The Bible and Western Culture 1.The Bible as Political/Philosophical Statement The Handmaids Tale Margaret Atwood The dystopia depicted in Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale is a patriarchal society that prides itself in the protection of women. The marked hierarchy of power and status revealed here cannot be denied and the societys attitude towards women is as anti-feminist as many could ever imagine. The society in which those without power are not only weak but ignorant is reminiscent of the early Middle Ages when only the highly educated and powerful were able to read, and even fewer were able to read the Bible. The society described by Offred has almost a puritanical flavour to it. The Gileadean religious attitude is one based on only a few exclusionary Biblical ideas. Gilead is a perfect example of the danger of using the Bible too literally. Although Biblical references, themes, laws and images are found consistently in Gileadean society; the selective nature of the passages used by the Commanders for enforcing laws and ideas ensure that they will not be contradicted, but supported by the Bible. This phenomenon can be seen in the use of the creation story (Genesis 1-2); the story of Jacobs wives Rachel and Leah (Genesis 30:1-8), and the ideas of salvation as seen by the Gileadean society.The story of creation found in the first two chapters of Genesis is alluded to and explicitly used in The Handmaids Tale. The story is recounted rarely by those who are not in a power position and always to reinforce the ideas and laws set out by the Gileadean society. The Commander of the house where Offred is stationed reads to the household periodically, with little variation and always with the same purpose. Offred says, Its the usual story, the usual stories. God to Adam, God to Noah. Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. The passages are drilled in to everyones mind. There is to be no question as to whether or...
