 189.1.10Chapters 19 & 209.1.11Chapters 21 & 229.1.12Chapters 23 & 249.1.13Chapters 25 & 269.1.14Chapters 27 & 289.1.15Chapters 29 & 309.1.16Chapters 31 & 329.1.17Chapters 33 & 349.1.18Chapters 35 & 369.1.19Chapters 37 & 389.1.20Chapters 39 & 409.1.21Chapters 41 & 429.1.22Chapters 43 & 449.1.23Chapters 45 & 469.1.24Historical Notes & Epigraphs
9.2

Text Structure - Quotes

9.2.1Literary Techniques - Quotes9.2.2Survival & Language -Quotes9.2.3The Female Body - Quotes9.2.4The Garden & Doubles - Quotes9.2.5Eco-Criticism & Complacency - Quotes

Practice questions on Chapter 43

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Why does Ofglen deliver the Guardian a deadly blow during the __"Particicution"__?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What does this quotations show?<br><br><b>"It isn't Luke. But it could have been"</b>Multiple choice
Answer all questions on Chapter 43

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium

Chapter 42

Chapter 44