The Handmaid's Tale and Masculine Hegemony

Is it possible to live in a system that does not create a hierarchy or has society become numb to all the ways we leverage our humanity. Masculine hegemony is the central theme of The Handmaid's Tale as it portrays patriarchal control through religious doctrine, state enforced gender roles and social norms. Gilead is a male dominated society that has normalized the oppression of women through patriarchy.  

Social structures like organized patterns of relationships (The Aunts) and biblical interpretations that are used to control women's bodies, minimize their identities, autonomy, and roles. One example of this is when the character Janine swore and spoke vulgar language while challenging the authority of The Aunts. She was accused of having a rebelious attitude. As a result, her eye is removed and she is encouraged to step back into line. We see Janine's altered personality and think of the Bible verse 'if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out." The loss of Janine's eye has altered her personality, turning her submissive and docile from the serious pain!  

Hegemony is enacted in many other ways at Gilead including social hiearchies and social roles. These structures rely on systems of ranking people along with the expectations and behaviors associated with particular positions in society.  Social class, wealth and assignment of roles determine daily interactions and consequences for breaking these contracts. For example, Offred is a handmaid who is forced to carry a baby for a powerful family.  Offred is exalted in this role because of her fertility but she is also a slave to the highest ranking wife of an elite couple, Serena. Offred carries their baby and patterns of hatred, jealousy and contempt are explored between the women, suggesting that men are also affected within patriarchal systems.