Misogynistic Societies

Societies Although written in various time periods and in dis akin(predicate) settings, The servants Tale by Marg argont Atwood and Tess of the DUrbervilles by Thomas Hardy are both(prenominal)(prenominal) feminist novels with main characters who are suppressed by their societies. Misogyny is fully apparent in both novels, and both Off release and Tess utilize similar means to raise their harsh societies. A misogynistic society is distinctly depicted in The Handmaids Tale. In Offreds society, the handmaids only fiber in society is becoming pregnant.When Offred is handout to the Commanders house, she states, We are two-legged wombs, thats all sacred vessels, ambulatory chalices (Atwood 136). Because the commonwealth of Gilead is suffering from low birth rates, the handmaids are enured non as piece worlds, but as mere tendencys with the resole goal of bringing children into the world. Their only set are their wombs. In addition to being an object only focused on birth and children, Offred is a slave to everyone and everything well-nigh her.Throughout the full-length novel, Offred is rarely adequate to(p) to make for any decisions for herself everything is already chosen for her. Everything pull the wings near my face is red the color of blood, which defines us (8). Offred is evening judged and brand by her clothes. Red, the color of fertility and raciness, tells citizens of Gilead who she is, and what she is meant to do. As a handmaid, Offred is fully taken divvy up of, but has no basic rights. Although not as prominent, Tess of the DUrbervilles also contains some(prenominal) portrayals of a misogynistic nation.In the novel, Alec takes advantage of Tess and completely disregards her feelings and opinions. He never listens to what Tess has to say, but forever starts tail for Tess, as if he owns her. When he offers to encourage Tess and her family, he says, You are Eve, and I am the old Other One come to tempt you in the disguise of an subordinate animal (Hardy 366). Alec is mocks her and holy person, and incessantly thinks of her as an object he owns to which he can always come back. nonesuch also contributes to the misogynism in the novel.When Tess tells Angel about her past, he gets angry and leaves for Brazil, even though he has confessed to the same sin. In considering what Tess was not, he unnoted what she was, and forgot the defective can be more(prenominal) than the entire (282). He only axiom one side of Tess and chose not to identify her faults, which caused a major break in their relationship when he finally came to seduce that Tess, alone as everyone else, has faults. Because of their restricted, difficult lives, Offred and Tess frequently find ways to cope with their situations.Offreds companionship with various people around her is an escape from reality, as well as a diminutive act of rebellion. after lecture about how frightening and tolerant Moira is, Offred claims, Nevertheless Moi ra was our fantasy (Atwood 133). Moira is secretly a hero to many of the handmaids and Offred is somewhat able to experience the excitement and rebellion vicariously, by Moira. Also, Offreds companionship with the Commander helps her survive. When talking about the commander, Offred says, To him Im no longer merely a operational body.To him Im not just a boat with no cargo, a chalice with no wine in it, an oven to be crude minus the bun. To him I am not merely renounce (163). Once she tops that the Commander actually cares for her and doesnt think of her as an object, she becomes hopeful and starts believe that she might have a chance. Likewise, Tess utilizes her familiarity with Marian, Izz, and Retty to overcome the many obstacles that come her way. Her friends much help her realize how much she loves Angel, and they unceasingly tell her that she is, in fact, worthy of Angels love.When Marian and Izz how miserable Tess is when Angel has left, they stick by her and write an nameless letter to Angel telling him that Tess loves him and he should come back to her if he loves her, because there is an enemy nearby (Hardy 383). Although all triple girls love Angel, they step aside when they realize how much Angel really cares for Tess, even if doing so lead to self-destructive behavior. Additionally, Tess and Offred both attempt to resolve their problems with their past lives. lie in bed, with Luke, his hand on my locomote belly. The three of us, in bed, she kicking, turning over within me (Atwood 103). Offred constantly thinks about Luke and her miss to remember the happy times in her former life. She tries everyday to remember her family, because it is bit by bit getting harder to remember the life she had to begin with Gilead.Tess is also always thinking of her past, which constantly reminds her of her sins and because of these terrible memories, she keeps from making the ame mistake. When Tess walks by the pledge painter, he has a sign that r eads THY, DAMNATION, SLUMBERETH non (Hardy 95). Such as this sign, throughout the whole novel, Tess is constantly reminded of her wrongdoings, which helps her become a remedy person. The Handmaids Tale and Tess of the DUrbervilles contain misogynistic societies in which females are treated as objects. Offred and Tess both feel suppress by their own societies and use similar ways to survive in their muted environments.