Colour Symbolism

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Colour Symbolism

Atwood uses colours symbolically in the novel to connote the different roles and statuses of women in Gilead:

Handmaids - red

Handmaids wear red as it is “the colour of blood, which defines us”.
It is the colour of menstrual blood which reminds them of their reproductive role.
It is also the colour of sin and passion, which sets them apart from the other women and makes them "other" in Gilead.
They are both praised and resented for their fertility. They are spat at in the street by Econowives and treated cruelly by the Wives.

Wives - blue

The Wives wear blue, which is symbolic of the Virgin Mary and the immaculate conception.
Their role in the Ceremony is that of a bystander. They watch as the Handmaid is penetrated by their husband. If the Handmaids gets pregnant, the Wife becomes the mother to the child.

Daughters - white

Daughters wear white to denote their innocence and chastity before they are married.
Interestingly, the wings of the Handmaids' bonnets are also made of white material. The bonnets block their view of the world and also stop others from viewing their faces - perhaps from modesty, perhaps from shame?

Marthas - green

Marthas wear green and are the domestic servants of the house.
Green is often associated with health and cleanliness.
So green may represent their domestic duties in looking after the wellbeing of the handmaid in their charge.

Econowives - red/blue/green

Econowives wear cheaply-made striped dresses of red/blue and green. These colours show that they are meant to fulfil all of the duties of a Handmaid, Wife and Martha to their husbands, who are working-class members of Gilead.

Unwomen - grey

Unwomen wear grey in the Colonies.
This lack of colour denotes their lack of status and use in Gilead.
If a Handmaid fails to conceive three times in a row, she is sent to the colonies to become an Unwoman, manually working with toxic waste until she dies.

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

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