Sexual Politics in the Handmaid's Tale

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Moira remains a beacon of hope for Offred throughout her time from the Red Center to Gilead under constant rule of guards, Eyes, and her Commander. After a long period being a handmaid to the commander in Gilead, he takes interest in Offred and later brings her to an illegal brothel called Jezebel’s. There Offred sees Moira working as a prostitute. She tells Offred the story of how she tried to escape, but was eventually caught trying to cross out of the country on a boat. When the Eyes caught her, she was tortured, and then shown video of her possible punishment, being sent to the Colonies. The Colonies were where women were sent for misbehaving; the video depicted women cleaning up radioactive material and dead bodies. Moira was given the choice to work there or Jezebel’s. After telling her story she wants to try and help Offred and suggests that she start working there too. But Offred is too surprised at Moira’s sudden change of perspective on life. Where was the Moira that inspired the hope of a new, free, life? “She is frightening me now, because what I hear in her voice is indifference, a lack of volition. Have they really done it to her then, taken away something— what?—that used to be so central to her?” (306) Offred has tried to live her life with the courage that Moira possessed back at the Red Center but even she was eventually broken both mentally and physically. Although Moira pretends everything is alright and acts like her spirit isn’t broken, it is, and Offred knows it. She has lost her true identity and has finally succumb to the totalitarian government of Gilead.

In the beginning of the novel, Moira represented a free spirited, strong-willed, and rebellious character. From day one she resented the idea of being kept under watch and having many of your personal freedoms taken away. She was the bravest of all the women and through her determination and will, she was finally able to successfully escape from the Red Center. Though her freedom was short lived, she tried to not let her oppressors break her down. But through the hegemonic government of Gilead and the male dominated sexual politics, she was forced to become a prostitute or risk certain death. A women forced to please men sexually will eventually lose almost all of her self-identity and spirit, and the government of Gilead knew that. They disgraced and humiliated Moira to become someone she is not, and that is why any type of hegemonic government should not be allowed to exist. Nor should there be any place where sexual politics are male dominated because it causes the vast majority of women to suffer both mentally and physically.

I used this online version of the text with page numbers for The Handmaid’s Tale

http://www.novelas.rodriguezalvarez.com/pdfs/Atwood,%20M.%20''The%20Handmaid's%20Tale''-Xx-En-Sp-Xx.pdf