An essay written as extra work, graded A, on the theme of Theocracy in The Handmaid's Tale.
Note: the essay was a practice essay submitted to a teacher prior to studying quotes and hence, it focuses predominantly on the theme and not the quotes.
Theocracy
The theme of theocracy is a major theme in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. The novel
takes place in a dystopian society where a totalitarian regime known as Gilead has taken power
and enacted stringent rules based on their religious beliefs. The society is based on the
principles of a theocracy, in which the religious beliefs of the elite who are in charge are used to
justify their oppressive policies and their power.
Religion is a tool that the Gilead regime uses to control the people. Religion serves as a
justification for the oppressive policies and power they wield, which they call the "Commanders."
They assert that they are carrying out a "divine plan" for society and that they are doing so in
the name of God. The population's thoughts and beliefs are manipulated through religion in
order to prevent them from challenging the regime's authority. The novel demonstrates how, in
the name of religion, theocracy can be used as a tool to control and manipulate individuals by
removing their rights and autonomy.
The novel also looks at how the lives of people living under the theocracy can be affected. The
protagonist of the novel, the handmaids, are compelled to bear children for the ruling elite
because they are unable to conceive on their own. Their sole function is to act as reproduction
vessels. The regime uses religious beliefs to justify this, as the handmaids are seen as carrying
out a role that was given to them by God. The handmaids are also expected to adhere to the
religious beliefs of the regime and are restricted in their ability to practice their religion.
The power of religion to resist the regime's control is also the subject of the novel's
investigation. Offred, the main character, struggles with the oppression she goes through and
how it affects her mental and emotional state. Offred is able to maintain her own values and
beliefs in spite of the regime's attempts to control her and its use of religion to justify its actions.
Through her inner thoughts and memories, as well as her relationships with other characters
who give her a sense of hope and community, she is able to resist the regime's control.
The Handmaid's Tale is, in conclusion, a potent investigation of the concept of theocracy. The
novel demonstrates how a regime can justify its oppressive policies by using religion to control
its citizens.
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