Keyword Guide · character-analysis
This guide focuses on the core characters of The Handmaid's Tale, organized for high school and college literature coursework. It includes actionable tools for class discussion, essay writing, and exam review. Start with the quick answer to get a snapshot of critical character roles.
The Handmaid's Tale centers on Offred, a forced reproductive laborer in the authoritarian nation of Gilead. Key supporting characters include Serena Joy, the Commander, Moira, and Ofglen. Each character embodies a different response to Gilead's oppressive system, from compliance to rebellion. Jot down one character you connect with most to start your analysis.
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Character analysis for The Handmaid's Tale involves examining how each figure reflects Gilead's power structures, moral compromises, and resistance tactics. Characters are not one-note; even compliant figures show flickers of doubt or hidden defiance. This analysis requires linking character choices to the novel's core themes of autonomy, gender, and control.
Next step: Pick one character and list three specific actions they take that reveal their relationship to Gilead's rules.
Action: Create a chart linking each core character to their Gilead role, key relationships, and primary motivation
Output: A 1-page reference chart for quick review before quizzes or class discussion
Action: For each character, link their choices to one of the novel's core themes (autonomy, gender, control, memory)
Output: A set of index cards, one per character, with theme connections and supporting examples
Action: Note which characters are filtered through Offred's narration and which are shown through direct interaction or dialogue
Output: A list of characters marked as 'filtered' or 'direct' with notes on how this affects their portrayal
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Action: For each core character, list their official role in Gilead, their key relationships, and three specific actions they take
Output: A one-page profile sheet for each core character with concrete details
Action: For each character, connect one of their actions to a core theme (autonomy, control, gender) and explain the link
Output: A set of bullet points that tie character choices to thematic meaning
Action: Note whether the character is shown through Offred's biased narration or direct, unfiltered interaction
Output: A marked list of characters with notes on narrative perspective and its effects
Teacher looks for: Accurate understanding of each character's role in Gilead and their relationships to other figures
How to meet it: Cite specific character actions and social positions, and avoid misstating their official status in Gilead's hierarchy
Teacher looks for: Clear links between character choices and the novel's core themes of autonomy, power, and gender
How to meet it: Explain how a character's action reveals something about Gilead's system, not just their personal preferences
Teacher looks for: Recognition that Offred's narration is subjective and shapes how other characters are portrayed
How to meet it: Avoid treating Offred's opinions as absolute truth; instead, note moments where her bias may cloud her perception
Each core character fits into a specific slot in Gilead's rigid social hierarchy, but their private choices often subvert these roles. Offred's status as a Handmaid forces her into a position of vulnerability, but she finds small ways to retain control. Use this to prepare for class by listing one way each character subverts their assigned role.
Foil characters highlight each other's traits by contrast. Moira, for example, takes bold, risky acts of resistance, while Offred relies on subtle, secret acts of defiance. Serena Joy and Offred share a sense of powerlessness but respond in opposite ways. Pick one foil pair and write a 2-sentence explanation of their contrasting approaches.
No character in The Handmaid's Tale is fully good or evil. The Commander follows Gilead's rules but breaks them in private to satisfy his own desires. Serena Joy enforces Gilead's doctrine but resents its limits on her own power. List one moral compromise made by a character and explain its motivation.
Minor characters often reveal the unseen impacts of Gilead's system. They may show the fate of those who rebel openly, or the isolation felt by those who comply fully. These characters add depth to the novel's critique of authoritarianism. Choose one minor character and write how they reveal a hidden cost of Gilead's rule.
Offred tells the story from her personal perspective, so her views of other characters are filtered through her own fears, desires, and experiences. She may misjudge characters based on her limited knowledge or emotional state. Note one moment where Offred's perception of a character might be incomplete or biased.
Every character's choice ties back to the novel's core themes. A character's decision to comply may reveal the pressure of authoritarian rule, while a small act of resistance may highlight the human desire for autonomy. Write one paragraph linking a character's action to the theme of autonomy.
Offred is the most central character, as her narration frames the entire story and her journey from compliance to small acts of resistance drives the novel's emotional core.
Heroism is defined differently in Gilead; characters like Moira take bold, risky acts of resistance, while Offred's small, secret acts of defiance also count as forms of heroism under oppression.
Male characters hold most of the formal power in Gilead, but they are also constrained by the system's rules. The Commander, for example, is expected to uphold Gilead's doctrine even when he disagrees with it.
Serena Joy helped create Gilead's ideology but resents the loss of power and autonomy it brought her. Her choices reveal the way authoritarian systems can betray even their creators.
Editorial note: This page is independently written for educational support. Verify specifics with assigned class materials and the original text.
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