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

Authors Avatar

Mariella de Souza              13DGJ

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”, 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” 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 characteristics true of dystopian novels, Winston and Offred are forced to obey imposed conditions, those of robbed freedom, continuous surveillance, and a post war or revolution setting. Their personal rebellion against society allows the reader an insight into the flaws of the character’s surroundings and initially provides optimism for the future as with any dystopian novel.  Both characters are well delineated and serve the purposes that their authors intended; not simply to be successful protagonists, rescuing their societies from the abyss of evolving hatred but rather more as simple microcosms of ordinary citizens, suddenly plunged into a new realm of extremist politics, that have stemmed from 20th century government roots.

     As 1984 details Winston Smith in the third person compared to Offred’s first person narrative, it makes it easier to gain a broader perspective of Oceana’s environment yet – not necessarily works - to form a greater intimacy and empathy with Offred. In comparison to 1984, the Handmaid's Tale is more like the perspective of a common woman, who knows relatively nothing of the doings of the government. Unlike Winston, Offred rarely, if ever, entertains thoughts of rebellion, but rather more often thoughts of suicide. Nevertheless, the pain and misery of her situation is evident to all.  As 1984 progresses, it is harder to empathise with Winston with his perceptions of his wife and proles being so stereotypical, it invites skepticism. 

     Both characters are introduced in their rooms generating a feeling of living in a trapped environment. The constant comparison of humans to animals throughout the novels is initiated in the openings, alluding to zoos as though the people of Oceania and Gilead are observed in cages. However, according to one Holocaust survivor of extremist 20th century politics under the Nazis, his recipe for survival arose:

Join now!

Precisely because the Lager was a great machine to reduce us to beasts, we must not became beasts... one must want to survive... to bear witness; and that to survive we must force ourselves to save at least the skeleton, the scaffolding, the form of civilization”

As a result, aside from indoctrination, it is necessary for Winston and Offred to stay alive, to warn future generations. Offred survives through conforming to laws, whereas the torture Winston endures leaves his body to undermine his spirit.

      Offred begins her story in an environment where ‘Aunts’ carry “electric cattle prods ...

This is a preview of the whole essay