1. Subservience and Dependence: Wives are expected to be subservient to their husbands, the Commanders. Their primary role is to provide domestic services and bear children, ensuring the continuation of the ruling class. They are not allowed to read, write, or hold any positions of power.
2. Household Management: Wives manage the household, overseeing the domestic tasks, including cooking, cleaning, and raising the children. They are expected to maintain a pious and orderly household, which reinforces the patriarchal values of Gilead.
3. Breeding Function: Wives are primarily seen as vessels for reproduction. Their bodies are controlled by the state, and they are assigned to Commanders for the sole purpose of bearing children. If a wife fails to conceive or produce healthy offspring, she faces severe consequences, including being sent to the Colonies, where she will be forced into manual labor until death.
4. Guardians of Morality and Tradition: Wives are expected to uphold the moral values and traditions of Gilead. They must wear modest attire, cover their faces in public, and refrain from any form of rebellion or dissent. They serve as enforcers of the regime's strict religious beliefs and social norms, perpetuating the oppression of women and marginalized individuals.
5. Complicity and Collaboration: Many wives are complicit in the oppressive system, benefiting from the privileges and status granted to their husbands within the hierarchy. They may participate in the surveillance and reporting of deviations from the Gilead's rules, contributing to the repression and control of others.
6. Internal Conflict and Resistance: Despite their marginalized position, some wives experience internal conflicts and may harbor secret feelings of resistance. They may question the oppressive regime and seek ways to challenge or subvert the system, even if their power is limited.
7. Subversive Power and Rebellion: In some instances, wives use their limited agency to assert power in subtle ways, disrupting the established order. For example, they may engage in acts of defiance or form clandestine alliances to undermine the regime.
8. Victims of the System: Wives are also victims of the authoritarian society they live in, subjected to physical and emotional oppression. They are denied basic human rights, subjected to psychological manipulation, and live in constant fear of punishment or retribution for any perceived transgressions.
The roles of wives in "The Handmaid's Tale" reflect the patriarchal and oppressive nature of the society depicted in the novel. Their lives are defined by limitations, control, and the commodification of their bodies for reproductive purposes. Their experiences serve as a powerful critique of the detrimental impact of totalitarian regimes on women's autonomy, independence, and humanity.