The Handmaid System and Resistance

The systemic oppression of Handmaids and the various forms of resistance, from escape to Particicution.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Life of a Handmaid

A Controlled Existence The Red Dress Handmaids are forced to wear red dresses and white bonnets. They are assigned to households to bear children for Commanders. They are not allowed to read or write. They are stripped of their names. Their only value is their fertility. The Ceremony Once a month, the Handmaid lies between the Wife's legs while the Commander performs the ritual. It is a dehumanizing act. The Handmaid is expected to be grateful for the opportunity to atone for her past sins. The Failure If a Handmaid fails to conceive after several postings, she is sent to the Colonies, where she is forced to clean up radioactive waste until she dies. The threat of the Colonies is used to enforce compliance. But some Handmaids still resist.

The Underground Femaleroad

A Secret Network The Escape Routes Handmaids and other women escape through a network of safe houses and guides. The route goes through Vermont, Maine, and into Canada. The Quakers and other groups help. Mayday provides funding and intelligence. The Role of the Aunts Some Aunts, like Aunt Lydia, secretly assist the escapees by providing information on security patrols. The microdot system is used to communicate with Mayday. The operation is high-risk, but it has saved hundreds of women. The Crackdown Commander Judd's forces are constantly trying to shut down the routes. After the break-in at The Clothes Hound, the network is severely damaged. But it is not destroyed. The escape of Agnes and Nicole, along with the microdot, gives the network a new lease on life.

The Particicution as Control

A Ritual of Violence The Spectacle Particicutions are public executions where Handmaids tear apart condemned men. The event is meant to channel the women's anger and to terrorize the population. It is also a form of entertainment for the elite. The Handmaid's Rage During the Particicution of Dr. Grove, the Handmaids are frenzied. They pull out hair and tear off limbs. The violence is a release for their pent-up frustration. It also serves to bind them to the regime through shared guilt. The Witnesses Agnes, Nicole, and Becka are forced to watch. Nicole is horrified; Becka faints; Agnes feels a grim satisfaction. The Particicution is a reminder of the brutality of the system. It also motivates the resistance: the desire to end such horrors.

throughout Gilead's existence

throughout Gilead's existence, especially during the time of the story

throughout Gilead's existence, with specific events in the story