Why can't the Wives in Gilead get pregnant?

In the fictional country of Gilead, an environmental disaster has caused infertility amongst women.


Can Wives get pregnant in Gilead?

It is implied that some Wives are capable of bearing children, but most are older women and thus have difficulty conceiving (or their husbands are infertile), which is also hampered by widespread infertility. As a result, Wives have to 'share' their husbands with Handmaids, in order to get a child.

Are all the Wives in Gilead infertile?

Standing (somewhat) faithfully behind (not next to) their husbands who rank as Commanders, the Wives are generally infertile women tasked with expanding the population of Gilead through the help of an assigned handmaid. Their infertility, however, isn't always confirmed.


Why are all the commanders Wives barren?

But when a Handmaid gets pregnant, only her assigned Commander will ever be acknowledged as the baby's biological father, whether he is or not. The result is that the Commanders end up looking more virile than they really are, which in turn only makes the Wives look more infertile than they (probably) really are.

What happens if a handmaid can't get pregnant?

If, after the third time, they are not able to produce a living, healthy baby, they will be sent off to the Colonies to face certain death. Handmaids that become infertile or reach a certain age without having ever conceived are also sent to the Colonies, as are women who refuse to become Handmaids.


Why Can't We Get Pregnant?



Do the commanders sleep with their Wives?

And the novel mentions that very few lucky wives of commanders get pregnant. (Albeit it is mentioned that some wives, like the handmaids, resort to other men). So, it seems to be that married couples are allowed sex.

Why don t the Wives have their own babies in Handmaid's Tale?

In the story, an environmental disaster has led to most women becoming infertile, and the small number who are still able to become pregnant are forced to become handmaids, women who are owned by the ruling elite and systematically raped in order to provide them with children.

Why does the wife sit behind the handmaid?

Wives sit at the head of the bed with the Handmaid between their legs, holding their hands as a means of spiritual connection between the Commander, their 'vessel', and herself.


Why do marthas wear green?

Crabtree said that the brownish green of the aunts' clothes is meant to convey a militaristic degree of authority, calling back to the military uniforms of World War I, while the dull, pale green of the Marthas is meant to evoke a sense that these women are "wither[ing] into their environment."

Are the Marthas fertile?

The Marthas serve as domestic servants to the Wives, and are clad in dull grayish green. They are low-ranking, infertile women who cook, clean, and help take care of the ruling class's offspring.

Why are they called Marthas?

On the surface, Marthas are a downtrodden lot — not powerful enough to be Wives or Lydias, not fertile or young enough to be Econowives. The name "Martha" comes from the bible, after one of Jesus' friends who is a pragmatic and focused on domestic concerns; hence the Marthas' role as housekeepers in Gilead.


Who decides who becomes a Handmaid?

High-ranking infertile couples can be assigned a Handmaid: a single woman of proven fertility who is duty-bound to have sex with the husband of a “barren” wife in order to produce children.

What happens to widowed Wives in Gilead?

Aside from mourning, the role of Widows in Gilead is largely unknown. In the novel, Offred considers that Widows are becoming a less common sight in Gilead. This could imply that Widows are either killed or expelled to the Colonies once they are no longer of use in society.

What happens if a Handmaid gives birth to an Unbaby?

Description. Unbaby, or shredder, is the term used in the Republic of Gilead to describe infants that are suffering from birth defects or physical deformities. These die shortly after birth due to their defects. They are usually taken away to be disposed of.


Why is Serena Joy infertile?

Serena Joy may be infertile because she took a bullet to the ovary, but in reality, most women are just fine. A small surgery could give her a child of her own. It's the men who have been rendered infertile.

Do the Wives pretend to give birth in handmaids tale?

No, the woman on the floor is the very NOT pregnant wife of the husband Janine was forced to have sex with. But her best gal pals don't want her to feel like she's missing out or that Janine might be superior for physically birthing the child, so they pretend she is due for labor any moment.

What year is the Handmaids Tale set in?

The novel is set in an indeterminate dystopian future, speculated to be around the year 2005, with a fundamentalist theonomy ruling the territory of what had been the United States but is now the Republic of Gilead.


Can Marthas marry?

Marthas, on the other hand, are women perceived as infertile. They're also low-ranking and unmarried, though there is a sense that those who pushed back against the formation of the Gilead regime were assigned to this position.

Why is Hannah wearing purple?

According to the Sons of Jacob, lilac means that Hannah – renamed Agnes by 'adoptive' parents the MacKenzies – is ready for her next stage of life: marriage.

Why do the Handmaids wear heavy boots?

"The boot symbolism, all the laces, shows a kind of mental oppression," she says. "The wings, or bonnets, on the heads of the handmaids, as birthed by Margaret Atwood [who wrote the novel on which the series is based], were a way to control their gaze.


Why do the Handmaids wear those outfits?

In this new totalitarian theocracy known as Gilead, women are divided into different castes according to their usefulness to the state; the uniforms follow suit. The Handmaids wear long red dresses because they are, quite literally, the reproductive organs of the new country.

Why do handmaids execute?

The condemned is often beaten to death or torn to pieces by the Handmaids. They are encouraged to drive themselves into a frenzy and it is implied that Handmaids use Particicutions as an outlet for their pent up rage and grief over their loss of freedom and rights.

Why are the colonies toxic in Handmaid's Tale?

The Colonies are areas of the Continental United States that have been contaminated by pollution and radioactive waste. Gilead, using the system devised by Commander Joseph Lawrence, often sends women convicted of various crimes, known as Unwomen, to the Colonies, to punish them.


How do silenced handmaids eat?

In theory, the rings are removed so she can drink and eat. In reality, even Gilead wouldn't do this - they need the women at peak health. Can't risk someone choking on phlegm or suffocating because you want to keep her quiet.

How do they know handmaids are fertile?

In the book and TV show, we see OBGYN exams of the women. In the original movie, we see the potential handmaids identified by blood tests and further “verified” via an OBGYN exam. This suggests the fertility checks are a medical exam similar to a conventional pap smear.
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