THE HANDMAID’S TALE A-LEVEL ANALYSIS
Epigraph, Ch. 1-20
Epigraph:
Genesis 30:1-3, relationship with Bible clear from the beginning - KEY, offers Bilbah as a
surrogate of sorts, story of Rachel and Jacob, Old Testament - vengeance/fear - indicative of
much of Offred’s emotions throughout the story.
Jonathan Swift, ‘A Modest Proposal’ - making ‘joke’ of eating children of poorer families, Irish
satirist, humour, birth rates, monetizing birth, role of women in society.
Sufi proverb - “In the desert there is no sign that says, Thou shalt not eat stones.” - we don’t
prohibit things that nobody would never want to do anyway, dire circumstances (like in Gilead),
link between prohibitions and desire established (e.g. Offred & touch/intimacy).
I: Night
1
Oppression and control, Handmaids communication and daily lives heavily restricted. Watched
by Aunts and protected by ‘Angels’. “We slept” - Offred is not unique - she realises this - unlike
Winston (‘1984’ - Orwell - key A03 comparison for literary context) she is not convinced she is
different - no massive betrayal, does not acknowledge herself, awake vs sleeping (‘The Eyes’).
“what had once been the gymnasium” - feels post apocalyptic, youthful freedom, repurposed -
Puritanical ideas, implies modern, Gilead does not invent anything. Memory and old emotions in
strict new world order.
Gym = for schools, infantilisation of handmaids. “There was old sex in the room and loneliness”
(loneliness as key theme). Order of events is ambiguous. “spaces between” - physical
separation, “could not talk”. “No guns though” about the Aunts, only men get guns. KEY - “we
still had our bodies”, only asset in Gilead. Exchanged names - assert their personhood, small
act of rebellion. “U.S” still on army blankets - now Gilead, the country has undergone name
change like Offred has.
II: Shopping
2
Small acts of rebellion, stripping away humanity - idea people don’t need connection. “removed
anything you could tie a rope to” - window “only opens partly” - designed to be suicide and rebel
proof, immediately establishes quality of life of the Handmaids. “thought must be rationed” -
mindset designed to restrict women, to hold the Handmaids/Wives in their designated
, hierarchical place. “not a prison but a privilege, as Aunt Lydia said, who was in love with
either/or.” - has to enforce, fine with whatever, disciplinarian, can’t have choice. Handmaid’s
clothes - “to keep us from seeing, but also from being seen” - seen as an extension of the wives.
Room - “not my room, I refuse to say my” - no personal investment, her job is
temporary/fleeting. Colours for roles, “the one assigned to me” - impersonal, an understandable
lack of passion or enthusiasm about what she must do. Rita and Cora - also women hurt by
Gilead’s restrictions yet anti-women in the subject of their gossiping, disunity. Talking about “the
Unwomen” (codified a woman’s inability to have children, stripping away gender identity). About
the Handmaids, Cora - “not what you’d call hard work”, Rita - “Better her than me.” - gossiping
as a form of rebellion - still a need to share and connect with others in spite of harsh restrictions.
“it’s the red dress she disapproves of” - red dress represents her role and value in society, a
colour (superficial) tied to worth. “Stabbed her with a knitting needle, right in the belly. Jealousy,
it must have been” - Handmaid/Wife violence explicitly mentioned - tensions between Serena
Joy and Offred. “I hunger to commit the act of touch.” - ‘commit’ connotates a crime, which it is
for Offred.
3
“The tulips are red” - like Offred’s dress, Serena Joy - gardening - the garden is fertile yet she is
not (?) (irony), “something for them to order and maintain and care for” - outlines Serena Joy’s
character motivations - cannot yet place her maternal instincts upon a child, Serena Joy’s life -
“From a distance it looks like peace”, “She isn’t here now” - Serena Joy is not at peace (is
anyone in Gilead? Especially women). Makes scarves “for children”, in the future. “It’s good to
have small goals that can be easily attained” - cynical misogyny amongst women, Offred’s cold
side.
Serena Joy: “you’re the new one.” - purposefully depersonalises Offred - seeking to undermine
her, insecurity, “blocking the entrance” - petty show of power. Cigarette - rebelling, must have
come “from the black market” - first clear example of rule breaking in Gilead. “But what did I
have, to trade?” - what can Offred offer when she has no rights. Serena Joy finds out it’s
Offred’s third placement - “Not so good for you either” - jaded, bitter, Wives only around for
biblical and traditional reasons, absence of loving relationships. “My husband. I want that to be
perfectly clear.” - asserting dominance, possessiveness as a result of this insecurity. The Wives
“can hit us”, “Scriptural precedent”.
Remembers where she saw Serena Joy from, but cannot acknowledge this as it is strictly
forbidden to discuss the past world, “Growing Souls Gospel Hour”, “Bible stories for children”.
“was Serena Joy. Or had been once. So it was worse than I thought.” - “it” - the society, Gilead.
Serena Joy as powerful, had control/freedom - and yet is in a similar position to Offred.
