2.2.1

Chapter 2

Test yourself on Chapter 2

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

Chapter 2: Summary

Offred, our narrator, describes her single room in the house she's been placed in as a Handmaid - the Commander's house.

Commander's house and uniform

Commander's house and uniform

  • She describes it in detail, and moves down into the kitchen, detailing everything she can see in this late Victorian house.
  • The reader is told that she has to dress in full Handmaid's uniform, which consists of a red full body smock and a white "winged" headpiece which stops them "seeing, but also from being seen".
  • She also wears red gloves so that hardly any skin can be seen.
Cora and Rita - Marthas

Cora and Rita - Marthas

  • In the kitchen, the reader is introduced to Cora and Rita who are "Marthas" - servants who carry out domestic duties.
  • Offred wishes she could join in with the gossip, but she is isolated from these women. She is only allowed to speak to them when she is collecting the tokens she needs to get food at the shops.
Colonies and Unwomen

Colonies and Unwomen

  • In this chapter, the Marthas briefly mention the "colonies" and the existence of "Unwomen".
  • They mention these as a kind of warning about the alternative lives they could be living if they were not servants.

Chapter 2 - Key Quotations

Here are five key quotations from Chapter 2:

<b>"They've removed anything..."

"They've removed anything..."

  • "They've removed anything you could tie a rope to"
<b>"...Reduced circumstances..."

"...Reduced circumstances..."

  • "For ladies in reduced circumstances. For that is what we are now. The circumstances have been reduced; for those of us who still have circumstances"
<b>"...I long for it"

"...I long for it"

  • "How I used to despise such talk. Now I long for it
<b>"I hunger..."

"I hunger..."

  • "I hunger to commit the act of touch"
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 2

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

  1. 1
    What's the significance of the white __"winged"__ headpiece the Handmaids wear?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What word is repeated in this quotation?<br><br><b>"For ladies in .... circumstances. For that is what we are now. The circumstances have been ....; for those of us who still have circumstances" Multiple choice
  3. 3
    What does Offred say she used to __"despise"__ but __"now I long for it"__? Multiple choice
Answer all questions on Chapter 2

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 1

Chapter 3