Religious Context

Religious Context of The Handmaid's Tale

Atwood created Gilead as a theocracy, which means that the country is governed by a state that strictly follows the laws and teachings of a particular religion.

Biblical significance

The epigraph shows that Gilead is a fundamentalist Christian theocracy.
The name of Gilead comes from the Bible. It is mentioned first in the book of Genesis as a hill country that Jacob flees to and sets up home as a witness to God.
It is a place that is renowned for its fertility.
It holds a special balm that is meant to heal. This creates the phrase "There is a balm in Gilead", which Moira satirically changes to "There is a bomb in Gilead".

Jacob, Rachel and Leah

The story of Jacob, Rachel and Leah influences the novel.
The epigraph implies that the practice of using a handmaid as a way of having a child has now become part of the Ceremony in Atwood's novel and that Biblical scripture is used to imprison and oppress Handmaids like Offred.
The RED centre in the novel stands for the Rachel and Leah centre, which references the story of both of the wives of Jacob having to use their handmaids, Bilhah and Zilpah, to bear children.

Patriarchal lexis

The language used by the Handmaids is prescribed from the Bible.
This means patriarchal language is used to strengthen the oppression of the Handmaids and status as "walking wombs": "Praise be", "Blessed be the Fruit", "May the Lord Open" and "Under his eye".

Shops in Gilead

The names of the shops in Gilead comes from the Bible.
- Lilies of the Field, All Flesh and Milk and Honey are referenced in the Old Testament.
- The idea of fertility in Exodus - when Moses promises to take the Israelites to a land that is brimming over with "milk and honey" - is cleverly juxtaposed with the actual grocery shop in Gilead, which has run out of much of its produce.

Indictment of the New Right

Atwood uses these subtle satirical references to criticise the American Fundamental Christian New Right, which was in power when she wrote the novel.
Her references show that their plans to make a utopia founded upon the teachings of the Bible were flawed.

1Author Background

1.1Margaret Atwood

1.1.1Margaret Atwood

2Chapter Summaries

2.1Chapter 1: Night I

2.1.1Chapter 1

2.2Chapters 2-6: Shopping II

2.2.1Chapter 2

2.2.2Chapter 3

2.2.3Chapter 4

2.2.4Chapter 5

2.2.5Chapter 6

2.3Chapter 7: Night II

2.3.1Chapter 7

2.4Chapters 8-12: Waiting Room IV

2.4.1Chapter 8

2.4.2Chapter 9

2.4.3Chapter 10

2.4.4Chapter 11

2.4.5Chapter 12

2.5Chapter 13: Nap V

2.5.1Chapter 13

2.6Chapters 14-17: Household VI

2.6.1Chapter 14

2.6.2Chapter 15

2.6.3Chapter 16

2.6.4Chapter 17

2.7Chapter 18: Night VII

2.7.1Chapter 18

2.8Chapters 19-23: Birth Day VIII

2.8.1Chapter 19

2.8.2Chapter 20

2.8.3Chapter 21

2.8.4Chapter 22

2.8.5Chapter 23

2.9Chapter 24: Night IX

2.9.1Chapter 24

2.10Chapters 25-29: Soul Scrolls X

2.10.1Chapter 25

2.10.2Chapter 26

2.10.3Chapter 27

2.10.4Chapter 28

2.10.5Chapter 29

2.11Chapter 30: Night XI

2.11.1Chapter 30

2.12Chapters 31-39: Jezebel's XII

2.12.1Chapter 31

2.12.2Chapter 32

2.12.3Chapter 33

2.12.4Chapter 34

2.12.5Chapter 35

2.12.6Chapter 36

2.12.7Chapter 37

2.12.8Chapter 38

2.12.9Chapter 39

2.13Chapter 40: Night XIII

2.13.1Chapter 40

2.14Chapters 41-45: Salvaging XIV

2.14.1Chapter 41

2.14.2Chapter 42

2.14.3Chapter 43

2.14.4Chapter 44

2.14.5Chapter 45

2.15Chapter 46: Night XV

2.15.1Chapter 46

2.16Historical Notes

2.16.1Historical Notes

3Dedications & Epigraph

3.1Dedications & Epigraph

3.1.1Dedications

3.1.2Epigraph

4Context

4.1Setting

4.1.1Setting

4.2Literary Context & Genre

4.2.1The Canterbury Tales & The Scarlet Letter

4.2.2Links to Dystopian Fiction

4.3Political Context

4.3.1Berlin & Iran

4.3.2The New Right in America

4.4Historical Context

4.4.1Puritan New England

4.5Parallels: Read World & Gilead

4.5.1The Underground Femaleroad

4.5.2Children of Ham & Soul Scrolls

4.5.3Offred's Tattoo, Salvaging & Illegal Abortions

4.5.4Unwomen, Colonies & Giving Away Offred's Daughter

4.6Religious Context

4.6.1Religious Context

5Narrative Structure & Literary Techniques

5.1Narrative Structure

5.1.1Narrative Structure

5.2Literary Techniques

5.2.1Literary Techniques

5.2.2Colour Symbolism

6Themes & Imagery

6.1Themes

6.1.1Survival & Language

6.1.2The Female Body

6.2Imagery

6.2.1The Garden & Doubles

7Characters

7.1Female Characters

7.1.1Offred & Moira

7.1.2Offred's Mother, Ofglen & Ofwarren

7.1.3Serena Joy & Aunt Lydia

7.2Male Characters

7.2.1The Commander

7.2.2Nick & Luke

8Readings

8.1Readings of The Handmaid's Tale

8.1.1Eco-Criticism

8.1.2Complacency

9Recap: Main Quotes

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