Are there any bad men in the Handmaid's Tale

[Pratchet]

Nick: lovely rescuer
Commander: offered friendship, acted pained, tried to explain
(Wife: narsty caah)
Van driver: lovely rescuer
Pilot: lovely rescuer
Econohusband: lovely rescuer
(Econo wife: mean and didn't wasn't to help)
Those foreign visitors at the end of season one - man tried to help, woman refused
Clinic assistant male: gave her key to escape

So men raping a woman is acceptable?

I was thinking about this thread in the context of the Pride #punchaterf thing going on over at the Twatter. Quite a few of the people posting that are adolescent girls - with some or other "identity" - trying to perform masculinity. It's sad - but not unrelated.

OK I have not read the book, but had heard of it and was actually planning on reading it first but it did not happen that way.

The commander is obviously a manipulative rapist asshat however, it did kind of come across that Serena was 'in charge' and it was her that was the really horrible one.

Aunt Lydia..comes across sadistic for sure, however there are rare glimpses where she seems to genuinely care about 'her girls' and seems to not like punishing them.

Nick comes across fairly controlling to me too actually. And a bit of a drip.

I do think that the women come across worse than the men overall. Though I know its not meant to be that way. I also have the book on its way to me, but I fear I will visualize the show now (I prefer reading stuff before watching so that this does not happen)

Back: has someone said that

backaftera2yearbreak Are you on about nick? You realise he didn’t have any choice in that either. Both he and June were told to have sex basically. It’s almost not rape because she agreed (think June says something like that) it obviously is though. But their relationship took a different turn, emotionally first I believe and then it because a choice to get intimate with eachother. I don’t really see it as rape as such. But more a forced situation for both of them (obviously June was technically raped then) I’m confusing the matter I think, but of course rape is not ok and I don’t see anyone that has said that.

OP I almost think we must have been watching different shows!

My take on Commander Waterford is that he is the worst of all of them! He is a great example of why we have #MeToo - he is in a position of power and he uses that power to manipulate June into believing he is ‘on her side’ and that he can help her, for example he acts like the ‘ceremony’ is a terrible job he must perform, and gives her the ‘my wife doesn’t understand me’ spiel, showers her with gifts and affection and then removes it when she misbehaves.

And the scenes in the hotel have been even worse than the ‘ceremony’ scenes precisely because of the imbalance of power between June and Fred, we see that Fred doesn’t need to physically restrain June to rape her, its also chillingly realistic- how many women have been in that exact situation- somehow found themselves alone and vulnerable with a man who has power over them and who abuses that power.

That scene was chilling to the bone. But so believable. Men are so easily able to delude themselves. It’s always stunned me that they only see what they want to. If you asked Waterford what happened that night, he would say and BELIEVE it was consensual.

slanetylor

Yes to everything in your post !

YY PeakPants, totally agree with all of that

ThisisSparta I found it chilling. I was in a position alone with a man and scared, but I laid there and let it happen. It felt the safer option and like I had no choice. I was also somewhere I didn’t know. I hated that scene as it felt so real and all too familiar.

If you asked Waterford what happened that night, he would say and BELIEVE it was consensual.

Yes.

QuickPorridgeBacon

Thanks for sharing

I’m sorry that happened to you.

I think the accuracy and reflection of our own society was why the scene was so disturbing.

Interesting thread

My sister said the show is brilliant, very thought provoking. I'm going to start watching later, it's been on my to do to list for ages, (so has reading the book).

I think when we watch a show, our own knowledge and views change how we percieve the plot, and how we relate to the characters. Look at the pp whose 30 year old son, didn't think parts that have actually happened irl are believable.

Abortion campaigners in Northern Ireland, have taken to dressing as haindmaidens when they protest.

*handmaidens

S2 E8
And there you go, Fred shows his true colours.

Mic drop

Interesting point op, but I have to disagree.

I have to agree with anyfucker if you don't get it, you probably never will.

I really hate it when people say it's all fantasy, would never happen bla bla.

Just because all of these things aren't happening right now to white American women.

They are happening in the world now.

I must admit I don't find any of the main male characters particularly heroic or even likeable. In particular, I took Fred's discomfort during the ritual rape scene to be because his wife was there, not because he disliked raping June. But he has to put up with his wife to an extent because without collaborators the regime wouldn't survive.

I must admit I read the book years ago and didn't really like it that much. I found the book to be an awful lot about how big the role of collaborators was rather than those in power. It annoyed me, though I on reflection I do think that it is seriously important to consider the role of collaborators in historical events.

So I guess what I'm saying is that although the series may cause some people to focus on the violence and cruelty of the women, so might the book.

Nick: lovely rescuer child rapist

It's showing up how collaborators go along with a regime - such as the holocaust; I'm sure there were many many folk who didn't embrace the nazi regime but went along with it, did the jobs they were assigned to do because the alternative wasn't really an alternative at all.

I've read the book and followed the series and it's clear to me that the women - even those in positions of some influence and power are basically puppets for the faceless (and I think that's deliberate) powers-that-be.

Did nick rape a child? I missed that

If you don't get the message, maybe it's because you're being given the wrong message

Do we know how old the young bride is yet?

Battleax Yes, she is 15.

SPOILER