Offred, reminiscing about her time spent sleeping in a gymnasium alongside other women. The room is heavily guarded by women known as "Aunts," who carry electric cattle prods for control. Outside the building, high-ranking soldiers called "Angels" guard the premises. The captive women yearn for interaction with the guards but are confined within the gymnasium except for supervised walks around a fenced football field. Despite the restrictions, the women find solace in reaching out to one another and learning to lip-read.
Offred's living arrangements within the Commander's house. She describes her sparsely furnished room, designed to prevent escape. Offred dons the mandatory red outfit that conceals her body, emphasizing the color's association with blood. The restrictive bonnets, referred to as "wings," obstruct both vision and recognition.
During her walk to the shops, Offred encounters Rita, a Martha, a domestic staff member who disapproves of Offred's attire and the implications it carries. Offred passes through the garden, which belongs to the Commander's Wife, who Offred had hoped would provide support but instead expresses hostility. The Commander's Wife, known as Serena Joy, warns Offred to stay away from her husband and asserts her authority. Offred observes Nick, the Commander's driver, who seemingly defies protocol by winking at her, raising suspicions about his intentions.
Offred meets Ofglen, another Handmaid assigned as her shopping partner. They engage in orthodox greetings and cautious pleasantries, unsure of each other's true beliefs. Offred takes advantage of the guards' gaze during a checkpoint, recognizing the limited power she holds over them. She and Ofglen encounter Japanese tourists, whose
appearance and demeanor contrast starkly with the repressive society they reside in. When asked about their happiness, Offred responds affirmatively, concealing her true emotions.
On their return journey, Offred and Ofglen pass by "the Wall," where executed dissidents hang, wearing placards signifying their crimes. Offred is relieved not to see her loved one, Luke, among the victims. She senses a tremor in Ofglen and wonders if she is crying.
Offred contemplates the night as her own time and reflects on different memories. She recalls her college friend, Moira, who had a distinct and eccentric style. Another memory takes her back to her childhood when she accompanied her mother to a feminist protest where they witnessed the burningof pornographic magazines. Offred vividly remembers the burning pages resembling parts of women's bodies turning to ash in the air.
Offred muses about the story she is telling and the control she has over the ending. She addresses the reader and likens a story to a letter, pretending that someone can hear her, although she acknowledges their absence.
Offred and Ofglen's visit to the Wall. They witness a priest and two men accused of "Gender Treachery," signifying homosexuality, hanging from the Wall. On their way back, Ofglen comments on the beautiful May day, leading Offred to reflect on the distress signal "Mayday" and the changes in language.
During her return, Offred encounters Nick, the Commander's driver, who defies protocol by engaging in casual conversation. She remembers Aunt Lydia's teachings about the temptation men face and Serena Joy's transition from gospel singing to advocating for the sanctity of the home. Upstairs in her room, Offred notices the Commander's presence near her door, violating customary boundaries. She realizes her attachment to the room and discovers the phrase "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum" scratched into the floor, left by a previous Handmaid.
Offred imagines the former Handmaid's personality, reminiscent of her college friend Moira. She recalls her futile attempts to gather information about the previous Handmaid from Rita, who only mentioned that she didn't work out. Offred reflects on Aunt Lydia's training and the suppression of women's rights, questioning if society was once different. She contemplates the gradual changes that led to the establishment of Gilead, noting the complex mix of emotions she feels toward the Commander. Offred visits the doctor for mandatory tests, and he makes an unconventional proposition to have sex with her to help her conceive. Shocked by the forbidden word "sterile," Offred declines but remains polite, aware of the potential consequences.
Throughout the chapter, Offred provides vivid details about the oppressive environment, including the absence of mirrors and razors in the bathroom and her discomfort with viewing her own body. She thinks about her daughter, coming to terms with the possibility that she may be dead. Cora, a Martha, brings her supper, and Offred hides a pat of butter in her shoe.
Offred's attempt to pass time in her room. She remembers the arrival of her college friend, Moira, at the Centre with a bruised cheek. Their secret conversation in the bathroom makes Offredfeel safer. She recalls the "Testifying" sessions where Janine shares her experience of being gang-raped and having an abortion, leading to blame being placed on her. Offred and Moira manage to excuse themselves and have a conversation through a hole in the stall wall, which brings Offred happiness.
In her room in the Commander's house, Offred reflects on how menstruation now symbolizes failure and how her perception of her body has changed. She dreams of attempting to escape with her daughter but being unable to carry her and hearing shots fired. The dream ends with a small window resembling the wrong end of a telescope. She wakes up to a bell and dries her eyes, acknowledging that it was the worst of her dreams.
