Women in Gilead are valued only for child bearing. They are divided into:
Handmaids- These are fertile single women used to bear children for wives that cannot have them. They are distinguished by dressing in red with white bonnets.
Aunts- These are trainers and enforcers that control Handmaids. They dress in brown.
Marthas- These are servants for the elite, usually older or fertile. They dress in grey.
Wives- This refers only to wives of the elite. They dress in blue.
Daughters- Unmarried females until their arranged marriages. They dress in white.
Econowives- These are wives of the non elite or workers. They are expected to bear children as well as be housewives. They don't have Handmaids or Marthas.
Unwomen- These include gay or bisexual women, infertile women, feminists or other dissidents, women who choose to remain single, and nuns. (Gilead, being militantly fundamentalist Protestant, is anti Catholic.) Handmaids who don't bear a child within three years become Unwomen. Unwomen are exiled to labor until death in highly polluted areas.
Jezebels- State sanctioned prostitutes in state brothels. They are sterilized and provide sex for elites. They dress sexy or in cosplay to please the elites.
Men are divided into:
Commanders- Elites who run society. They can have Handmaids and Marthas as well as wives, and may consort with Jezebels. They dress in black.
Eyes- Secret police.
Angels- Soldiers.
Guardians- Police.
Gender Traitors- Homosexuals, who are put to death.
For babies:
Unbabies or Shredders- Those born with birth defects.
Keepers- Those born without defects.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
What is the hierarchy in Gilead as well as the functions and characteristics of each class/group? I know that the Commanders are the first, but what about the others (i.e., handmaids, angels, econowives, guardians, daugters, eyes, wives, commanders, marthas, aunts, unwomen)? I have my english exam in 2 days, and I really want to be ready. THANKS.
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