The Commander

The Commander is a paradox. He is Offred's oppressor, but also the character that shows her the most kindness and companionship. He gives her certain freedoms in his study that she does not have elsewhere.

Offred's pity and loathing

Offred appears to fluctuate between moments of rebellion against his character (like when she fantasises about throwing a water balloon down on to him from her window) and feeling pity for him as if he too is a victim of the regime of Gilead.
- "Still, it must be hell, to be a man, like that. It must be fine. It must be hell."

Danger for Offred

Even though Offred feels moments of empathy for the Commander, she never loses sight of his power and the consequences for her if their secret meetings were ever found out.
- "But watch out, Commander, I tell him in my head. I've got my eye on you. One false move and I'm dead".

The risk for Offred

The Commander's relationship with Offred is borne out of his loneliness and disconnection with his own wife.
He selfishly puts Offred at risk of punishment by choosing to meet with her to play Scrabble.

Patriarchal ideology

The Commander shows some awareness of the harsh conditions that the Handmaids endure by giving Offred gifts of body lotion and forbidden reading material.
But he still espouses the patriarchal ideology that Gilead is founded upon when he asks Offred how she finds her life:
- "You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs, he says" when explaining why life for some (including the Handmaids and most women in Gilead) is harder than others.

Jezebel's and controversy

This hypocrisy is later strengthened when he takes Offred to Jezebel's. This shows that those in power in Gilead interpret its values fluidly.
The Commander is, at once, Offred's oppressor, rapist and her closest friend in the household. This is why her recollection of the film of the mistress of an SS Officer sticks in her mind so clearly, as she wonders: "How easy it is to invent a humanity".

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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