'There is more than one type of freedom, freedom to and freedom from...' How does Atwood's presentation of oppression influence your understanding of the novel?

Authors Avatar

‘There is more than one type of freedom, freedom to and freedom from…’ How does Atwood’s presentation of oppression influence your understanding of the novel?

In The Handmaid’s Tale, a dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood, freedom and oppression are juxtaposing themes designed to warn the reader of the dangers of the country being governed according to religious ideology. The novel takes place in Gilead, a Christian totalitarian and theocratic state, governed by martial law which has replaced the United States of America. Aunt Lydia’s statement, ‘There is more than one type of freedom, freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Don’t underrate it’ is typical of the way in which the new world controls society under the pretence of protection. Society has been divided and everyone is identified by their title, their military rank, if male, or their gender role as Wife, Martha or Handmaid if they are female. The main character and narrator, Offred, is a Handmaid, and her purpose is to produce offspring for the Commander and his wife, Serena Joy, who previously campaigned for traditional female roles.

Gilead is governed by a group of male elite known as the Commanders, who enforce their rule through paramilitary groups known as “Guardians of the Faith”, and secret police called “Eyes”. Every aspect of Offred’s life is strictly monitored and controlled, and the only freedom she can create is through daydreams and memories. She is only allowed out during the day for a short period of time to shop for the family that the state has assigned her to when accompanied by another Handmaid, stating that ‘she is my spy and I am hers’.  This suggests that people no longer trust each other. She must wear a uniform, luxuries such as moisturiser are forbidden and the playing of scrabble is likened to drugs, as all remnants of the old world have been banned. Her real name, which the authorities have replaced with Offred, is never revealed and she is not permitted to use it. This conveys her loss of identity as a new one has been imposed upon her by the state. This status is also defining her in relation to the commander and thus the overarching patriarchal system as the prefix ‘Of’ is followed by the name of her Commander, suggesting that she is owned by him.  Just as the state removes their name it also removes their power to communicate as the Handmaids are only allowed to communicate in set phrases, usually religious, in order to prevent conspiracy and expression of unorthodox ideas. Knowledge is restricted as women do not read, even shop names are in symbol form. All books including the Bible are banned except from those in authority who interpret it as they please. Offred states that, ‘The Bible is an incendiary device: who knows what we’d make of it if we got our hands on it?’  The term ‘incendiary’ suggests that the trouble it could potentially cause would be as great as fire. She later refers to the Bible saying, ‘I know they made that up, I know it was wrong….but there was no way of checking’, suggesting that she is aware that the country’s leaders are manipulating the text in order to control its citizens. Offred realises that restricting the knowledge of its citizens is key to preserving the Totalitarian regime in Gilead, commenting that ‘knowing was a temptation’ and ‘what you don’t know won’t tempt you’. As she is part of the transitional generation she has knowledge from the past that she must control, which is made possible through fear. Future generations, however, will not have this awareness, which acts as a warning to the reader.

Join now!

The citizens of Gilead are controlled through fear, and those who are unorthodox are hung on The Wall as a warning to others. The Wall itself is described in a threatening and sinister manner, most notably the ‘ugly new floodlights’, ‘barbed wire’ and ‘broken glass set in concrete’ creating an oppressive atmosphere. The portrayal of the prisoners hung upon the wall is even more disturbing, as Offred likens them to ‘snowmen, with the coal eyes and carrot noses cut out’ and ‘dolls on which faces have not yet been painted’. The childlike imagery is Offred’s way of taming and ...

This is a preview of the whole essay