THE HANDMAID'S TALE

The Jezebels in The Handmaid's Tale basically serve as prostitutes.  Jezebels used to be Handmaids, but escaped their past life.  Due to this rebellion, these former Handmaids were forced into the role of Jezebels; who work at a night club as sexual slaves.  Although, these women have freedom during the day.  Rather than die in the colonies, these women live for nothing as they do not have fertility.  The role of incorporating the Jezebels into the book is Atwood's way of displaying the objectification of women.  When Offred meets Moira at the club, Atwood shows how the objectification of women can tear them down.  Moira always rebelled and remained strong against Gilead, but now as a Jezebel she has lost all hope.  "You should figure out some way of getting in here.  You'd have three or four good years before your snatch wears out and they send you to the boneyard.  The food's not bad and there's drink and drugs, if you want it, and we only work nights" (249).  Before Moira turned to a Jezebel, Moira would never have this view.  It is quite obvious what opression has done to Moira.  Another quote from Offred displays how much the brainwashing of Gilead has taken away Moira's personality.  "She is frightening me now, because what I hear in her voice is indifference, a lack of volition.  Have they really done it to her then, taken away something - what? - that used to be so central to her?  And how can I expect her to go on, with my idea of her courage, live it through, act it out, when I myself do not?" (249). All of the Jezebels seem to have a loss of identity even though they have total freedom during the day.  The Jezebels also display the stereotype of women who are labeled wrongly for sleeping with men.  While this can be interpreted under different circumstances, as with the Jezebels, women are often stereotyped negatively in this area.  With the introduction of Jezebels, Atwood shows that even with freedom, oppression towards women trumps all.