Throughout history the powerful few have at times seized control of a state and exercised their power and influence in a manner that inflicts great damage to a few for the benefit of the many, or so they allege. To further their agenda these dictators vilify a small group in society by alleging that they are subversive and represent a danger to society. This pattern of persecution can be observed as far back as the 1500s in the Spanish inquisition, in the 1700s with the Salem Witch Hunts or more recently in Nazi Germany. The persecuted in all of these tragedies share in common at least one thing: virtually no representation and voice for their just cause against the violation of their rights. This historical pattern is compellingly reflected
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For instance, Offred’s unwarranted complacency serves as a barrier between herself and action against Gilead, and sowes disunity amongst persecuted women, specifically in the Commanders house. Both the inaction and disunity among feminists were present in society and Offred before Gilead, its continuity allows the Gilead regime to grow in strength. While Offred was given numerous opportunities to aid in the Mayday group, a group aimed to overthrow Gilead, and while she supports the group in their purpose and is friends with the member Ofglen, she never fully joins the group herself. By contrast Ofglen, an avid supporter of the Mayday group, continuously serves the cause, even to the point of suicide, an act which saves both Mayday and Offred who states “I feel thankful to her. She has died that I may live. I will mourn later.” (Atwood, 286). Despite her inaction, Offered did still initially believe and hope for the success of Mayday, but as the novel progresses, Offred becomes more satisfied with her role as Handmaid, possibly due to her relationship with Nick and the Commander(Bloom,81). In fact, her intensifying complacency and unwarranted satisfaction is remarkably similar to her attitude to the inequality women faced before Gilead, but is now much more extreme. Offreds continuous paralysis in the end proves that she is not a feminist icon, or saviour, nor was she meant to be, a fact Atwood has made clear in her portrayal of Offred, describing her as “an ordinary, more-or-less cowardly woman (rather than a heroine)"(Weiss). The lack of a unified front from lower class working women like the Handmaids, to Marthas and even to the Econowives in Gilead allows for the regime’s continued success. Gilead is able to remain powerful through exploiting the class system and maintaining this division among women, “The result of the micro-stratification in Gilead is the
For instance, Offred’s unwarranted complacency serves as a barrier between herself and action against Gilead, and sowes disunity amongst persecuted women, specifically in the Commanders house. Both the inaction and disunity among feminists were present in society and Offred before Gilead, its continuity allows the Gilead regime to grow in strength. While Offred was given numerous opportunities to aid in the Mayday group, a group aimed to overthrow Gilead, and while she supports the group in their purpose and is friends with the member Ofglen, she never fully joins the group herself. By contrast Ofglen, an avid supporter of the Mayday group, continuously serves the cause, even to the point of suicide, an act which saves both Mayday and Offred who states “I feel thankful to her. She has died that I may live. I will mourn later.” (Atwood, 286). Despite her inaction, Offered did still initially believe and hope for the success of Mayday, but as the novel progresses, Offred becomes more satisfied with her role as Handmaid, possibly due to her relationship with Nick and the Commander(Bloom,81). In fact, her intensifying complacency and unwarranted satisfaction is remarkably similar to her attitude to the inequality women faced before Gilead, but is now much more extreme. Offreds continuous paralysis in the end proves that she is not a feminist icon, or saviour, nor was she meant to be, a fact Atwood has made clear in her portrayal of Offred, describing her as “an ordinary, more-or-less cowardly woman (rather than a heroine)"(Weiss). The lack of a unified front from lower class working women like the Handmaids, to Marthas and even to the Econowives in Gilead allows for the regime’s continued success. Gilead is able to remain powerful through exploiting the class system and maintaining this division among women, “The result of the micro-stratification in Gilead is the