Biblical Allusions In Handmaid's Tale

Religion is a major part of the story. There are biblical allusions in almost every page you read, and this is done very intentionally. This whole society of Gilead is based on principles from the story of Jacob, Rachel, Leah, their servants , and the arrangement they had. Rachel was unable to have children, and so she had Jacob sleep with her servant Bilah, so that she could bear a child for him. Jacob then did the same thing with Leah’s (Rachel’s sister) servant. The servants were then able to bear children for them. And thus the system of using Handmaid’s is established. Gilead is a male dominated society where females are objectified based on this story, and part of a letter from Paul in first timothy that says “ she shall be saved by …show more content…
Many women who weren’t fertile but worked as servants were called The Marthas, based on the biblical character of Martha who was very hospitable and a worker in her home. The women who were secret prostitutes for the Commanders (wealthy men), were referred to as the Jezebels, based on a promiscuous woman in the Bible. The guards were called the Angels, and secret spies to the government were called the Eyes. The Eyes are very strict in enforcing the rules and went by the slogan “ The eyes of God run all over earth” which is a biblical parody of the original quote , “ For the eyes of the Lord run to and throughout the whole earth to show himself strong in behalf of them.” There are also the Sons of Jacob, and the Sons of Ham who are cast out Jews, and cast out African Americans who are repopulated because they do not fit into the ideals of the state of Gilead. The people in The Handmaid’s Tale are not the only biblical allusions in the story. There are store names like “ Milk and Honey”, and “Fish and Loaves”. They also have Prayvaganza, which are mass marriage ceremonies, and Salvagings which is a capital punishment …show more content…
Why would Atwood do this? A literary criticism by Dorota Filipczak, describes how the Bible acts in this story is ambiguous. It is locked away in a special wooden box in all the households and acts symbol for the totalitarian system in place. The main character, a Handmaid called Offred, struggles with the Bible and comments , “ who knows what we’d make of it if we ever got our hands on it”. Even though they are constantly given verses to learn and memorize, and their daily lives are sounded by it, it is very impersonal and out of reach. It is even illegal for Handmaids and other women to read. The Bible isn’t even used for its original purpose anymore, but rather it is a “ trapped text, turned into a lethal instrument because the regime makes it generate oppressive laws. Everyday life in the state is based on principles whose authors claim that they follow the biblical model” (Filipczak). The Bible is no longer used to spread peace and the good news of The Lord, but in order to perpetuate extreme laws. Atwood uses these biblical allusions to help in part of her claim. The Bible and religion themselves are not bad things. However , when they are