Offred coming downstairs and entering the sitting room. Nick, the Commander's driver, stands close to her, and they engage in subtle physical contact. Serena Joy, the Commander's wife, enters the room, turns on the television, and allows them to watch the news, a rarity. The news reports military victories, the capture of religious dissidents, and the resettlement of people of color. Offred reminisces about her failed attempt to escape to Canada with fake visas.
The Commander joins them and behaves in a manner similar to a midwestern bank president. He takes out a Bible and reads passages related to reproduction and having children. Serena Joy becomes emotional during the reading. Offred recalls Moira faking sickness to be released from the Centre and the harsh punishment she faced afterward. During the Ceremony, Offred lies on Serena Joy's bed while the Commander attempts to impregnate her. Offred notes that the Ceremony is devoid of sexual desire and describes the specific actions involved. Kissing is forbidden but helps make the experience bearable.
After the Ceremony, Offred returns to her room and takes the butter she had hidden in her shoe to use as hand lotion and face cream. The Wives' decree prohibits Handmaids from using such products to maintain their attractiveness. Feeling rebellious, Offred decides to steal a daffodil from the sitting room to preserve it for the next woman. However, Nick surprises her, closes the door, and kisses her. Offred feels excitement at being touched and rationalizes it as being with Luke in another body before dismissing the thought. Nick reveals that the Commander wants to see Offred in his office the following day.
Offred lying in bed, still trembling and yearning for physical contact. She remembers lying with Luke and wishes for a real body to hold. She contemplates different scenarios regarding Luke's fate, imagining him dead, alive but captive, or having escaped and joined the resistance. Offred believes in all three versions of Luke, as each gives her hope and keeps her alive.
Offred eating her breakfast and contemplating the idea of pleasure being an egg. She hears a siren and sees the red Birthmobile arrive to collect her. In the vehicle, she sits with three other Handmaids and learns that Ofwarren, previously known as Janine, is due to give birth. Offred wonders if the baby will be healthy or have deformities, recalling Aunt Lydia discussing the decline in birth rates and blaming women who chose not to have children. At Ofwarren's house, the Wives gather in the sitting room, cheering and massaging the pregnant Wife's belly. Offred reflects on the possibility of Ofwarren simply wanting an agreeable life. She remembers Aunt Lydia showing old pornographic films at the Red Centre and using them as a comparison to the current society. She recalls recognizing her mother in footage of feminist marches demanding freedom of choice. The Handmaids share names and information quietly among themselves. The Commander's wife sits on a birthing stool, and Janine gives birth. The baby is handed to the Wife, while the Handmaids stand between Janine and the bed to shield her from seeing the child. Janine cries, and Offred reflects on her future as a Handmaid. Exhausted, Offred decides to tell a different story, focusing on the escape of her friend Moira. Moira threatened an Aunt with a lever from the cistern and escaped wearing the Aunt's clothes and carrying her cattle prod and whistle. Offred reveals that Moira had power and became a fantasy for the Handmaids. Following orders, Offred goes to the Commander's office, which is forbidden for Handmaids. The office is filled with books, and the Commander invites her to play Scrabble, an illegal act. Offred plays two games, winning the first and letting the Commander win the second. Afterward, he asks her to kiss him, and Offred reluctantly complies. She notes his sadness.
Offred back in her room, sensing that something has changed. She contemplates the Commander's desire and the seriousness sheshould attach to it. She remembers a documentary about the Holocaust and a woman's interview about her relationship with a cruel camp supervisor. Offred considers that the woman needed to believe he wasn't a monster to continue living. Suddenly, Offred has an urge to laugh but suppresses it, crawling into the closet and tracing the tiny scratched writing on the floor as if it were Braille.
Offred waking up in the closet after Cora drops a tray and mistakenly thinks she might be dead. Offred brushes off any concern and mentions feeling dizzy. She dismisses the idea of being pregnant and explains her arrangement with the Commander, visiting him two or three nights a week when signaled by Nick. On her second visit, the Commander gives her a forbidden women's magazine, which she desires intensely. Offred asks for hand lotion, and the Commander finds her request amusing, offering to get it for her as if fulfilling a child's wish. When he returns with the lotion, Offred explains the need to hide it from room searches. At the next Ceremony, Offred and the Commander feel a newfound awkwardness and absence during the act. Offred's feelings toward Serena Joy become mixed with jealousy and guilt. During the Ceremony, the Commander tries to touch Offred's face, but she avoids him and warns him not to repeat the action to avoid consequences. Offred acknowledges her role as the Commander's mistress and admits to finding him interesting. While walking with Ofglen, they both confess not being true believers, and Ofglen invites Offred to join the secret underground movement called Mayday. A van with a white-winged eye logo takes away a man, causing Offred to feel relief that it wasn't her. Offred recalls Moira coming out as gay and the rise of Gilead, including the shooting of the President and the censorship of media. Her bank account was frozen, and she lost her job due to her gender. Offred's relationship with Luke undergoes changes, and she feels a loss of ownership. She remembers protests and marches, but Luke discouraged her from participating, citing futility and the need to protect their family. Offred's daily routine involves more housework and baking. She reflects on her mother's feminist activism and her own conservative behavior. In the Commander's study, Offred feels comfortable, while the Commander assumes a paternal role, watching her read his books.Offred asks about the meaning of "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum," and the Commander explains it as a joke in pig Latin, meaning "Don't let the bastards grind you down." Offred notices the phrase written in an old schoolbook and realizes the previous Handmaid must have been in the study. The Commander reveals that she hanged herself after Serena found out about her actions.
