The Handmaid’s Tale
November 2024
, Gilead
• Gilead emerges as a
consequence of the President of
the United States and members
of Congress being assassinated
by ultra-conservative religious
fundamentalists in a coup.
• Government that emerges is a
totalitarian, patriarchal
theocracy.
, Hierarchy In Gilead
• After the assassination of the President and Members of Congress, people were encouraged ‘to continue o
usual’.
• Any changes are initially presented in the guise of protection as ‘roadblocks began to appear and Identipas
but ‘everyone approved of that, since it was obvious you couldn’t be too careful’.
• Gilead has been constructed by the Commanders at the Sons of Jacob Think Tanks where ‘the philosophy a
social structure of Gilead were hammered out’.
• The society is hierarchical, patriarchal and relies on hegemonic power (the dominance of social group over
another in society).
• The return to family values is predicated on biblical precedent as expected of a theocracy.
• They believed that the ‘best way to control women for reproductive and other purposes were through wom
themselves’.
• According to the historical notes, ‘there were many women willing to serve as aunts because of a genuine b
in what they called “traditional values”, or for the benefits they might acquire’.
• By fulfilling the role as aunts, they escaped being considered redundant and being sent to the colonies whe
many of the inhabitants were used as ‘expendable, toxic cleanup squads’. (Pg 262)
November 2024
, Gilead
• Gilead emerges as a
consequence of the President of
the United States and members
of Congress being assassinated
by ultra-conservative religious
fundamentalists in a coup.
• Government that emerges is a
totalitarian, patriarchal
theocracy.
, Hierarchy In Gilead
• After the assassination of the President and Members of Congress, people were encouraged ‘to continue o
usual’.
• Any changes are initially presented in the guise of protection as ‘roadblocks began to appear and Identipas
but ‘everyone approved of that, since it was obvious you couldn’t be too careful’.
• Gilead has been constructed by the Commanders at the Sons of Jacob Think Tanks where ‘the philosophy a
social structure of Gilead were hammered out’.
• The society is hierarchical, patriarchal and relies on hegemonic power (the dominance of social group over
another in society).
• The return to family values is predicated on biblical precedent as expected of a theocracy.
• They believed that the ‘best way to control women for reproductive and other purposes were through wom
themselves’.
• According to the historical notes, ‘there were many women willing to serve as aunts because of a genuine b
in what they called “traditional values”, or for the benefits they might acquire’.
• By fulfilling the role as aunts, they escaped being considered redundant and being sent to the colonies whe
many of the inhabitants were used as ‘expendable, toxic cleanup squads’. (Pg 262)
