Aunt Lydia tells the handmaids that there are 2 kinds of freedom: freedom from

and freedom to. How does Atwood present ideas about freedom in this novel?

The Handmaids Tale, one of Margaret Atwoods most celebrated works, uses the
central theme of freedom and confinement throughout the novel, outlined in one
of the novels most famous quotations, freedom from and freedom to. In the
novel, Atwood is examining freedom, and the lack of, in society today through the
lens of the totalitarian Republic of Gilead.

The lack of freedom in the book is highlighted almost immediately, when in the
second chapter of the novel tells of how there is no glass in her room, and how
the window only opens partly and is shatterproof. The escape-proofing of the
window highlights immediately for the reader that the Handmaids within the
novel are captives; they are held against their will doing a job that they do not
wish to do, and hence escape is a serious risk the Handmaids are simply
glorified prisoners. This image is enhanced earlier with reference to the removal
of the glass, as well as the later hints that theyd removed anything that you
could tie a rope to. Not only are they prevented from escaping but they are
prevented from taking their own lives. To the reader, of course, this seems
sensible - however the very fact that they have had to do this hints that it may be
preferable for the Handmaids than the situation they are in, and hence the lack of
freedom they must have, not just physically within the room but within the
wider Gilead society, is clearly shocking and that is without examining the
darker route that they do not even have the option to take their own life.

The illusion of freedoms and choice is another theme that runs throughout the
book, used as a criticism by Atwood on modern society. During the Ceremony,
we are told that our Handmaid didnt have much choice, but there was some.
On initial examination, this would appear to demonstrate a level of freedom for
the Handmaids, but that is without seeing the alternative certain death, sent to
clear toxic waste off the planet. Therefore, the Handmaids were only given the
impression of having a choice, as by rejecting to become a Handmaid they were
sentencing themselves to certain death. Although this does not appear to be a
state execution, that is effectively what it is, and hence by including this choice
Atwood is making a comment on the lack of certain choices within modern
society - especially for women, feminist critics would argue, being that this novel
is written off the back of the second wave feminist movement. Furthermore, the
fact that they were given two options to choose from is not freedom at all as
Marxist critics argue, freedom is not quantitative, it is absolute or not at all, and
here the latter is true.

Shockingly, even the very appearances of the Handmaids are restricted within
the novel. The outfits they were are likened to that of a nun, a sister dipped in
blood. The total coverage of their bodies is a form of oppression in society that
falls within the freedom from category the handmaids are given freedom
from their own bodies. Many other literary works use the idea of appearance to
segregate characters, as is prevalent works of dystopian fiction take Lord of the
Flies, for example, when one group uses body paint to indicate their descent into
madness. Atwood was further influenced by the Holocaust, and hence the
segregation in appearance here is not dissimilar to that of the Star of David used
to identify Jewish people at the time of the way. The use of blood is far from
Aunt Lydia tells the handmaids that there are 2 kinds of freedom: freedom from
and freedom to. How does Atwood present ideas about freedom in this novel?
accidental, and refers not just to the colour of their outfit and the fertility it
represents, but also segregates the Handmaids out and uses blood to represent
the pain that they feel in reference to their segregation, as well as being an
indicator of danger, creating symbols of danger and leading to isolation and a
lack of freedom.

It is clear that the Handmaids are extremely restricted, however it is important

to recognise that, in Gilead, men are victims too. Take, for example, the way in
which The Commander, a senior official in Gilead, is forced to creep around going
to Jezebels as it is illegal. The fact that he even has the facility to do this,
however, demonstrates that he has far more freedom than the handmaids do
themselves.

Sorry its not quite finished!