Summary
Summary The Handmaid's Tale - characters
- Module
- Unit 2 - Prose
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
Notes on the major characters of the novel
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
Content preview
CharactersOffred
- Protagonist and first-person narrator
- Handmaid of commander and serena joy, former wife of Luke, lover of nick
- Never learn her real name – Offred means of Fred
- Little known about her physical appearance – brown hair, 33 years old
- Had a daughter before Gilead with Luke – about 25
- Moira – her best friend from college
- Rocky relationship with her mother – radical and outrageous
- Rebellious and sometimes violent in her thoughts
- Full of passionate memories
- Seems stolid and devout to outsiders – does her best to obey Gilead’s laws
- Keen observation and honest emotions despite the terror and brainwashing – demonstrate limitations
of Gilead’s power over its subjects
- Could be judged for her passivity
The commander
- Head of the household and husband of serena joy
- Wears a black suit and has grey hair
- High-ranking official of Gilead – could have played a large role in its construction
Breaks many laws – goes to sex club at jezebel’s, spends time with Offred
- Attributes his misogynistic attributes to nature
- Cares for Offred’s wellbeing and wants to know her opinion on controversial matters
Serena joy
- Commander’s wife
- Unable to have children – requires Offred’s services
- Before Gilead – a singer who became famous on tv for her emotional Christian music
Used to give speeches about how women ought to be housewives
- Spends time gardening with nick’s help and knitting scarves for soldiers despite her arthritis
- Resentfully ignores Offred
Towards the end – encourages Offred to try and get pregnant by having sex with nick
Nick
- Commander’s driver, serena joy’s helper in the garden and Offred’s lover
- Official position is a guardian – seems to be low-ranking
Has not been assigned a woman
- Roguishly rejects Gilead’s strictures – rolls up his uniform sleeves
- Found trustworthy by commander and serena joy – get his help for their own misdeeds
- Secretive and discreet – Offred can never figure out what he’s thinking
- Question of true alliance questioned at ending – postscript notes suggests he was working for the
resistance
Luke
- Offred’s pre-Gilead husband and father of her daughter
- Previously married and had a long affair with Offred before divorcing his wife
- Offred passes a lot of time remembering him – seems to have frequently been at odds with her
emotions
Doesn’t seem distressed when Offred loses her job and must cede all her money to him
Lacks sympathy or sexist?
- After failed escape – Offred imagines many fates for him
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller clempitrat. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £2.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
79789 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now