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Crime and Punishment
King Lear
Lord of the Flies
Macbeth
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How to Write Literary Analysis
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The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood
Study Guide
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Study Guide
Infographic
Summary
Summary & Analysis
Chapters 1–3
Chapters 4–6
Chapters 7–9
Chapters 10–12
Chapters 13–15
Chapters 16–21
Chapters 22–25
Chapters 26–28
Chapters 29–32
Chapters 33–36
Chapters 37–40
Chapters 41-44
Chapters 45–46 & Historical Notes on The Handmaid’s Tale
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Offred
The Commander
Serena Joy
Moira
Luke
Aunt Lydia
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Protagonist
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Setting
Genre
Allusions
Style
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Questions & Answers
What is a Handmaid?
Why does the Commander want to see Offred alone?
Why does Offred agree to have sex with Nick?
What happened to Offred’s daughter?
Who are the Eyes?
How did Offred become a handmaid?
What does Offred’s name mean?
Why are women forbidden to read or write?
What is the significance of Cambridge, Massachusetts, in The Handmaid’s Tale?
What is significant about the words that Offred plays in Scrabble with the Commander?
What is the purpose of the Japanese tourists Offred and Ofglen meet while shopping?
What is the significance of Offred’s tattoo?
Why doesn’t Offred reveal her name when she records her story?
What was Ofglen’s role in Mayday?
What is the function of the chapter titled “Historical Notes”?
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Important Quotes Explained
By Theme
Complacency
Identity
Role of Women
Imprisonment
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Chapters 1-3
Chapters 4-6
Chapters 7-9
Chapters 10-12
Chapters 13-15
Chapters 16-21
Chapters 22-25
Chapters 26-28
Chapters 29-32
Chapters 33-36
Chapters 37-40
Chapters 41-44
Chapters 45-46
By Character
Offred
The Commander
Serena Joy
Moira
Aunt Lydia
By Symbol
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Harvard University
The Handmaids’ Red Habits
A Palimpsest
The Eyes
By Setting
Gilead (formerly Cambridge, Massachusetts)
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Chapters 1-5
Chapters 4-6
Chapters 7-9
Chapters 10-12
Chapters 13-15
Chapters 16-21
Chapters 22-25
Chapters 26-28
Chapters 29-32
Chapters 33-36
Chapters 37-40
Chapters 41-44
Chapters 45-46 & Historical Notes on The Handmaid's Tale
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Context
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Character List
Analysis of Major Characters
Themes, Motifs & Symbols
Essays
Historical Context Essay
Literary Context Essay
Central Idea Essay
Mini Essays
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What Does the Ending Mean?
Further Study
Suggestions for Further Reading
Related Links
Movie Adaptations
Margaret Atwood and The Handmaid's Tale Background
Quick Quizzes
Chapters 7-9 Quiz
Quick Quizzes
Chapters 7-9 Quiz
1
of 5
What was Offred's daughter doing in the picture that the authorities showed Offred after taking her daughter away?
Playing with other children
Crying in a dark cell
Holding a strange woman's hand
Laughing with Offred's husband
2
of 5
How do Econowives feel about Handmaids?
They dislike them
They envy them
They feel deep sympathy for them
They truly love them
3
of 5
Why is the Commander's presence outside of Offred's room peculiar?
He's holding a package
He's not supposed to be there
He's completely naked
He's supposedly on vacation
4
of 5
When Offred remembers their cheap motel rooms, what does Offred regret about her time with Luke?
Having extramarital sex
Having a child
Not appreciating the freedom of having her own space
Hurting another woman's feelings
5
of 5
How does Offred imagine the woman who previously occupied her room?
As morose and boring
As content and complacent
As beautiful but evil
As freckled and lively
Previous section
Chapters 4-6 Quick Quiz
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Chapters 10-12 Quick Quiz
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The Handmaid's Tale
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CHARACTERS
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Every Shakespeare Play Summed Up in a Quote from
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