Recently, and especially in 2017, when Donald Trump was inaugurated as President of the United States, Women’s Marches occurred all over the United States. In many of these marches, women used symbols from Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale, such as red cloaks and white bonnets (Hauser). ‘Nolite te bastardes carborundorum’ perhaps the most quoted phrase of The Handmaid’s Tale meaning ‘Don’t let the bastards grind you down’ became a feminist rallying cry during those women’s marches. The Handmaid’s Tale, which was written in 1985, regained popularity and relevance due to a rising political power of Christian fundamentalists, which led to attacks on women’s rights, particularly women’s reproductive rights (Armstrong).
The Handmaid’s Tale made way for similar feminist novels exploring dystopian futures, such as Christina Dalcher’s Vox (LaMonica). Vox and The Handmaid’s Tale are both set in a dystopian future in which the U.S. has become a theocratic state. The women in Vox suffer by being limited to speak only one hundred words a day, while women in The Handmaid’s Tale are forced into circumscribed roles, for example the role of the Handmaid. These women are subject to ritualized rape. The society in The Handmaid’s Tale is reminiscent of societies in former human history, notably the Puritan society (Atwood Age of Trump) whereas the society in Vox is more futuristic and influenced by modern technologies, as this work will show.
In this thesis, the patriarchal power structures of the dystopian societies in Vox and The Handmaid’s Tale will be analyzed by examining the sexual politics of patriarchal societies and state power as well as the use of language and punishment. I argue that both novels explore overt and subtle patriarchal structures, which have different impacts on the protagonists’ identities. The protagonists differ in their strategies of resistance and process their struggles differently. While Jean in Vox angrily holds on to her dominant and bold personality and is actively involved in the resistance against the Pure state, Offred is in pain and even numb and passively retreats to her memories and thoughts. Offred’s resistance is less politically motivated but rather anchored in her feelings on a personal level.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The sexual politics of patriarchal societies
2.1. Sexual politics by Millet
2.2. Sexual politics of the patriarchal societies in The Handmaid’s Tale and Vox
3. Discipline and Punish
3.1. Discipline and Punish by Foucault
3.2. Discipline and Punishment in The Handmaid’s Tale and Vox
4. Power and Resistance
4.1. Power/Knowledge by Foucault
4.2. Resistance in The Handmaid’s Tale and Vox
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis investigates the patriarchal power structures within the dystopian societies of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Christina Dalcher’s Vox. By applying the theoretical frameworks of Kate Millet and Michel Foucault, the study analyzes how these regimes maintain state control through the regulation of sexual politics, language, and physical punishment, ultimately exploring how the protagonists resist such oppression and form their identities.
- Analysis of patriarchal ideologies and state power dynamics in dystopian fiction.
- Examination of the use of language as a tool of repression and resistance.
- Comparative study of surveillance mechanisms and bodily discipline in Gilead and the Pure State.
- Assessment of the protagonists' strategies in navigating and challenging state control.
- Application of feminist theory to the Madonna-Whore dichotomy and sisterhood.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2. Sexual politics of the patriarchal societies in The Handmaid’s Tale and Vox
As stated above, Hannah Arendt argues that governmental power is supported through violence or consent (qtd. in Millet 26). In the dystopian worlds portrayed in The Handmaid’s Tale and Vox governmental power is obtained and kept up through violence; here in form of punishment and discipline, which will be further discussed in the third chapter. However, this chapter explores how governmental power is obtained through consent. The societies of Gilead and the Pure state maintain patriarchal power through their class and household or family system, underlying biological and anthropological ideologies, economic and educational policies and the destructive psychological effects these have on the psyche and behavior of the characters, mainly of the protagonists.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction establishes the cultural context of the novels, specifically citing their relevance to modern feminist movements, and outlines the theoretical approach used to analyze the dystopian power structures.
2. The sexual politics of patriarchal societies: This chapter defines key theoretical concepts like sexual politics and patriarchy, while comparing how Gilead and the Pure State enforce rigid class systems and domestic roles to maintain dominance.
3. Discipline and Punish: Focusing on Foucault’s disciplinary theories, this section examines how both regimes use surveillance, bodily control, and the "art of punishing" to suppress individuality and enforce compliance.
4. Power and Resistance: This chapter explores the symbiotic relationship between power and knowledge, analyzing how the protagonists actively or passively resist the regimes' attempts to control discourse and history.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the research findings, highlighting how both novels serve as cautionary tales regarding the fragility of rights and the ongoing struggle against patriarchal power relations.
Keywords
Patriarchy, Dystopia, Sexual Politics, Resistance, Surveillance, The Handmaid’s Tale, Vox, Michel Foucault, Kate Millet, Discipline, Power, Language, Gender Roles, State Control, Intersectionality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research?
The work examines the patriarchal power structures in The Handmaid’s Tale and Vox, focusing on how these dystopian societies exercise control over their citizens.
What are the core thematic fields covered in the study?
The central themes include sexual politics, the impact of state-enforced class systems, the role of surveillance and technology, and the nature of resistance against authoritarian regimes.
What is the primary research goal?
The research aims to analyze how state power is reinforced through consent and violence, and how the protagonists' strategies of resistance impact their individual identities.
Which scientific methods are applied to the literature?
The analysis utilizes literary theory, specifically applying Kate Millet’s theories on sexual politics and Michel Foucault’s concepts of discipline, punishment, and power/knowledge.
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body systematically analyzes how both dystopian states manipulate biology, religion, education, and language to maintain dominance and silence their populations.
Which keywords characterize this analysis?
Key terms include patriarchy, resistance, surveillance, state control, and gender roles within a dystopian framework.
How do Gilead and the Pure State differ in their use of technology for control?
While Gilead utilizes more physical, archaic methods of punishment, the Pure State leverages advanced technology, such as "word counters," to exert psychological control and limit speech.
What is the significance of "sisterhood" in the analyzed societies?
The study argues that these regimes actively work to prevent female bonding and sisterhood because such solidarity poses a direct threat to the stability of patriarchal structures.
- Citar trabajo
- Anonym (Autor), 2019, Nolite te Bastardes Carborundorum. Reading Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" and Christina Dalcher's "Vox" in Dialogue, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/593978
