1989 AP British Literature Question. Explain the use of Biblical allusions and how it advances the work as a whole. Road to Jezebel's: Biblical illusions in Margaret Atwood's the handmaid's tale.

In The Handmaid's Tale (New York: Anchor Books: 1998) by Margaret Atwood, the Gilead holds Offred, whose real name is never revealed, a prisoner because she is a woman. Atwood adds to the realism of Offred's situation by using Biblical allusions. Almost everything within the novel has a Biblical reference or Biblical origins. The name of the country, the role of women and their reason for imprisonment, down to the ceremonies and the soldiers in the …

…of the novel. By using these allusions, there is a base for the Gilead regime to build upon, such as the use of polygamy and the mistreatment of women. Today, religions use their holy text to mistreat women, like the Taliban. This makes the book all the more frightening- this alternate universe is possible. Using Biblical allusions, Margaret Atwood leaves a strong impression upon the reader and a sense of foreboding. It could be real.