Serena Joy became a handmaid in order to contribute to the fundamentalist Christian regime of Gilead, joining the other women in the service of conceiving children. In Gilead, handmaids are assigned to the leadership class of men to bear children, taking away the woman’s identity and infantilizing her to make her solely a vessel for reproduction.
Through the power of her womb and her dedication to the cause, Serena Joy believes she can use her agency to contribute to the greater good of her religious beliefs, even if it means subjugating herself to a role with no autonomy.
It is significant that Serena Joy’s decision was voluntary, as it shows her commitment to the regime and her faith in Gilead’s success. Additionally, she believes that her success fulfills her destiny as a Christian woman and grants her more value in Gilead than before, allowing her to be seen as a significant and powerful figure rather than a subservient woman in a historically patriarchal society.
Does Serena go back to Gilead?
No, Serena does not go back to Gilead. At the end of “The Handmaid’s Tale” when Serena and the other handmaids are given the choice to stay in Gilead or leave, Serena decides to go with June and the other handmaids when they escape to Canada.
Serena chooses to remain in Canada and settles there, leaving behind the oppressive and restrictive regime of Gilead.
In the sequel, “The Testaments,” Serena is introduced as an older woman living in Canada, as a symbol of resistance against Gilead. She has not returned to Gilead, and instead serves as a leader in Canada’s fight against the oppressive regime.
Her role serves to symbolize the impact of Gilead’s oppressive policies, while also showing the power of a woman’s resilience and courage in facing adversity.
What happens to Serena on Handmaid’s Tale?
In the Hulu Original Television Series, The Handmaid’s Tale, Serena Joy Waterford (Yvonne Strahovski) experiences a dramatic evolution over the course of the show’s three seasons. At the beginning of the series, Serena is presented as a staunch and ambitious believer in the matriarchal, fundamentalist society of Gilead, wherein she and her husband, Commander Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes), are the “ruling class” of the Republic.
In a desperate effort to produce a much-needed heir to the Waterford household, Serena submits to the darkest laws of Gilead with complete submission to the regime and shows little mercy to the Handmaids, including protagonist June/Offred (Elisabeth Moss).
As her ambitions are slowly and regretfully thwarted, Serena’s once-steadfast commitment to Gilead begins to crumble.
By Season Three, her fatal attempts to gain autonomy thrust her into a complex, morally-ambiguous test. She is the victim of brutal retaliation and illegal actions at the hands of those in power and is subsequently jailed for treason and re-education.
However, despite this upheaval and wrongs done to her, Serena never truly lets go of her ambition in the face of Gilead and continues in her struggles, from her prison cell, attempting to regain control of her life, even as her imprisonment leads to even further situations of despair.
She is eventually the lead player in a plan to free the children of Gilead and secure their safe passage to Canada. In doing so, she ultimately risks her own life in a successful attempt to protect her own daughter from the horrors of Gilead and secure a new, better future for the children of the republic.
With her final act, Serena shows a growth in strength and courage, rather than a downward spiral as her husband had assumed she would follow. By her courage and strength, she proves herself a powerful symbol of transformation, even in the face of the suffering and injustices of the Gilead regime.
Does Serena Joy have a baby in the book?
No, Serena Joy does not have a baby in the book. In Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Serena Joy is the wife of the Commander and is depicted as a former television evangelist. Serena’s primary purpose is to bear the Commander a child and because she is barren, the couple hires Offred, a Handmaid.
Therefore, at the end of the novel, there is no indication that Serena Joy has a baby. Additionally, Serena Joy’s character is shown to be hostile and controlling towards Offred, so her desire to have a child is likely overshadowed by religious zealotry and submission to the oppressive Gilead regime.
Are Nick and Rose related?
No, Nick and Rose are not related. Nick is the protagonist in the movie Titanic and Rose is the protagonist’s love interest in the film. They are not related in any way.
Does Serena become a Handmaid in season 5?
No, Serena does not become a Handmaid in season 5. Although Serena is seen in the Handmaid’s robe at the end of season 4, it is not known whether she has actually been initiated as a Handmaid or not.
During season 5, Serena remains in cold storage after being sentenced for her role in Gilead’s crimes against humanity. Despite having several opportunities to escape, she ultimately chooses to stay in Gilead and is eventually pardoned after five months of imprisonment.
After her release, Serena returns to her role in Gilead’s political system, although she no longer has any official power or control. Although she still wears the same Handmaid’s robe, it is not known whether she has actually taken up the mantle of a Handmaid or not.
Did Serena and Fred create Gilead?
No, Serena and Fred are characters in the novel and television series The Handmaid’s Tale. Gilead is a fictional theocracy in which they live. The establishment of the oppressive regime of Gilead is not specifically attributed to any one person or couple in the novel, although an individual known as the “Commander” is the driving force behind its creation in the TV series.
It is implied that centuries of unrest and civil war led to its initiation. In The Handmaid’s Tale, the commander claims that Gilead was ‘created in blood’, and the creations of the oppressive regime and its laws serve to preserve the limited power and security of its ruling class.
Is Serena in season 3 of Handmaid’s Tale?
No, Serena Joy does not appear in Season 3 of The Handmaid’s Tale. During the Season 2 finale of The Handmaid’s Tale, Serena Joy (Yvonne Strahovski) was last seen being taken away by two guardians after she was accused of treason and charged with crimes against Gilead.
Given the ambiguous nature of the scene and the fact that Yvonne Strahovski, the actress who plays Serena Joy, still has not been seen in any Season 3 promotional material or official cast listings, it is safe to conclude that her character is not featured in the third season.
What is ironic about Serena Joy?
