Aunt Lydia The Aunt in charge at the Rachel and Leah Center and the Woman’s Salvaging. Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale season 3's latest episode has revealed the backstory of Aunt Lydia (Ann Dowd), explaining many of her actions in Gilead and her particular dislike of June (Elisabeth Moss). Aunt Lydia's voice By far the most significant Aunt is Lydia, whose maxims are recalled by Offred throughout the novel. Warning: Big spoilers for the season two finale of The Handmaid's Tale beneath! Analysis of Major Characters Offred often remembers—and quotes—Aunt Lydia, one of the Aunts responsible for Offred’s “re-education” at the Red Center. Handmaids will appear normal. One of the few fertile women - known as Handmaids - in the oppressive Republic of Gilead, Off Her opinions and sayings constantly run through Offred ’s head, evidence of effective brainwashing. In chapter 5 of The Handmaid's Tale Aunt Lydia tells the Handmaids that there are two kinds of freedom:. Aunt Lydia’s asserts that Handmaids should always use the front door as befits their honored status. By far the most significant Aunt is Lydia, whose maxims are recalled by Offred throughout the novel. They would argue that the women of Gilead should be grateful for such freedoms rather than mourning the other freedoms they’ve lost. Women will not be taught to read, or given the opportunity to take on roles beyond the domestic sphere. Aunt Lydia said she was trying to do her best for the Handmaids, and that it was not easy. Home. Until she appears at the Particicution, Aunt Lydia is memorable mainly for her proverb-like remarks, designed to brainwash her charges, the future Handmaids. In a memory of Offred’s from the Rachel and Leah Center, as Aunt Lydia began to explain something about men and women lying out in public, she began to cry. Except the majority of Handmaids hate Gilead and don’t want to defend it.

Aunt Lydia’s words suggest that Gilead succeeds not by making people believe that its ways are right, but by making people forget what a different world could be like.

Offred remembers Aunt Lydia’s instruction (brainwashing is a better term for it), comparing Handmaids’ roles to being in the army. ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Text Analysis. Despite all that the women have lost, Aunt Lydia and Gilead argue that they are free now. In the episode, sensing June’s influence over the handmaids is growing strong, Aunt Lydia calls for the handmaids to testify to release any sins they’re holding. Aunt Lydia's voice. For a second there we would deluded ourselves into believing that The Handmaid's Tale had used up all its really surprising moments, which made the Hulu collection's epic curveball …

Series 1. They have “freedom from” things like sexist catcalls and potential abuse from strangers. Contains major SPOILERS for The Handmaid's Tale season 3. Aunt Lydia’s statement reflects the power of a totalitarian state like Gilead to transform a natural human response such as revulsion at an execution into “blankness,” to transform horror into normalcy. Girls born within the regime will not know of a past life, like Offred. The Handmaid’s Tale, written by Margaret Atwood in 1985 is an inherently complex narrative.