Power

The power relationship in The Handmaid’s Tale seems easy to tell that the commander is on the highest level of control, then wives, Martha, Handmaids and the unwomen. For example, the commander is the fearsome man who controls everything in the household and holds absolute power. However as we look deeper into the story, we find that maybe commander doesn’t necessary always held the most power. In a secret relationship between commander and Offred, the handmaid, even the commander himself is afraid of the relationship to be discovered by his wife. If the commander really does obtain absolute power, the commander can possibly do anything one wants to do, such as loving the handmaid as a secret wife and wanting to do anything he wanted to do in the household. However, there are still limits to the power. The wives tend to be the second in line for power that they control the Martha and the handmaids. They can order the handmaid like a slave to do whatever she wants to do. However, they are somewhat in some way inferior to the handmaid that they are unable to have love with their husband and force to see their lovers making love with a stranger. They are like old ladies who are jealous of these young handmaids.