Offred watching Nick emerge from the darkness, feeling a hunger between them but knowing she can't indulge in it. She recalls the night before she attempted to escape with Luke and their daughter, where they had to take care of their cat before leaving. Offred reflects on her prayers at the Centre, seeking emptiness and the wish to be fruitful. In her room, she prays to God, asking for guidance and confessing her struggles with living.
Ofglen sharing the password "Mayday" with Offred during their shopping trip. Ofglen tells Offred that she knows about her secret meetings with the Commander and urges her to find out more information. Serena suggests Offred try having sex with another man, specifically Nick. The Commander begins drinking in Offred's presence and sometimes cheats at Scrabble, acting silly. He justifies the actions of Gilead and claims arranged marriages are as successful as love marriages. Offred attends a Women's Prayvaganza and learns about the group weddings. Back in her room, Offred contemplates withdrawing into herself and the significance of "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum." Serena shows Offred a picture of her daughter, making Offred feel washed away by time. During her next visit to the Commander, he surprises her with a revealing outfit and takes her to a forbidden place called Jezebel's. They see women dressed provocatively, including Moira. Moira explains her life at Jezebel's and encourages Offred to find a way to join her. Moira mentions seeing Offred's mother in a film about the Colonies and advises Offred to wish death upon her. The Commander takes Offred to a private room, suggesting they skip the Ceremony and telling her to fake enjoyment. Offred convinces herself that he is not a monster and goes along with his desires.
Offred preparing herself, removing the spangles and lipstick. Serena comes to her room at midnight and sends her to Nick's room above the
garage. Nick lets her in, and without speaking,they engage in a sexual encounter. Offred reveals that she made up the previous description, clarifying that it didn't happen the way she initially described it. Instead, Nick offers her a drag on his cigarette, and they share a moment without much time. Offred senses that Nick might feel used. They exchange a joke and smile, but suddenly Offred begins to cry. Nick embraces her, providing comfort, and they share a kiss. Nick emphasizes that there should be no romance between them and advises her not to risk herself for him. Offred confesses that she fabricated the sound of thunder to cover up her own ashamed sounds and admits that she's not entirely sure how the encounter happened. Afterward, she feels a sense of betrayal toward Luke, not because of the act itself but due to her own response.
Offred expressing her wish for a different story that portrays her in a better light. She acknowledges that by sharing her story, she is believing in the reader's existence. Offred reveals that she continues her secret meetings with Nick, driven by her own desires rather than for his sake. These encounters are passionate compared to her experiences with the Commander. She tells the Commander that she believes she is pregnant, although she acknowledges that it is likely wishful thinking.
Ofglen suggests that Offred search the Commander's study for information, but Offred is no longer interested in the Commander and expresses fear and reluctance. She admits to herself that she no longer wants to escape and instead desires to be with Nick. Offred feels relief when Ofglen begins to give up on her.
Offred attends a public execution known as a Salvaging, where a woman is hanged while the crowd, including Offred, places their hands on the rope to show their complicity. After the hanging, a Particicution takes place, where Handmaids participate in the beating and killing of a man accused of rape. Offred is filled with shock, outrage, and nausea but also feels a sense of bloodlust during the violent act.
Offred confronts Ofglen about the incident, only to discover that the man was not a rapist but a political prisoner. Ofglen explains that she knocked him out to end his suffering before he was brutally killed. Later, when Offred meets the new Ofglen, she learns that the previous Ofglen
hanged herself upon seeing the van coming for her.
Offredfeels relieved that she was not implicated by Ofglen and promises to resign herself to her circumstances. When she returns home, Serena accuses Offred of being vulgar and compares her to the previous Handmaid. In her room, Offred maintains a calm demeanor.
Offred contemplating different implausible escape options. She hears the van arriving and fears that Nick may be involved in a trap. However, Nick reassures her that it is Mayday and tells her to trust him. Reluctantly, Offred accepts the offer and is escorted by two men. As she passes Serena and the Commander, she still feels a hint of sympathy for him. The men claim that Offred's arrest is related to the violation of state secrets. Offred enters the van, unsure if it signifies her end or a new beginning, but she accepts her fate in the hands of strangers.