Ofglen (original)
Ofglen (original) is Offred's shopping partner and a member of the Mayday resistance network, whose quiet piety masks a dangerous secret life. She becomes Offred's first point of contact with the underground, and her suicide after the Salvaging—hanging herself to avoid capture by the Eyes—marks a turning point in Offred's own will to survive.
Identity and Introduction
Ofglen (original) is assigned as Offred's walking partner two weeks after Offred arrives at the Commander's house. She is a little plumper than Offred, with brown eyes, and she walks demurely with her head down and red-gloved hands clasped in front, taking short little steps. Offred knows only her patronymic name—Ofglen—and nothing else about her. During their early walks, Ofglen says nothing that is not strictly orthodox, and Offred cannot tell whether she is a real believer or merely cautious. Offred thinks of her as a woman for whom every act is done for show, but she also recognizes that she must look the same way to Ofglen.
Arc Through the Plot
Ofglen's behavior shifts gradually. She begins to speak first, and she initiates variations in their walking route. Outside Soul Scrolls, she holds Offred's stare in the glass and asks whether God listens to the prayer machines—a question that is treason. When Offred answers "No," Ofglen lets out a long sigh of relief. She reveals the password "Mayday" and tells Offred that there is an us, a network. She warns Offred not to use the password unless she has to, and not to know too many others in the network in case she gets caught. At the Prayvaganza, Ofglen whispers that she knows Offred is seeing the Commander alone and asks what he wants, instructing her to find out anything she can.
Key Actions and Objectives
Ofglen's most decisive act occurs at the Particicution. When a man accused of rape is dragged into the circle, Ofglen shoves through the women in front of her, pushes him down sideways, and kicks his head viciously three times with her foot. Offred is shocked and accuses her of barbarism, but Ofglen whispers that the man was not a rapist at all—he was a political, one of theirs—and that she knocked him out to put him out of his misery. Ofglen also tells Offred that the network can get people out if they are in immediate danger, but Offred, absorbed in her secret meetings with Nick, no longer wants to leave.
Relationships and Conflict
Ofglen's relationship with Offred is built on mutual suspicion that slowly gives way to trust. Offred initially thinks Ofglen may be a real believer, and Ofglen thinks the same of Offred. When they finally cross the invisible line together, Ofglen becomes Offred's only link to the resistance. But Offred's growing involvement with Nick makes her withdraw from Ofglen; she no longer credits her whispers and feels relief when Ofglen gives up on her. The new Ofglen who replaces the original is a stranger, beige-faced and taciturn, who warns Offred against using the word "Mayday."
Change and Ending
After the Salvaging, Ofglen sees the black van coming for her. She hangs herself in her room before the Eyes can take her. The new Ofglen tells Offred this in a quick whisper: "She hanged herself. After the Salvaging. She saw the van coming for her. It was better." Offred feels a great relief and thankfulness—Ofglen has died so that Offred may live—but she also knows that Ofglen may have talked under interrogation. Ofglen's death strips away Offred's sluggishness and forces her to confront her own jeopardy.
Narrative Role and Evaluation
Ofglen (original) functions as a threshold guardian and an ally in Offred's journey. She is the one who opens the door to the Mayday network, providing Offred with the password and the possibility of escape. Her suicide is a stark demonstration of the regime's power and of the cost of resistance. Ofglen's choice to die rather than betray the network stands in contrast to Offred's own abject willingness to survive at any cost. She is a round character, capable of surprising convincingly: the pious, passive woman who turns out to be a member of the underground, and the woman who kicks a man to death out of mercy rather than bloodlust.
