What happens when a handmaid gets old?

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.

Can a Wife become a handmaid?

These women can become handmaids for the sins of their husbands as seen in season 2, episode 4. “They are of a status where they do not need to be forced into servitude like the Marthas or handmaids,” Snyder says. “They might actually become Wives if they stay on a track of loyalty.”

What is the average life expectancy in the colonies in the Handmaid's Tale?

The Colonies are known to have horrific living conditions, with prisoners or Unpeople sent there being used as slave labor. Those sent to the Colonies often die quickly from sickness brought on by the pollution, poor living conditions, malnutrition and over-exertion, with most dying after three years.

What happens if a handmaid has 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.

Can a handmaid become an aunt?

Later Gilead periods

Upon acceptance, they go through a six-month probationary period, after which they become Supplicants and officially take on an Aunt name.

Handmaid's Tale Summary

Why do the Econowives not like The Handmaid's?

"They are not handmaids because they committed no crimes and were in legitimate heterosexual marriages pre-Gilead." In the book, there are seemingly hints in the epilogue to econowives being pressured into a handmaid's role, but the show has yet to hint that this might be the case down the line.

Why do the Wives 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."

Where do the handmaids go after they give birth?

Handmaids are allowed to stay with their babies for a few weeks, breastfeeding them, but after they are weaned, the Handmaids are forced to leave the household and are assigned to a new Commander.

Can a commander marry a handmaid?

Wives are usually married to high ranking men in Gilead, such as Commanders, Angels and Eyes. Being a Wife is regarded as a high honor in Gilead. Only women perceived as being 'pure' and moral are given the 'privilege' of marrying. (Handmaids, for example, could never be Wives, due to their controversial nature).

Did baby Angela survive?

She survives, but is taken to hospital in a critical condition.

What are they digging up in the colonies Handmaids Tale?

Emily and her fellow "unwomen" are supposedly removing the Colonies' radioactive soil so that Gilead can plant crops in the area — the idea is that removing pollution will help solve the fertility crisis — but their labor is just as much a solution as it is a political tool.

How old is Nick's Wife in Handmaids Tale?

In Nick's instance, he finds himself married to Eden, played by Sydney Sweeney in the show, who is 15 years old and completely committed to her country's values.

Why did they take Janine's eye?

During season 1 of this season, Janine exhibited her rebellious spirit, especially when she learned what the handmaids would be doing in Gilead. As a result, she's taken out of the room and “corrected” by having her eye removed.

Why can't Serena get pregnant?

Serena assumed Fred was infertile and orchestrated a sexual encounter between June and Nick. This resulted in June's pregnancy with Nichole. (This act is what ultimately got her arrested.) It was also previously implied Serena couldn't get pregnant because of a gunshot wound she suffered before the Gilead coup.

Why do handmaids wear red?

The color red indicates the Handmaids' fertility, echoing the color of menstrual blood. The Wives, by contrast, dress in blue, the color associated with the Virgin Mary.

Why do handmaids wear wings?

They're meant to act essentially like blinders would on a horse, it's supposed to shield the handmaids from view and prevent them from seeing what's around them as well.

Can Serena Joy get pregnant?

After noticing that Fred's attempts were unsuccessful, Serena suggested that his driver Nick Blaine (Max Minghella) should secretly impregnate June. June became pregnant however later in the series, she was able to help the baby escape Gilead after she gave birth.

Is June in love with Nick or Luke?

Following the season finale, Moss was interviewed by ELLE. In the interview, Moss made it clear that June is in love with Nick, her Gilead lover, over Luke, her husband.

What year is handmaid's Tale set in?

Setting. 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.

What was wrong with Janine's baby in handmaid's Tale?

Baby Angela's illness is a metaphor for the sickness in Gilead that stems from separating baby from its mother. It's not a real medical condition but a nice allegorical one.

What does the Wife of a birthing handmaid do during delivery?

During birthing events, the center of focus is not the pregnant Handmaid but the very un-pregnant Wife, who spends the entire ceremony with her legs splayed and groaning in pain, as if she were, indeed, actually about to give birth. All the while, her fellow wives sit around her, gently coaching her to “breathe.”

What religion is Gilead?

In the handmaid's tale, The republic of Gilead is a fundamentalist Christian theocracy, meaning there is no separation between the state and religion. Gilead is built on the biblical idea that men are more important than women.

Is the handmaids tale a true story?

The Handmaid's Tale is NOT based on a true story. The drama is science fiction, set in a dystopian future where a totalitarian regime has overthrown the US government and created the Republic of Gilead. But the show, based on Margaret Atwood's 1985 novel of the same name, is inspired by religious and political history.

Why is it called the Rachel and Leah Center?

Description. The Rachel and Leah Center, unofficially known as The Red Center, is a center established to house and train Handmaids. It is named after the Biblical Rachel and Leah, whose story provided inspiration for the role of Handmaids as breeders in the Republic of Gilead.

Why are there no children in The 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.