How is power presented in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’?

Whilst readers may assume that power is wholly possessed by the male population of Gilead, namely that of the Commanders, it could be convincingly argued that Atwood presents Offred as powerful in her utilisation of subversive humour. At the Prayvaganza (a neologism created by the totalitarian regime of Gilead), Offred is displayed to describe the Chief Commander as a “rutting salmon” which ironically rids him of any power in that moment, as he is transformed from a powerful leader to a weak, insignificant fish in the mind of Offred. Furthermore, the addition of the present tense adjective “rutting” is amusing and strips the Commander of his depicted nobility as Offred imagines him having intercourse with his wife. This mocking of the Commander highlights Offred’s power over the men who oppress her. Moreover, Moira becomes a figure of rebellion in the novel, and arguably incites rebellious actions in Offred. She is also presented by Atwood to utilise subversive humour at the Prayvaganza in her manipulation of the biblical language. By declaring “There is a bomb in Gilead” as opposed to the Bible verse “There is a balm in Gilead”, Moira is depicted by Atwood to not only mirror the regime’s sophism (arguably giving Moira the same power as the leaders) but also the ironic switching of “balm” with “bomb” also highlights the highly destructive nature of the totalitarian regime. This corroborates that the Handmaids are presented by Atwood to possess power over men through subversive humour. However, as this rebellion only occurs in the minds or private spaces of the Handmaids, it could be argued that this is an irrelevant form of power that has no real impact on the corrupt system.