Something interesting I noticed in The Handmaid’s Tale was all the flower imagery. I remember one distinctive scene where Serena Joy is “cutting off the fruiting body” because the “tulips have had their moment and are done, shedding their petals one by one” (153). At first, I really thought nothing of that line. However, upon closer analysis, I realized the hidden significance. Tulips are typically red, and the irises that replace them are generally a blue color. These flower colors definitely parallel Offred’s red dress and the blue characteristic of wives, like Serena. When Serena Joy is cutting of the “fruiting body” of the red tulip, it seems as if she is trying to cut off the womb of the red Offred. Thus, Serena is jealous and feels threatened by Offred’s fertility. In addition, the blue irises replace the red tulips, which could possibly represent Serena Joy’s desire to overtake and control Offred.

Another creative part of The Handmaid’s Tale is Offred’s name. When I first started reading, the meaning of the name seemed obvious. Offred is simply “Of Fred” because she must submit to the Commander, Fred. However, Michael then told me about how the name could also be read as “Off red.” Such reading suggests that she could rid of the red which is the color of “everything except the wings around her face” and “defines” her (8). Therefore, it foreshadows that Offred may become engaged in some sort of resistance and will stop being defined by the red color that she must wear. I finally thought of another possible way to look at the name Offred. The name “Offred” is very similar to the word “offered.” I feel like Offred is offered to the society and people around her. It’s interesting to note that Offred “is offered” is in passive voice, so Offred is perhaps very passive and submits to the men and society around here. Once Offred starts offering something herself, she will be active and assertive. The multiple meanings of Offred really show Atwood’s brilliance.

I also want to discuss the scrabble encounters because they are such and important part of the novel. They seem to be some sort of forbidden sexual desire. Even the dialogue used in the encounters indicates sexual undertones. When the Commander “held it a moment, casually enough, between thumb and finger, as if deciding whether or not to give it to men,” the Commander seems to be offering Offred some sexual object or even his sexual object (156). However, it is simply a women’s magazine that Offred wants “with a force that made the ends of [her] fingers ache” (156). Offred wants the magazine with such a “force” that it truly seems sexual. However, I wonder what the actual relationship between the Commander and Offred is. Are they truly equals? While the Commander flirts with Offred, he also makes some belittling comments. In addition, he also is a father figure because he tries to protect Offred. As I read on, I’m especially going to take note of the relationship between them. Maybe, Offred’s and Nick’s relationship could parallel their relationship.

I definitely did not expect The Handmaid’s Tale to be so explicit and racy. However, Offred’s crude language characterizes her as a unique and strong woman. . One distinctive scene is during the sex in Chapter 16. Offred says “My red skirt is hitched up to my waist, though no higher. Below it the Commander is f******” (94). Considering Gildean’s society, I would think that women are not supposed to use such explicit language. However, Offred’s crudeness contrasts from society’s expectations of weak woman. Such explicitness is also present during Offred’s interaction with men. For example, there is considerable sexual tension between Offred and the doctor. During her visit, Offred asks, “Is that his hand, sliding up my leg?” The doctor goes past the acceptable social norms, and Offred doesn’t yield to him so that she can escape her captivity. This reflects some sort of fear within Offred that might be overcome in the future. I am expecting Offred’s strong internal nature to overcome her fearful external nature.

I found the many biblical allusions in the novel to be very interesting. First, all the names like “Angels,” “Guardians of Faith,” and “Milk and Honey” have biblical origins. In addition, Offred says that there is a “return to traditional values” (13). That return to traditional values accompanies a greater focus of the Bible and the values that are present in the Bible. However, the focus of the Bible also means an increased suppression of women. Perhaps, Atwood satirizes and criticizes the values that are present in the Bible. One particularly distinctive biblical reference is the name, Gildean. The “balm of Gildean” traditionally represents a healing agent. Although the society might think that they are healing from the wrongs of the past, it is ironic that healing can be applied to the women in Gildean. Instead, they are hurting under the suppression. I also noticed that the name Martha also has biblical connotations. In the Bible, Martha and Mary were sisters. Martha was a housewife, while Mary was listened to Jesus. Once again, it is ironic that Jesus admired Mary more than Martha, but the society in Gildean society seems to uphold Martha as the ideal woman. Such an interpretation suggests that Atwood criticizes some interpretations of the Bible especially those that are against women.

Considering the first 100 pages, I thought the most peculiar part of the novel was Offred’s encounter with the Japanese people and the pregnant woman. What is the comparison between Offred and the Japanese women? In regards to the Japanese women, they represent some sort of forbidden desire. It is ironic that the women wearing “open-toed sandals” and the woman with the belly “swelling triumphantly” both represent a desire for Offred. While the pregnant woman adheres to society’s expectations, the Japanese definitely do not. For Offred, the jealousy towards both women represents her internal conflict about whether to follow society or abandon it. In the future chapters, Offred’s transition and relationships to other men and women will be important. I hope that such a suppressive society won’t be in place for long.

