🎴 Flashcard Mode
Contemporary Literary Allusions: Recognizing the References to Past Works in Modern Literature
In Margaret Atwood's novel The Handmaid's Tale, the protagonist Offred is forced to wear a red robe and white bonnet, which are reminiscent of the clothing worn by the Puritans in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter. What is the significance of this allusion?
The red robe and white bonnet that Offred is forced to wear are a symbol of the oppression and control that she experiences in the Republic of Gilead. These garments are similar to the clothing worn by the Puritans in Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter, which is a story about a woman who is punished for her sins. By alluding to Hawthorne's novel, Atwood suggests that Offred is also being punished for her sins, even though her sins are not clearly defined.