Who is Responsible?

Last class someone posed the question "Is Gilead a matriarchal or patriarchal society?" The Handmaid's Tale has intrigued me with its ambiguous story line and at this point in the book (about half way) details are starting to become more clear. At first glance it appears as though men have total control. The women are divided into different positions, such as handmaids or wives, where they are forced to perform repetitive and tedious tasks. The author's use of colours, creates a vivid image of what Gilead is like; "The mirrors have been replaced here too by oblongs of dull grey metal..." The women are deprived of many comforts and Gilead appears sterile, almost factory-like. Women are there for the soul purposed of producing and raising (although we haven't witnessed this yet in the book) offspring. In the past chapters we just read we discover that the commanders have access to books, writing utensils, and even games. We also discover that they still have a hard time finding pleasure in these things. It appears as though the community is not benefitting anyone. By depriving women of happiness, they (whoever they are) are subsequently hurting the men. The commander complains about lacking companionship, and that his Wife no longer listens to him. I began to sympathise with the commander, a character that I originally disapproved of. Offred also discovers that the Wife has the final say about Offred's fate, if she is found secretly meeting the commander in his office. If this is a patriarchal society, I would assume that the commander has final say, but clearly women have more power than I originally believed. Particular statements that Aunt Lydia makes, referencing the irreparable status of women in the past, makes me believe that there are some women in Gilead who believe that this society is in favour of women, making room for the possibility that women are responsible for this atrocity. I can't comprehend how someone could actually preach the idea that liberation comes through denial of freedom. I understand that without options, there is no opportunity to make the wrong choice, but whose to say that the ultimatum that the women are given is the right choice?

I don't want my question to remain unanswered. I am desperate to find out how such a place came to be in order to reassure myself that something like this could never happen to me. I hope that as Offred attempts to bury her past, I will be able to uncover more details.

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