It is ironic that Serena Joy, a woman who is used to having power and control in her life, finds herself in a society where neither of those things exist for her. In Gilead, a theocratic dictatorship, women have no political power as compared to men, and are required to be obedient to their husbands.
She is also a religious figure and an outspoken proponent of the regime, yet she does not have any control over her own fate. Despite her efforts to submit to the rules of Gilead, she is constantly frustrated by the restrictions placed upon her.
She is denied access to books and education, which undermines her attempt to have an influence in the society, while also highlighting the brutally oppressive regulations that reduce women to little more than objects within the society.
What is the big thing that Serena Joy offers Offred?
Serena Joy offers Offred a chance to gain a bit of autonomy in her life through the prospect of motherhood. While she is relegated to a subordinate position in her home, Offred is given the chance to become a mother, which gives her a newfound power.
By agreeing to become a surrogate mother for the Commander and Serena Joy, Offred is granted greater freedoms and a chance to control her own destiny. Although she does not have complete autonomy, this opportunity adds more choice and purpose to her life, which she can then use to fight for a better future for herself and her family.
Despite the fact that it is not easy, the chance of motherhood is a big thing for Offred and it offers her a way to regain power.
Is Serena Joy good or evil?
Whether Serena Joy is good or evil is ultimately subjective and depends on the individual’s perspective. From one perspective, Serena Joy is portrayed as a cruel and unlikable character, who is cruel and manipulative toward Offred and caring only for her ambition.
She is often controlling and represses Offred from being able to have an opinion of her own. In contrast, from another perspective, she is a dynamic character who is portrayed as a victim of injustice due to her social position.
Her frustrations and desperation cause her to act in increasingly desperate ways, and her willingness to even go against her own husband’s orders to achieve her goals – shows that she will go great lengths to accomplish her goals.
Finally by the end of the novel, she is shown to be a woman who wants to be loved, and is willing to make sacrifices and risks to make that possible. All in all, whether Serena Joy is good or evil is open to interpretation.
What is Serena Joy’s problem?
Serena Joy’s main problem is her struggle with the oppression that has been forced upon her by the fundamentalist theocratic government in Gilead, where the roles of men and woman are strictly divided and subjugated based on the traditional values of the Bible.
She is a formerly successful television presenter, writer, and speaker who championed traditional values and was instrumental in helping the rise of the Gilead government, but once the regime was established, she lost her freedom and agency, and is not allowed to have a career or any public recognition.
She is deeply unhappy with her role as a subservient wife to her husband Fred, who is the master of their household and holds all the power. She is unable to express her views and becomes increasingly frustrated and bitter, especially as her husband takes a new second wife whom he favours more than her.
To make matters worse, she is unable to have children due to her age, and is deeply resentful of her husband’s handmaid Offred, who is bearing his children. This adds to her sense of powerlessness and humiliation, leaving her feeling trapped and suffocated with no hope of escape.
How does Offred manipulate Serena Joy?
Offred is able to manipulate Serena Joy through small acts of subtlety. One example of how she does this occurs early in the novel when she visits the city. Before she leaves she goes to the pantry and takes food for her trip even though she wasn’t given permission.
She does this knowing that if she’d asked for permission, Serena Joy would have probably said no. When she comes back she never mentions having taken food with her, leaving the onus of mentioning the incident with Serena Joy.
This subtle move gives Offred a sense of power and agency, especially in the presence of a powerful figure such as Serena Joy.
Offred also manipulates Serena Joy through her interactions with her. She is well aware of the power of silence, and as a result, she rarely answers direct questions or gives full answers. She also refuses to do things that Serena Joy requests of her, like playing the piano in public.
This act of defiance offers a sense of self-determination in an environment where she is not given much choice.
Finally, Offred often employs communication tactics such as misdirection that allow her to express support for Serena Joy without actually doing anything meaningful. She often simply reassures her rather than directly disagree with her.
This allows her to maintain her sense of agency without directly challenging Serena Joy and risking punishment.
Overall, Offred is able to manipulate Serena Joy by deploying small acts of subtlety and communication tactics that give her power and agency without provoking too much resistance.
Why is Offred jealous of Serena Joy?
Offred is jealous of Serena Joy because Serena Joy is in a position of power and privilege that Offred can never attain. As a Handmaid, she is subjected to an oppressive society where she has no control, while Serena Joy is one of the elite Commanders and Wives who are in charge.
Offred sees the freedom and authority that Serena Joy has and is forced to watch from the sidelines. She is also jealous that Serena Joy has a more intimate relationship with, and is able to spend more time with, Offred’s Commander, the father of her child, than Offred does.
Offred is forced to follow the strict, oppressive laws of Gilead that prohibit her from showing any real affections or form a true bond with her Commander, while Serena Joy is able to do so without consequence.
Additionally, Offred lacks the autonomy that Serena Joy has over her own life and is continually controlled and monitored by the Eyes, while Serena Joy has far greater freedom of movement and access to resources.
All of these factors create a sense of envy in Offred that she cannot escape.
Who has Serena Waterford sleep with?
Serena Waterford has been involved in a few romantic relationships throughout her life. In Season 1 of the TV show “The Handmaid’s Tale,” she was in a relationship with Nick, the driver for the Waterfords, who later became her husband.
They remained together for a few years until, in Season 2, the relationship eventually ended. In Season 3, she had a brief affair with Commander Lawrence, with whom she was- in a way- married. In Season 4, Commander Joseph Lawrence became her official husband and they had a very complicated marriage.
In the same season, she had a short-lived relationship with Luke Bankole, the leader of Mayday, and also with Isaac, a Guardian who was in charge of her.
