The ‘Prayvaganza’ ceremony in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ highlights the perversion of religion,
the abhorrence of the regime, and the regime’s approach to logic and romance, as young
girls are married off to “newly decorated” “Angels”, with no say of their own.
As Offred and Ofglen enter the “Prayvaganza”, Offred comments on the purpose of their
attendance; not genuine religious commitment, but “to demonstrate how obedient and pious
we are”. This displays the replacement of faith with performance, and the necessity of the
women of Gilead to “demonstrate” their piety, in order to secure their safety. The women live
in a constant state of fear in Gilead, desperate to prove their religious zeal, to protect
themselves. This is a key theme in Offred’s life, where she appears obedient in every
situation.
The perversion of religion in Gilead is also displayed as Offred notes the “banner” “draped
above the door” as they enter the Prayvaganza location, which states “God is a national
resource”. A key theme in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ is the state’s use of religion to justify its
regime, as seen through the use of the “Rachel and Leah story” from the Bible to justify the
servitude of the Handmaids in bearing children for Wives, and the use of religious
commandments about modesty to restrict women's lives. The state has mechanised,
exploited, and secularised religion, as seen through the “God is a national resource” banner,
which reflects the transformation of a benevolent deity into a “resource” for the state’s use, in
propaganda and the subjection of people to their force.
This “Prayvaganza” is for a “group wedding”, where “twenty Angels”, “newly returned from
the fronts”, are given wives from Gilead’s “supply” of daughters “in white”. The marriages
display the state’s brutal efficiency, as they are “arranged”; any love is removed from the
equation, as Gilead prefers brutal logic over emotion. This is exemplified in one of the
epigraphs at the start of the novel from “Jonathan Swift’s ‘A Modest Proposal’”, a book in
which babies are eaten to reduce poverty. In the eyes of the state, it is most logical to “start
them young” - marry the girls who are, at minimum, “fourteen”, because “there’s not a
moment to be lost”. The state’s brutal efficiency reflects the regime’s deeply ingrained belief
that their “policies” are moral and righteous; even the highest ranked in the regime, the
Daughters, are still subjected to abhorrent treatment, forced into a loveless child marriage for
the sake of the regime. It is also logical, in their view, to marry the highest ranking daughters
to the “newly decorated” Angels who’ve returned from the front. This shows the hierarchical
nature of Gileadean society, which is dictated by what the state views as ‘efficient’.
Offred wonders, as the girls stand, alone, at the front of the crowd, whether they “remember
anything of the time before, playing baseball, in jeans and sneakers, riding their bicycles”.
She then evaluates that “they’ll remember”, as they were old enough to remember their lives
in the “time before” when the regime overthrew democracy. This is a harrowing reminder to
the audience of how quickly freedom can be stripped away and rights can be abolished, as
these girls, who are now being forced into marriage, were, in living memory, completely free
from the state’s restrictions. Offred then also notes how quickly regimes are able to become
normalised as children grow up under them. She notes how after a few years, the girls
“won’t” remember anything before, “they’ll have always been in white, in groups of girls;
they’ll have always been silent.” This is a harrowing reminder of the speed of normalisation,
and the ability of a regime to solidify itself in history by erasing any memories or history of
freedom.
the abhorrence of the regime, and the regime’s approach to logic and romance, as young
girls are married off to “newly decorated” “Angels”, with no say of their own.
As Offred and Ofglen enter the “Prayvaganza”, Offred comments on the purpose of their
attendance; not genuine religious commitment, but “to demonstrate how obedient and pious
we are”. This displays the replacement of faith with performance, and the necessity of the
women of Gilead to “demonstrate” their piety, in order to secure their safety. The women live
in a constant state of fear in Gilead, desperate to prove their religious zeal, to protect
themselves. This is a key theme in Offred’s life, where she appears obedient in every
situation.
The perversion of religion in Gilead is also displayed as Offred notes the “banner” “draped
above the door” as they enter the Prayvaganza location, which states “God is a national
resource”. A key theme in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ is the state’s use of religion to justify its
regime, as seen through the use of the “Rachel and Leah story” from the Bible to justify the
servitude of the Handmaids in bearing children for Wives, and the use of religious
commandments about modesty to restrict women's lives. The state has mechanised,
exploited, and secularised religion, as seen through the “God is a national resource” banner,
which reflects the transformation of a benevolent deity into a “resource” for the state’s use, in
propaganda and the subjection of people to their force.
This “Prayvaganza” is for a “group wedding”, where “twenty Angels”, “newly returned from
the fronts”, are given wives from Gilead’s “supply” of daughters “in white”. The marriages
display the state’s brutal efficiency, as they are “arranged”; any love is removed from the
equation, as Gilead prefers brutal logic over emotion. This is exemplified in one of the
epigraphs at the start of the novel from “Jonathan Swift’s ‘A Modest Proposal’”, a book in
which babies are eaten to reduce poverty. In the eyes of the state, it is most logical to “start
them young” - marry the girls who are, at minimum, “fourteen”, because “there’s not a
moment to be lost”. The state’s brutal efficiency reflects the regime’s deeply ingrained belief
that their “policies” are moral and righteous; even the highest ranked in the regime, the
Daughters, are still subjected to abhorrent treatment, forced into a loveless child marriage for
the sake of the regime. It is also logical, in their view, to marry the highest ranking daughters
to the “newly decorated” Angels who’ve returned from the front. This shows the hierarchical
nature of Gileadean society, which is dictated by what the state views as ‘efficient’.
Offred wonders, as the girls stand, alone, at the front of the crowd, whether they “remember
anything of the time before, playing baseball, in jeans and sneakers, riding their bicycles”.
She then evaluates that “they’ll remember”, as they were old enough to remember their lives
in the “time before” when the regime overthrew democracy. This is a harrowing reminder to
the audience of how quickly freedom can be stripped away and rights can be abolished, as
these girls, who are now being forced into marriage, were, in living memory, completely free
from the state’s restrictions. Offred then also notes how quickly regimes are able to become
normalised as children grow up under them. She notes how after a few years, the girls
“won’t” remember anything before, “they’ll have always been in white, in groups of girls;
they’ll have always been silent.” This is a harrowing reminder of the speed of normalisation,
and the ability of a regime to solidify itself in history by erasing any memories or history of
freedom.
