Today in class a question was asked to a Martha, “If you can’t have children and you can’t do the thing that’s most cherished in Gilead, then what makes you better than Offred?” I thought that was a very interesting question and it really made me think. Yes, Marthas play a very important role in running the Commander’s household and making sure everyone is fed, but they are essentially replaceable. They cook and clean, but anyone can do that. In Gilead, being a woman and being able to naturally reproduce is the most precious gift of all, so Handmaid’s can’t be replaced. Marthas, on the other hand, can be. I suppose being a Martha is better than being sent to the colonies to work and die, though.
This is what I assume a Martha looks like, or something of this sort. Wearing a long green dress, head and face covered, wearing an apron, to show that they cook and clean for the household. It definitely resembles a creepy nurse or something.