Contradictory image - religion but rebellious cigarette.
4
Epigraph, Ch. 1-20
Epigraph:
Genesis 30:1-3, relationship with Bible clear from the beginning - KEY, offers Bilbah as a
surrogate of sorts, story of Rachel and Jacob, Old Testament - vengeance/fear - indicative of
much of Offred’s emotions throughout the story.
Jonathan Swift, ‘A Modest Proposal’ - making ‘joke’ of eating children of poorer families, Irish
satirist, humour, birth rates, monetizing birth, role of women in society.
Sufi proverb - “In the desert there is no sign that says, Thou shalt not eat stones.” - we don’t
prohibit things that nobody would never want to do anyway, dire circumstances (like in Gilead),
link between prohibitions and desire established (e.g. Offred & touch/intimacy).
I: Night
1
Oppression and control, Handmaids communication and daily lives heavily restricted. Watched
by Aunts and protected by ‘Angels’. “We slept” - Offred is not unique - she realises this - unlike
Winston (‘1984’ - Orwell - key A03 comparison for literary context) she is not convinced she is
different - no massive betrayal, does not acknowledge herself, awake vs sleeping (‘The Eyes’).
“what had once been the gymnasium” - feels post apocalyptic, youthful freedom, repurposed -
Puritanical ideas, implies modern, Gilead does not invent anything. Memory and old emotions in
strict new world order.
Gym = for schools, infantilisation of handmaids. “There was old sex in the room and loneliness”
(loneliness as key theme). Order of events is ambiguous. “spaces between” - physical
separation, “could not talk”. “No guns though” about the Aunts, only men get guns. KEY - “we
still had our bodies”, only asset in Gilead. Exchanged names - assert their personhood, small
act of rebellion. “U.S” still on army blankets - now Gilead, the country has undergone name
change like Offred has.
II: Shopping
2
Small acts of rebellion, stripping away humanity - idea people don’t need connection. “removed
anything you could tie a rope to” - window “only opens partly” - designed to be suicide and rebel
proof, immediately establishes quality of life of the Handmaids. “thought must be rationed” -
mindset designed to restrict women, to hold the Handmaids/Wives in their designated
, hierarchical place. “not a prison but a privilege, as Aunt Lydia said, who was in love with
either/or.” - has to enforce, fine with whatever, disciplinarian, can’t have choice. Handmaid’s
clothes - “to keep us from seeing, but also from being seen” - seen as an extension of the wives.
Room - “not my room, I refuse to say my” - no personal investment, her job is
temporary/fleeting. Colours for roles, “the one assigned to me” - impersonal, an understandable
lack of passion or enthusiasm about what she must do. Rita and Cora - also women hurt by
Gilead’s restrictions yet anti-women in the subject of their gossiping, disunity. Talking about “the
Unwomen” (codified a woman’s inability to have children, stripping away gender identity). About
the Handmaids, Cora - “not what you’d call hard work”, Rita - “Better her than me.” - gossiping
as a form of rebellion - still a need to share and connect with others in spite of harsh restrictions.
“it’s the red dress she disapproves of” - red dress represents her role and value in society, a
colour (superficial) tied to worth. “Stabbed her with a knitting needle, right in the belly. Jealousy,
it must have been” - Handmaid/Wife violence explicitly mentioned - tensions between Serena
Joy and Offred. “I hunger to commit the act of touch.” - ‘commit’ connotates a crime, which it is
for Offred.
3
“The tulips are red” - like Offred’s dress, Serena Joy - gardening - the garden is fertile yet she is
not (?) (irony), “something for them to order and maintain and care for” - outlines Serena Joy’s
character motivations - cannot yet place her maternal instincts upon a child, Serena Joy’s life -
“From a distance it looks like peace”, “She isn’t here now” - Serena Joy is not at peace (is
anyone in Gilead? Especially women). Makes scarves “for children”, in the future. “It’s good to
have small goals that can be easily attained” - cynical misogyny amongst women, Offred’s cold
side.
Serena Joy: “you’re the new one.” - purposefully depersonalises Offred - seeking to undermine
her, insecurity, “blocking the entrance” - petty show of power. Cigarette - rebelling, must have
come “from the black market” - first clear example of rule breaking in Gilead. “But what did I
have, to trade?” - what can Offred offer when she has no rights. Serena Joy finds out it’s
Offred’s third placement - “Not so good for you either” - jaded, bitter, Wives only around for
biblical and traditional reasons, absence of loving relationships. “My husband. I want that to be
perfectly clear.” - asserting dominance, possessiveness as a result of this insecurity. The Wives
“can hit us”, “Scriptural precedent”.
Remembers where she saw Serena Joy from, but cannot acknowledge this as it is strictly
forbidden to discuss the past world, “Growing Souls Gospel Hour”, “Bible stories for children”.
“was Serena Joy. Or had been once. So it was worse than I thought.” - “it” - the society, Gilead.
Serena Joy as powerful, had control/freedom - and yet is in a similar position to Offred.
Contradictory image - religion but rebellious cigarette.
4
