Jezebel's

In chapter thirty-six of The Handmaid’s Tale, Offred is taken on a “date” to an underground club called “Jezebel’s” with the Commander. Throughout this scene, the reader is made to feel uncomfortable.

From the beginning of the situation, we sense something strange about the Commander that night. “‘Tonight I have a little surprise for you,’ he says. He laughs;” (pg 229) Offred describes it as a “snigger.” We as readers, like Offred, aren’t yet sure what he finds funny or why he emphasized little in his proposal. Offred also says he wishes to diminish things, like her, when talking about something. By definition, “diminish” means to make someone or something seem less valuable. The Commander wants to continue to feel powerful and the only way to do that is to make others seem less. To get ready for the club, the Commander does Offred’s makeup with old products and makes her wear a big cloak that we are led to believe belongs to Serena Joy. Offred decides to do it herself and finds it difficult to do so. “For a moment I think I won’t remember how to do any of this,” The entire scene focuses on Offred getting back into the habit of something she did before it was forbidden for her.

“He slips around my waist a tag, purple on an elastic band, like the tags for airport luggage. ‘If anyone asks you, say you’re an evening rental,’ he says.” (pg 233) We as readers are able to understand, without context, that women of Gilead can be rented for the night for whatever the men so please.

When they get to Jezebel’s, Offred sees women and men lounging around. As stated, the women are dressed in “festive gear”, “olden-days lingerie”, bikinis, and cheerleader uniforms while the men are in work clothes. From the description of the extravagant clothes and make-up the women wear, which contrasts the average clothes the men wear, we know Jezebel’s is a risque club. The dissimilarity between the women working at the club and Offred could symbolize the two truths to Gilead. On one hand, it prides their women on modesty and tradition. It also oppresses women; as seen with Offred wearing a bulky cloak that doesn’t belong to her. On the other hand, men are lusting after women in little clothing; wanting something that is not seen as “Holy.”

The Commander shows off Offred. “The Commander does the talking for me, to this man and to the others who follow him. He doesn’t say much about me, he doesn’t need to. He says I’m new, and they look at me and dismiss me and confer together about other things. My disguise performs its function.” (pg 236) We see the men not care much about the women who are evening rentals. This tells us that Jezebel’s is a club meant for relaxing without the rules of Gilead applying to women so they may objectify them however they want.