THE HANDMAID'S TALE

The Commander in The Handmaid's Tale obtains total and complete power in Gilead.  They are viewed as the highest members of society and are the only men who can have handmaids.  The house of the Commander provides living for the handmaids, the marthas, and the wives.  Without the Commander, none of the women in Gilead would serve a purpose.  As a founder of Gilead, the Commander is the one responsible for the oppressive society.  Although, the Commander is the most ironic character in the book.  He is the most naive character, yet holds all the power.  He is naive in the way he treats Offred.  The Commander offers her release in reading books and playing Scrabble.  While he breaks these rules for Offred, it is later learned that this is done because he wants someone he can confide in.  This makes him incredibly naive because the Commander's conversations allow Offred to have power over him by keeping his secrets.  The Commander enjoys conversing with Offred because he feels distant from his wife.  " 'She wouldn't understand.  Anyway, she won't talk much to me anymore.  We don't have much in common, these days.'  So there is was, out in the open: his wife didn't understand him" (158).  It seems marriage problems don't change even in a totalitarian Gilead society, which is why Offred is important to him.  While the Commander provides release for Offred, she provides a release for him.  The controversial character that is the Commander serves to show that even the ones with the most power in Gilead need the presence of women.  The Commander not only relies on Offred for a child, but relies on the other women of the house to provide food and tend to the house.  Atwood uses the Commander to give an intimate look at the oppression of women, while also displaying a hidden soft side of men; to which they cannot operate with women.