The Handmaid's Tale

The color red is symbolically significant in the novel, most prominently in relation to the clothing Offred and the other Handmaids are forced to wear. Describing her clothing, Offred notes “[e]verything except the wings around my face is red: the colour of blood, which defines us” (18). The allusion to blood is particularly important, with its connections to menstruation, reproductive capability, and birth. These are all key aspects of how Handmaids are valued in Gilead: as potential surrogate mothers, rather than as people. Blood also recalls self-harm and suicide, or the “escapes […] you can open in yourself, given a cutting edge” (18), a common behavior among the desperate, hopeless Handmaids.

Red also has other well-known associations. It is traditionally connected to ideas of fertility, the ripening of fruits, or the reproductive role of flowers. It is also widely associated with sin, shame, and especially sexuality, something that is reinforced several times throughout the novel—for instance, when Offred is shocked at visiting Japanese tourists’ “lipstick, red, outlining the damp cavities of their mouths” (38). These symbolic meanings reflect the ambiguity of the Handmaids’ positions in Gileadean society. Although, officially, they “aren’t concubines, geisha girls, courtesans” (146), Handmaids are still seen as potential temptresses, both sinful and seductive, something that is highlighted by Serena Joy’s jealous guarding of her husband against Offred.