Comparison of Offred and Winston in 1984 and The Handmaid's Tale

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Compare the portrayal of Offred and Winston in novels The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood and George Orwell

As political allegories of both Orwell and Atwood's periods, the two novels were written as satiric statements, warning future generations of the barbaric problems two authors could see their societies regressing back to. The novels deal with the corruption of originally revolutionary ideas where oligarchy takes control, harbouring its inherent evil of unaccountable power and authoritarianism. Deemed as a "female 1984"1, The Handmaid's Tale focuses on female oppression whereas 1984 concerns itself more with Orwell's own idea being "politics is primarily evil" in general. Novel protagonists Winston and Offred, governed by oppressive hierarchical regimes reminiscent of those in the 20th century, are forced to relinquish all knowledge of their pasts in order to accept a new status quo. The deities of these societies are no clear individuals; they symbolise "a mode of activism rather than an individual organisation"2 so for the characters they must change their personal beliefs to adapt to the system, in order to survive. Both characters endure internal struggles, rejecting these values and use mental escapism to maintain an awareness of their environment to avoid 'individual dehumanisation'. Adopting