Essay
Power of Sexuality in The Handmaids Tale
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The Republic of Gilead uses sexuality as a source of power to control its population through the roles of the Handmaids, Commanders, and Jezebel.
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Maurizio ImeneoMrs. Nogalo
ENG4U
22 January 2022
Power of Sexuality in The Handmaid's Tale
Across the world, societies diverge from one another regarding what they consider to be
socially preferable or unpreferable notions in terms of sexual activities. In terms of what they
want to avoid or promote, all civilizations have an impact on human sexuality. In Margaret
Atwood’s The Handmaid's Tale, the Republic of Gilead aspires to increase the population in
response to the crisis of declining fertility rates. The Republic of Gilead uses sexuality as a
source of power to control its population through the roles of the Handmaids, Commanders, and
Jezebels.
Handmaids are controlled and oppressed because of their restricted roles in Gilead.
Offred says, “It has nothing to do with passion or love or romance or any of those other notions
we used to titillate ourselves with. It has nothing to do with sexual desire, at least for me, and
certainly not for Serena. Arousal and orgasm are no longer thought necessary…” (Atwood 94).
Any sexual activity is strictly reserved for reproductive purposes and has lost its purpose and
value. Being fertile, the Handmaids are required to take part in sexual intercourse and any
resisting will lead to harsh penalties. The Handmaids’ ability to reproduce is what keeps them
protected; provided they comply with their new unpleasurable duties. Offred states, “My name
isn’t Offred, I have another name, which nobody uses now because it’s forbidden” (Atwood 84).
In the society of Gilead, some women’s identities are removed from their ownership and
replaced with the man who they serve accompanied by an ‘of’ at every beginning. This is
dehumanizing, being deprived of their identities and then being forced to become sexual
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