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The Role Of Religion In The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood

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Religion forms an essential role in the lives of many people establishing their perspective of the world. In the dystopian novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood devastation occurs once the military alliance shoots the president as well as congress members, leading to the enforcement of Christian Ideology leaving the citizens in a totalitarian state. New regulations were formed once the United States was renamed the Republic of Gilead, resulting with new laws derived from the bible which deprived many Gileadean citizens from their rights. Throughout the novel distorted biblical allusions and christian ideology are utilized from within the Old Testament in order for the patriarchal regime to show efficiency towards citizens. Moreover, …show more content…
The new republic lacks discrepancy between religious rights due to the integral state religion forced upon the society. In regards to the new state laws there is absolutely zero tolerance for non christians, people of color, or the LGBT community. In fact, “children of Ham” (Atwood, 83) is a reference incorporated in the bible in regards to Genesis10:6 that justifies religious groups use of racism towards people of color. The Republic of Gilead conveys rituals such as Prayvaganzas celebrating the conversion of catholic nuns choosing state religion in which a ceremony takes place and citizens must attend. Furthermore, another ritual displayed in the novel is the salvaging where execution occurs towards any non law abiding citizen. For example, the government’s regulations has enforced anyone found guilty of gender treachery to be hanged and displayed on the wall due to committing the sin of homosexual acts that are forbidden in the Old Testament (NKJ, Leviticus 20:13) therefore also in …show more content…
In fact, the center in which Offred and the other handmaids were taught is also called the Rachel and Leah center giving a biblical allusion. With the regime assigning new state laws under the sons of Jacob they have converted Gilead into a militarized state under strict surveillance. As Atwood stated, “For the eyes of the lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to know himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him” referencing to (11 Chronicles 16:9) indicates the Eyes of God in Gilead that are utilized to spy on the citizens that might be breaking state laws. Moreover, on page 19 Atwood states, “blessed be the fruit she says to me, the accepted greeting among us” referring to the allusion in the bible known as (-Deuteronomy: 4). This emphasizes how christian ideology is even utilized in greetings in hope of blessing the wishes of a handmaid in a future pregnancy since the birth rate in Gilead is nadir due to pollution and if they fail to bear a child they will get punished by getting sent to the

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