Oppression In The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood

Oppression is a recurring theme in mankind’s societies; the oppressors often subject the oppressed to unjust treatment. Although it is important to investigate the dynamics between the oppressor and the oppressed, it is also essential to analyze how the oppressed react and relate amongst themselves. Martin Luther King describes the relationships amongst the oppressed in a manner contrary to the unrealistic belief that they would be united in comradery and redemption. In fact he says, “The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.” (King, n.d.) This ideology is pertinent to many contexts, but will specifically be explored in Margaret Atwood’s presentation of gender relations
As a result, Atwood’s portrayal of Gilead and the theme of women becoming sub-oppressors can be further analyzed beyond the fictional context of the book. As demonstrated above, the women in Gilead are oppressed by the established patriarchal societal structure and experience a loss of power. Although modern society is not an extremist patriarchy like Gilead, many elements that comprise a patriarchal structure are still apparent. For example, most CEOs and officials in authoritative positions are men. Since more men hold positions of leadership and power in comparison to their female counterparts, their values and viewpoints resonate throughout society. A prominent example of this is the portrayal of the physical qualities men find attractive in the opposite sex. The media perpetuates this ideal image of women in advertisements and television, further embedding it in society’s culture. This leads women to feel they need to possess the qualities depicted by the media in order to be attractive to men, and are “oppressed” by the expectations society, in particular men, have of them. Therefore, as in Gilead, modern women are oppressed by the patriarchal societal structure, although not to the same extent. By investigating the way women react to this oppression, one will notice many resemblances to the theme related in The Handmaid’s Tale. Nowadays, women are consumed by their appearances; they feel that in order to be accepted by society they need to maintain the desired image. Many women feel powerless over their bodies because they are enslaved by this ideal image, leaving them constantly dissatisfied with their bodies. However, rather than rebelling against this image that is rooted in pleasing men, women behave similar to Serena Joy and Aunt Lydia. In order to lift their