Based on the popular novel of the same name The Handmaid’s Tale by Canadian writer Margaret Atwood, this series was created for television by Bruce Miller for streaming on the Hulu platform. The story is based in the not so far future where human fertility has dropped as a result of rampant sexually transmitted diseases and evolution pollution. It is a story of modern-day slavery, classification, and oppression of the people by their government. The text, as the name suggests, is a narration of The Handmaid’s Tale. Handmaids are considered the most important and yet insignificant people in the new societal hierarchy and this is a narration of their challenges in interacting with other people. The focus of this paper shall be on episode 9 and the role it plays in the ultimate portrayal of the narrative.
What Argument Does the Text Portray?
The strong themes of societal injustice, inequality, and oppression are aimed at reminding the viewers of the unheard plight of some individuals in the society. The modern-day colonization depicted in the text is a reminder of the fact that human voice is not overcome by time and can still be revisited and is perhaps, still the case although it is concealed to deter questions and rebellion. The constant attempts made by the handmaids to free themselves from the oppression by those in power are a depiction of the relenting human spirit and a motivator for continuous trial despite failure. This text foresaw a time where the oppression of the people of a country would be at the hand of the administration and it, in turn, motivates perseverance and constant trial in achieving whatever heart’s desires one has. In this context, human desires form the basis of everything; the desire to have children despite the rampant infertility, the desire to be free that most of the characters in Gilead long for, and the desire for normalcy, something that has been long unheard of.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The argument posed by the writer is that ultimate desire can overcome anything just as the handmaids in this text do whatever it takes to achieve their freedom despite their long odds. The ninth episode still continues with the same context and plot as the other episodes. We still see how the desire for liberty drives Offred to trick her commander into taking her back to Jezebel so as she can acquire the package necessary for the fight of their freedom. The desire for freedom is what drives Moira to get the package and send it to Offred. The same desire drives her to take the life of one of her clients so that she can impersonate him for her escape to freedom. Most significant is how Ofdaniel attempts suicide to attain freedom. She is willing to pay the ultimate price to escape Gilead.
The Purpose of the text
Although this is a television show that is meant for entertainment based on the fact that the show is only available on Hulu, a pay-to-view platform the theme and context of the show support the assumption that the text was meant to educate the audience. The fact that in the text the problem that led to the formation of the dictatorial regime is mentioned is aimed at educating the viewers on the important role the environment plays in the sustaining human life and fertility (Atwood, 2017). Additionally, the sexually transmitted diseases having played a role in the destruction of fruitfulness are aimed at sensitizing the viewers on the dangers of reckless sexual behaviour.
Intended Audience
The purpose of the original text that was written was to create an awareness of the possibility of oppression at the hands of those responsible for our protection. In the text, the handmaids who are undoubtedly the most important people as they are the only ones capable of giving birth are oppressed by those in power. The text is therefore meant for everyone who is under any form of rule. It is also intended for warning the people against oppression by their rulers. Additionally, the gender inequality is aimed at emphasizing its existence even our time.
Culture, Socialization, and Social Grouping
As clearly evident from the fixed dressing codes for the different social classes, the text depicts an authoritarian rule which believes in the social classification with the handmaids and the jezebels being at the very bottom of the social pyramid. The new Gilead regime is a totalitarian regime that bases most of its cultural beliefs and social norms on the writing of the Bible as is evident with the various beatitudes used by the characters (Hammer, 1990). For example, Commander Fred's wife comforts her cook in the kitchen using one.
The women are oppressed and suffocated in the society which accords near-godly status for men and reduces women to caretakers and ‘baby-making machines.’ The culture supports modern-day slavery as is evident with the existence of the handmaids who are forcefully raped under the new laws of the land. Freedom has been replaced with subtle dictatorship with individuals being hung for rebellion against the rule that oppresses them.
The Application of the Feminist Theory
As depicted, Gilead is a place where the supremacy of the male is outrageous. The female, on the other hand, is treated almost as an accessory or livestock with the woman’s responsibilities being limited to caring for the household and baby-making in the case of the handmaids (Magro, 2013). Written by a woman, the text seeks to illustrate the distinct differences in gender roles. The text transports the viewer to an era reminiscent of the past where women could not own property, vote, or even hold a public office (Neuman, 2006). In Gilead, the women cannot own property, they cannot work, and they virtually do not have a voice in the society. A clear application of the feminist theory.
