In what ways can The Handmaids Tale be considered a feminist novel?

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Handmaids Tale

In what ways can The Handmaids Tale be considered a feminist novel?

The Handmaids Tale is narrated by an oppressed woman, so it is to

be expected that feminism becomes a recurring theme. Women have no rights

or money unless they have a valid marriage to a man. They are given few

options and if they are fertile they can become sex slaves and seen as a

womb on legs to Commanders or choose to go to the colonies.

Infertile women or unwomen are seen as having no use so they

automatically go to the colonies where they will die from disease or

radiation. Their use and status is totally dependent on their

relationships with men and ability to have children. Women are used by

men and treated as far inferior, in Gilead women are the men’s

property. The handmaids especially and they are given

their names in the household reflect this such as Offred and OfFred.

They can be disposed of at will, even the Commanders Wives have

little real importance and are given menial tasks such as ordering

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prayers at Soul Scrolls and knitting the Guardians scarves.

Maybe it just something to keep the Wives busy, to give them a

sense of purpose..

But this concept of women being extensions and property of men is one

used in our own society. Though mostly out dated now Mrs Peter

Watson is similar to Ofglen. But practically all terms

for women are the extension of the term for men Mr/s, fe/male,

wo/man. This leads to the idea that Atwood is really just exaggerating

the current situation of the world. The second quote at the beginning of

the book from ...

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