Patriarchy In The Handmaid's Tale

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In The Handmaid’s Tale by The Republic of Gilead keeps women suppressed by separating them into designated groups: the Marthas, the Wives, the Econowives, the Handmaids, and the Unwomen, fostering disunity and diminishing the chances of a resistance movement against the society led by men. Throughout the novel, in her interactions with Serena Joy, Ofglen, and Cora, Offred subtly rebels and demonstrates the power, trust, and inexplicable bond of sisterhood that prevails despite the oppression of the patriarchy. From the beginning, Offred senses that she and the Wife will not be friends. After all, the system is setup so that she is having sex with Serena Joy’s husband, an action that is sure to arouse feelings of jealousy and contempt. Wives and Handmaids are separated by their entrances, their clothes, and their rights in the household, but despite these barriers set in place, Offred and Serena Joy manage to plan together as if they were friends. This bond is illuminated in the situation where Serena Joy proposes that she get pregnant with Nick. In a similar situation, when the doctor offers to help get Offred pregnant, she…show more content…
It's like a spiderweb. If one part of that web vibrates, if there's trouble, we all know it, but most of the time we're just too scared, or selfish, or insecure to help. But if we don't help each other, who will?”. The Republic of Gilead is a society built on fear, separation, and hate, an interconnected web where if one individual steps out of line, all will feel the repercussions. Many citizens are taught not to speak out when they see acts of violence, and Gilead seeks to numb the society to inhumane acts. However, despite the Republic’s efforts to intimidate and segregate the women of the society, the women manage to, with small acts of kindness and loyalty, show that though it may be weakened, the flower of sisterhood still fights to bloom, even in the most adverse
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