Gender Roles in "The Knight's Tale"

After reading “The Knight’s Tale” through a gender lens, I have a few insights to offer about gender roles in the story.

1. Women are treated as objects. In the beginning of the story, the Duke of Theseus takes Queen Hippolyta, his future wife, and her younger sister Emily after the Duke is victorious over the Amazon. The two women are simply spoils of war for the Duke and the Amazon people. Thus, Hippolyta and Emily are two women that represent the traditional view that women are objects.
2. The Duke of Theseus also represents traditional gender roles as he is a strong male leader. He epitomizes the qualities of men that were admired in traditional times as the Duke is an effective soldier and savior. After the Duke encounters the “company of ladies” that are “all clothed in black,” he acts to save the ladies from their misery by attacking King Creon. It seems that the women needed a man to save them.
3. The women who lost their husbands in war also represent traditional gender roles. The eldest woman says, “For sure there is not one among us all that was not once a duchess or a queen, Though wretches now, as may truly be seen…” The ladies were once powerful and rich but have lost almost everything because they lost their husbands. Chaucer shows that women in those times have great dependence on the men, and many women become lost without their husbands.
4. Victorious knights are always men, as Arcita and Palamon are. Knights are always men because of their inherent and natural strength. Thus, women were generally regarded as the weaker sex. The only purpose that women serve in “The Knight’s Tale” is through love and beauty. The main conflict of the story occurs after Arcita and Palamon both fall in love with Emily because of her beauty. The knight’s only care about Emily’s beauty and don’t bother with discovering her wit, personality, or charm.
5. Each of the gods also represents the traditional gender roles. Venus, the goddess of Love, is female. Mars, the god of War, is male. Diana, the goddess of chastity, is female. Females are associated with love and chastity, while men are associated with war and brutality.
6. If we consider the relationships between women and men, then women seem to be simply objects of love for the men as all the women are flat characters. For Theseus, Hippolyta and Emily were simply objects for him to win. However, Theseus does respect their views and opinions at one point in the story. After Theseus is about to kill both Palamon and Arcita for disrespecting his wishes, the women plead to Theseus not to kill them as they get “Down on their knees they then began to fall, Read to kiss his feet as there he stood.” However, this passage also shows that women are generally more emotional. In addition, the women are subordinate to Theseus as they get down on their knees. ‘
7. The men are protectors of the women. Theseus protects the group of miserable ladies, and Arcita and Palamon fight to protect Emily. There is no meaningful relationship between the two knights and Emily. All of them are simply bound be sexual desires and lusts. In this case, Emily represents a sexual desire for the two knights as many women did in those times. In addition, Emily is said to have “womanly compassion” which shows that compassion is generally associated with women.
8. There are some characters and events that represent non-traditional gender roles. At the end of the story after Arcita dies, Theseus “wept upon [Arcite],” and Palamon had garments “stained with many a tear.” Thus, the men are represented as emotional characters especially in times of death. However, Emily, the woman, is the “most sorrowful of the company” even though she barely knew Arcite. It may be because women have some sort of unspoken duty to their husbands.
9. Venus, although she is the God of love, is actually the strongest of the three Gods in the story as the narrator says, “That men might see that neither wit nor wealth, Beauty or cunning, bravery or health Can challenge Venus or advance their worth.” The Goddess is actually portrayed as the strongest, which goes against the notion that males are generally stronger than females.
10. It is difficult to pinpoint Chaucer’s attitude towards these characters. I think that he places love above strength because Palamon eventually wins Emily over Arcite. While Palamon appeals to the Goddess of love, Arcite appeals to the God of War, and love is ultimately victorious in the end. From the beginning of the story, the author generates more sympathy towards Palamon. Palamon sees Emily first, but Arcite still tries to take Emily for Palamon. In addition, Palamon must spend an extra seven years in prison, while Arcite had the opportunity to fight against Theseus.
11. Chaucer also shows that women cannot always be won as objects of war. Although the winner of the war is supposed to win over Emily, Arcite doesn’t actually win Emily. Instead, the one that truly loves Emily wins her. This could be a possible message that love conquers strength and women ultimately conquer men.
12. Despite some non-traditional gender roles, Chaucer still portrays the women as emotional and weak. They cry over their husbands and cry the most at death. In addition, men are the stronger ones as they are knights and the ones that are engaged in death and brutality. Chaucer presents most of the human characters within the rigid gender roles of the time. When he presents the female that has a non-traditional gender role, Venus, she is non-human. Perhaps, Chaucer suggests that human gender roles are hard to break while non-human gender roles are easier to break.
13. There is acceptance of the emotional men within the society so the other characters don’t have contempt for men that stray from their traditional gender roles. Since none of the human women seem to stray from their gender role, it is hard to deduce other characters’ attitudes towards non-traditional roles held by females.