The Sexual Exploitation Of Women Is Made Clear From The...

The theme of the sexual exploitation towards women is made clear from the work of Atwood, Rossetti and Chaucer. It mostly entails men taking advantage of women for their own personal gains. For example for pleasure, or to affirm the dominance they have upon the woman. At the time in which Rossetti and Chaucer were writing, women had their role, and the male would become the dominant figure. In The Handmaids Tale,the male figure overpowers the woman and becomes obsessed with the idea that women are able to reproduce. Within the three texts, this idea is put into context, each in their own form. For example, in The Handmaids Tale the idea is put across more physically, whereas in Rossetti poetry, it is seen to be portrayed in a more mental†¦show more content†¦This extents into the Victorian times, where women s rights and privileges were often limited. Coming into the 20th century, Atwood suggests that women were treated with more respect and they had ‘equal rightsâ⠂¬â„¢ to men, when in actual fact they didn’t. The bible plays a significant role in this theme, as it underpins the fact that the men are there as defenders for the women, they are also the ones that provide for the women, this sees the woman as the weak one who serves only one purpose. The Handmaid’s Tale is a thought provoking novel which explores the exploitation of men and women. The way in which Offred narrates the story, only sees events from her point of view, showing that there is a constant theme of feminism running throughout the novel. The women are persuaded that Gilead is protecting them from all evil and are treated with respect, it’s almost like an advert which doesn’t meet the eye. A symbol that is constant throughout the novel is the use of flowers. The flowers are symbols of sex organs, this is indicated through Serena Joy sniping off the handmaids metaphorical ‘fruits’.The idea of eggs comes up frequently in the book. With each mention we’re reminded that they’re part of a woman’s reproductive cycle. The egg