What is the main theme in the handmaid tale?

The Handmaid’s Tale argues that legally controlling women’s reproductive freedom is morally and politically wrong. The suffering of Offred and the other Handmaids is directly caused by the Gileadean state’s desire to own and control women’s fertility.

What is the climax of the handmaids tale?

The novel’s climax arrives when Offred gives in to the urge to express the part of herself which has been most repressed: her sexual desire. Her desire for Nick is doubly forbidden. Under the Gileadean regime, Offred is forbidden from touching any man apart from the Commander.

What caused infertility in Gilead?

But what’s the cause? In The Handmaid’s Tale, infertility is linked to another one of Gilead’s prominent problems: pollution. As revealed in the season 1 episode “A Woman’s Place,” inorganic farming and radioactivity are to blame for declining fertility.

What is the falling action of the handmaids tale?

Falling Action Serena Joy finds out about Offred’s outing to the club, and confronts both Offred and the Commander. Soon afterwards, an Eye van arrives to take Offred away. Nick comes up to tell her that they are really Mayday operatives and to trust him, so Offred does.

Who are the keys in Handmaid’s Tale?

Keyes is a child bride who has been taken advantage of by dozens of men that her Commander had invited over in the past in hopes of producing a child. After enduring what she’s gone through, it makes sense that she’s so passionate to help Mayday and the handmaids.

Why can’t the wives in Gilead get pregnant?

Being a Wife is regarded as a high honor in Gilead. Only women perceived as being ‘pure’ and moral are given the ‘privilege’ of marrying. (Handmaids, for example, could never be Wives, due to their controversial nature). As a result, Wives have to ‘share’ their husbands with Handmaids, in order to get a child.

What does the phrase under his eye mean?

“Under His Eye” refers to the Christian God, as God is supposedly always watching the Handmaids and their every move, since the Republic of Gilead, the extremist religious society they live in, is “blessed.” The phrase also refers to the powers that be, the very human elements of Gilead’s society.

Why can’t the commanders Wives have babies?

The Commanders get the credit for a pregnancy whether it’s their baby batter at work or not, and the Wives get the blame for a lack of of a pregnancy whether it’s their non-starter eggs at work or not. The result being, the Wives look more on the hook for fertility issues than they likely actually are.

What happens if a handmaid can’t get pregnant?

If, after the third time, they are not able to produce a living, healthy baby, they will be sent off to the Colonies to face certain death. Handmaids that become infertile or reach a certain age without having ever conceived are also sent to the Colonies, as are women who refuse to become Handmaids.

Is there any truth to the Handmaid’s Tale?

The Handmaid’s Tale is NOT based on a true story. The drama is science fiction, set in a dystopian future where a totalitarian regime has overthrown the US government and created the Republic of Gilead. But the show, based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel of the same name, is inspired by religious and political history.

What is Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale?

The Republic of Gilead, colloquially referred to as simply Gilead or the “Divine Republic”, is the totalitarian, theonomic, and neo-Puritanical regime that takes over most of the continental United States of America in The Handmaid’s Tale. The regime can be seen as the overall main antagonist of the novel.