Images and Texts Used
In order to clearly depict the dire state of things in the nation of Gilead the writer and the director of the show chooses to use uncensored imagery and texts (Phan, 2013). In the ninth episode there are clear instances where censorship is omitted particularly in the scene where Ofdaniel has ceremonial sex with Commander Daniel. The scene which includes the wife and husband with their handmaid who is reluctant to the act emphasizes on the plight of the socially weak as portrayed by the handmaid. The vulnerable are at the mercy of the strong who in most case do not care even to listen. Ofdaniel is forced into having intercourse with Commander Daniel whether she feels like it or not.
The language used in the text is American English. This is based on the fact that the new regime Gilead is based in the previous United States of America. However, the clear social stratification is evident even in the way the characters speak. The characters from the lower castes in the society such as Offred and Ofdaniel use vulgar words in their speech on occasion. This is contrary to the high-class characters who use proper and dignified language in speech. This stems from the fact that the handmaids and women were denied among other things the right to receive a formal education and thus their knowledge in English could perhaps be limited. Secondly, the choice of words particularly the use of vulgar terms could be a vocal representation of the frustration they deal with every day in their lives. For example, in the scene where Ofdaniel is on the bridge threatening to jump with the baby Charlotte she says, “Was I crazy when I sucked your dick?” The choice of words illustrates Ofdaniel’s frustration, pain, and bitterness.
The efficiency of the text in the delivery of the intended purpose for the audience.
Having watched the show for the very first time, it stirred in me the curiosity of the fact that if we do not take care of the world we live in and ourselves, then we might end in a time where life is hard to live. The governments in place will have to come up with some stringent measures to ensure the preservation of human life. The text is very efficient in motivating self-examination of the viewer, and the constant resilience of the handmaids and some jezebels such as Moira encourages tenacity in the pursuit of anything.
The use of multimodal elements, narratives, and metaphors in the text.
Unlike purely reading the original text, the show in itself is an example of a multimodal element. First, the show physically portrays the characters, which helps the viewer to identify different characters quickly. They then can be able to receive a lot of information that is passed through non-verbal communication. A clear example is when Janine leaves the Putnam residence. The lining up of the handmaids to bid her farewell emphasizes the unity between the castes, the collective responsibility they had for each other and helps us further understand the relationship between Janine and Offred.
The use of narratives in the form of flashbacks helps further provide information about the characters, and some situations in the text. For example, the flashback that Offred has before she is woken up to go and assist with Janine’s case helps emphasize the steadfast love and psychological connection Offred has with her missing husband and child. It also helps highlight the reason for her resilience, and explains in part her motivation to join the resistance; to find her long lost family. The information passed through narratives helps the viewer build on the understanding of the characters and the storyline.
Metaphors are often used in the text. The point of metaphor use is to conceal some information from parties that are not supposed to acquire it. For example, the metaphors used in the text protect the handmaids and members of the rebellion from being understood by the Eye (the spies).
Conclusion
A continuation of the plot and story of the handmaids and the challenges they face, the text clearly depicts their plight with the visual aids and non-censorship helping to elicit a deeper emotional response from the viewer. The text was properly written and directed so as to establish the bridge between fiction and possible reality.
Reference
Atwood, M. (2017). Margaret Atwood on What ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’Means in the Age of
Trump. The New York Times .
Hammer, S. B. (1990). The World as It will Be? Female Satire and the Technology of Power
in" The Handmaid's Tale". Modern Language Studies , 39-49.
Magro, C. (2013). 'His was the power and the money and the influence': the dominant male
figure in women's literature with reference to the novels' Jane Eyre','Wide Sargasso sea','The handmaid's tale'and'Not without my daughter' (Bachelor's thesis, University of Malta).
Neuman, S. (2006). ‘Just a Backlash’: Margaret Atwood, Feminism, and The Handmaid's
Tale. University of Toronto Quarterly , 75 (3), 857-868.
Phan, G. (2013). Sex (duality): Exploring Constructions of Gender in 20th Century
Speculative Fiction (Doctoral dissertation, Emory University).
