The Handmaids tale

[DumbledoresArmy]

Anyone else planning on watching this at 9pm on channel 4?

I'm 41, married with 3 DSs (only marriage for both of us) - what would I be?

Post menopausal so defo not a handmaiden. Martha maybe, but 3 marriages determine me colony bound.

First marriage, 30s fertile, can cook a little - I'd be an econowife (not mentioned in the show but part of the book)

Re C sections, the advised limit is 3 but I've known women have 5 and be okay. But the more you have the more you're likely to have uterine rupture, placenta praevia, accreta etc. and have a massive haemorrhage during the delivery.

I'd probably be a hand maid - 29, never married, never been pregnant, never tried to get pregnant. So no idea if I'm fertile or not. But I reckon they'd want to test my fertility first before shipping me off to the colonies. I wouldn't be a Martha as no good at domestic stuff. Perhaps a Jezebel although don't think I'd be any good at that either. Or they might execute me for having assisted in terminations. Although as a midwife they'd probably keep me to assist with births so hand maid it is.

First marriage but it wasn't in a church. So as I'm fertile, guess the marriage would be considered illegal / living in sin and I'd be a Handmaiden.

What do you think the cut off age for handmaidens is?

Divorced and 30s with a child. I'd be a handmaid.
Do handmaids get retired to marthas or to the colonies when they go through menopause I wonder?

I'm 39 and about to start trying for number 2, so I hope I am still fertile! But I'd probably be too old to be a handmaid. I'm good at cooking, so I'd probably be a Martha.

Depends on views on non-church marriages, I can't remember that being clear. So I'm either econowife for being married, handmaid for my ability to procreate, or off to the colonies (cause I'm also not positive on the thoughts on physical disability either)

Do I remember that the handmaids only have a few "assignments" to be successful, or they're off to the colonies anyway?

I think if they have one successful baby who doesn't turn out to be a 'shredder' they are safe from the colonies for life.

Batteries I think though all the religious stuff is only a cover up/'reason' for the regime. The commanders and aunts don't really believe any of that stuff, it's just an excuse. Otherwise they wouldn't have the brothels.

Re your post on being a Handmaid/fgm and salvation.

I think I'd be an econowife. Two healthy children and both of us on our first marriage. I'm 36 so probably still fertile but not for too much longer.

I think MA picked Christian fundamentalism because that's big in the states. And I honestly think most fervent Christian fundamentalists do believe, as distasteful as their interpretation of belief might be to an atheist like me. Don't want to talk too much about Jezebels as waiting to see how the show deals with it.

I think handmaids get 3 placements and if no baby they get sent to the colonies

I think I'd be an econowife too. 3 DC, married, neither of us were previously married.

As long as I didn't stir up any trouble, of course. If I stirred up trouble, although obvs I was v fertile, I'd probably be sent to the colonies at 46yrs.

But isn't that a frightening thought? The fact that I'd have to not speak out against the regime to be safe? That's why people don't speak out/turn a blind eye to it. To survive.

Nolite te bastardes carborundorum

My teenage mantra!

I do wonder what the Commander's wife feels. What her emotions are? Last week she said "What you're going through is terrible" then changed it to "terribly..."

She just showed a flair for critical thinking then was slapped down and put in her place by her husband. Men can deal with this.

Thanking the doctor for offering to rape her because the commander is sterile.

""nolites..." is on my tattoo to do list. Written in scrabble pieces :)

Argh that was awful

It doesn't happen to June in the book though does it? It's Moira who gets her feet lashed

Is the escape attempt a flashback? Did it happen before she was assigned to the commander?

What is the piano/string music at the end of this week's episode?