Feminism in the novel The Handmaid's Tale written by Margaret Atwood is an important theme. This novel represents the morals and horrors of a vision of feminism, sometimes taken to extremes. Women's rights have been downgraded and as a result women are used to bearing children and are constantly surveilled. The Handmaids are considered powerful figures in the society of the novels while living in a dystopia of cultural feminism, which renders them degraded women with a loss of identity. The powerful figures in The Handmaids Tale would be considered the Commander's wives or the Aunts. Gilead could be represented as a hierarchy with the wives of the Commanders at the top of the pyramid. Below the top of the pyramid would be the aunts and then the handmaids, who the novel focuses on. The Aunts establish the rules that the Handmaids must strictly follow. Aunts are the central power figure and authority figures at the center. They have the control to change the rules, persecute the Handmaids, and use their supervisory power to extremes. Aunts have some leniency to do what they want, however they cannot be careless because they must have good morals and set a good example for the Handmaids. The eye also observes them and the Handmaids. The world of Gilead could be compared to a democratic government where aunts would be the governors and commanders' wives would be the prime ministers. The aunts are supervisory figures in this center where all these women live. The aunt protagonist of this novel is Aunt Lydia, who supervises the women. Aunt Lydia also expresses her opinion to women on how women should be solely concerned with conceiving children and how to be......middle of the card......considered a sisterhood where they take care of the each other and support each other. They hope or even pray for a chance to give birth to the Commander's child. Feminism is taken to extremes with the coincidence of sex and secrecy that escapes rights. Overall, Gilead is not a feminist society as women's rights have been taken away due to the dehumanization and oppression of women. There is more of a vision or hope of feminism that is present. The women try to live there with some happiness and freedom, however it is difficult as they are constantly watched by their aunts or eyes and have to abide by strict rules. No form of pleasure is allowed and the woman wants to give birth to the Commander's child. The women don't seem to want to protest, they seem happy with their lives. Just remember “nolite te bastardes carborundorum”. (Atwood, chap.29)”