The Dystopian Society Of Margaret Atwood s The Handmaid...

The dystopian society of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is a society where women are subjected to a life of childbearing. The toxins produced by humans themselves are the cause of infertility in most cases. To keep the population alive, the few fertile women are forced into a life where they are raped in order to bear children. These crude rapings are thought to be validated from the Bible. Genesis 30:1-3 is a passage that is relative to the Gileadean rationale, â€Å"And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. 2 And Jacob s anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God s stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? 3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.† No emotions are present in these government sanctioned rapes. In fact, it is illegal for any affection to occur. Why has sex become so emotionless? Are women merely a tool for society to remain alive? The government of Gilead does not allow women to read, write, hold property or jobs, vote, or anything that might allow them to subvert their husbands and the government. Women are of no use besides to keep the government functioning. Offred, the protagonist, is commissioned to serve the commander Fred and his wife Serena Joy. A commander is a man of elite status whose wife is sterile. Each commander is designated aShow MoreRelatedThe Handmaid s Tale By Margaret Atwood1249 Words   |  5 PagesDystopian Research Essay: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood In the words of Erika Gottlieb With control of the past comes domination of the future. A dystopia reflects and discusses major tendencies in contemporary society. The Handmaid s Tale is a dystopian novel written by Margaret Atwood in 1985. 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