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The theme of freedom in: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood -…
The theme of freedom in: The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Freedom to rebel
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The name of the group is 'Mayday' which is code in modern day terms as 'help me', this movement is underground which seeks to help people in Gilead escape
We see how several handmaids, including Offred, band together to provide information to a resistance group, known as the Mayday movement
The theme of freedom emerges very strongly when we consider the freedom of people in Gilead to rebel
The end of the novel highlights Offed's escape from the Commanders house, although it is unclear where she goes, it is strongly suggested that the Mayday group helped Offred escape her life as a handmaid and the oppressive regime of Gilead
We are also told of the cost of the freedom to rebel, according to another handmaid, Gilead discovers that Ofglen is a part of the movement and before they manage to arrest her, Ofglen kills herself
Freedom of movement
Following the overthrow of the US government, the Gilead regime denied people the right to enter and leave the country
Some people including Offred her husband Luke and their child attempted to escape into Canada but we're caught by the police of Gilead, it is not known if Luke made it into Canada
Offred is sent to the Rachel and Leah Centre (Red Centre), where she will be brainwashed and turned into a handmaid, Offred had no say in the matter and was forced to become a handmaid
The level of risk that Moira had to engage in shows how much freedom of movement is valued both by her and by the regime that goes to such lengths to restrict it
Moira is an example of expressing her freedom of movement, when she escapes the Red Centre, this is seen as a major symbolic power for Offred 'We were losing taste for freedom', 'Moira was like an elavator with open sides...'
Freedom to love
The theme of freedom comes int ogreater focus when we analyse the freedom to fall in love, this seems to be the most unlikely freedom for Offred; her marriage has been nullified and has been sent to live with the Commander and Serena Joy
Offred is forced to take part in a monthly impregnation ceremony with the couple, the author goes goes into detail to show the uncomfortable situation is in: Offred must lie while the Commander has intercourse with her in the marital bed of the Commander and Serena Joy
The Commander tries to express his freedom to love with Offred, he asks her to kiss him. Furthermore, the Commander takes Offred to Jezebels, where they have intercourse again but not in the ceremonial fashion that Gilead has dictated
Offred tries to detach herself from the ceremony, saying that it is not 'making love' nor 'copulation' nor 'rape'
Nick and Offred fall in love, we can notice a connection between the two at the start of the novel ('He looks at me, and sees me looking,' says Offred. 'He begins to wistle. Then he winks.'
Serena Joy arranges for both Nick and Offred to have intercourse in order for Offred to become pregnant, after this Offred begins to see Nick in his appartment on her own accord and at her own risk, the government of Gilead forbids any relationships between individuals
Freedom of expression
The government of Gilead imposes strict laws to regulate an individuals ability to express themselves
Offred must use phrases set by the Gilead gov. : 'Blessed be the fruit' and 'May the Lord open', handmaids are forbidden to use any language that may be seen as subversive, their names are also decided based on who they belong to
Handmaid's are also not allowed to express themselves in a non verbal way, as Offred explains handmaids must wear a long red robe, red gloves and a red shoes topped off with a white headpiece, the Gilead gov. decides what its citizen must and must not wear with each member of society told what to wear in allignment with their function
Despite all the measures put in place, Offred is able to express herself during the 'Night' sequences as she puts it: 'the night is mine, my own time, to do with it as I will, as long as I am quiet'
Offred learns to express herself through subjugation towards the commander, through this she is able to ask the Commander about Gilead and crucially what 'Nolite te bastardes carborundorum' a phrase inscribed in Offred's room