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Power Imbalance Between Men and Women

As depicted in The Handmaid's Tale and related back to today's society

Powerful vs. Weak

In the novel "The Handmaid's Tale" it is very apparent that there is a strong power imbalance between men and women, much like society today.

Power Imbalance and what it means for the handmaids and wives

The power imbalance means that the handmaids and wives must answer to The Commander, in Offred's case this means she is to submit herself to the commander so she may bear his child, not only that but all wives and handmaids are expected to answer to The Commanders since they are owned by them

Prior to becoming a Handmaid...

All handmaids were once free women, before society was forever changed. These woman had jobs and homes, some had children and partners. They still face everyday inequality with men that is still seen in today's society. For example unequal pay and the assumption that since they were women they should stay home and keep house while men brought home the income. Offred often speaks of times before these where she could wear whatever she pleased.

When the imbalance became greater...

The imbalance becomes too much when one day laws were changed, women were no longer allowed to own property or take care of their own finances. Offred reflects on this day in chapter twenty-eight when she attempted to use a card at the local store and her number was declared invalid. She was then fired from her job and when she arrived home she became painfully aware that women were also no longer allowed to work. She even speaks of the strain it put on her and Luke's relationship. For example she says "But something had shifted, some balance. I felt shrunken, so that when he put his arms around me, gathering me up, I was small as a doll. I felt love going forward without me." (Atwood, 210) This shows just how much the imbalance changed her outlook on her relationship.

Relating back to society

In today's society you don't see imbalance such as this in most respects. There are still cultures that practice such beliefs and believe that women are not to work or have control of property. Before women's suffrage this was the reality that many women had to face. Although many years ago women fought for their legal rights it is still hard to change the social expectations for men and women. Here we are decades past women's suffrage still facing inequality between men and women.

Concluded

Men are given a substantial amount of power and privilege over women, both seen in today's society and the novel "The Handmaid's Tale". The kind of inequality experienced ranges from extreme to mild in the novel whereas in today's society it has almost been ruled out compared to what women had to face generations ago.

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