Chapters 37-39 show a lot about the attitudes towards sex and the way women are seen and treated in the novel. These chapters are very significant as they go into a great deal of detail about what happens at the club called "Jezebels". The section that these chapters are within is also called Jezebels.
Before even reading these chapters, we know that the word "Jezebels" is going to be relevant and significant from the fact that it is the section name that these chapters are within. From the beginning of the book, the section names have had significance to chapters within the sections. The term "Jezebel" immediately makes the reader start asking questions about why this term would be used as a title. A Jezebel is a term for an evil, promiscuous woman, possibly a prostitute. Therefore this noun seems to be completely contradictory to how women are supposed to come across in the book. Women, especially Handmaids, are supposed to be very modest, obedient and religious which is the complete opposite of a Jezebel. Atwood clearly chose such a shocking term specifically to raise questions.
At the beginning of chapter 37, a reference to sex in the society is made. Offred is walking down the corridors of the club (previously a hotel) with her Commander and as they walk past the doors to the rooms, she says "From behind one of the doors comes laughter, a man's and also a woman's. It's a long time since I've heard that." Atwood doesn't mention sex, but the implication is there and it's clear that Offred is speaking of the couple having sex behind the closed door. The present tense quote "It's a long time since I've heard that" shows an attitude towards sex in the society. The fact that Offred hasn't heard a man and a woman laughing together, being intimate and spending time together in a "long time" shows that sex is not considered to be something done for love or pleasure, it's almost a business, something that has to be done for the sake of the future.
When Offred leaves the Commander to go to the toilets to speak to Moira, she asks the Commander what to do if someone stops her. His reply says a lot about the way that the women are objectified. The quote "Just show them your tag...It'll be all right. They'll know you're taken." shows that women are considered as objects, something owned by the men in the novel. The adjective "taken" makes the women seem as if they belong to the men, she is taken by the Commander and no one else can have her. This shows a lack of respect for women and it seems as if they're taken advantage of. The fact that Offred only has to show her tag to show that she's taken is shocking, it shows that it's widely known that this tag means she's owned and she belongs to someone.
Offred is shown off by the Commander to the other men at the club, she's put across like a piece of meat. She says "They review my breasts, my legs, as if there's no reason why they shouldn't." This shocking quote shows the way that the women are seen. They are expected to be aesthetically pleasing and the Commander is taking advantage of the fact that Offred is with him by showing her off and almost boasting about what he owns. She is displayed as if she's a piece of meat, as if she doesn't deserve any respect and it's acceptable for them just to judge her appearance. The term "as if" gives the impression that she doesn't agree with this action, because if "as if" was removed from the statement, it would read "There's no reason why they shouldn't." These two words are very effective as they completely determine what she's really saying and if they were not there, the sentence would be completely different.
The women are seemingly compared to meat again later in the chapter. Offred is describing the costumes worn by the women at the club. She says "Attached to her head are two ears, of a rabbit or deer". The fact that she mentions rabbits and deers is significant because both are animals known for the fact that they are widely hunted. This is a strong comparison because it makes the women seem as if they are hunted by the men, helpless like the animals they are compared to. The women are hunted by the men, they're their prey. This could be why the costume is appealing to the men in the club because it makes the men feel in control and dominant.
Later on in the chapter, Offred goes on to speak more about the way that women are owned by the men. When speaking about the prostitutes at the club, she says "It must be hard to stand there unclaimed". The adjective "unclaimed" objectifies the women again. This makes it seem as if the women are nothing until a man claims them as their own. The women are simply sex objects, waiting around until a man considers them good enough and takes them off to a room. This degrades the women and obviously shocks Offred, even though she agrees with the Commander that walking into the club is like "walking into the past", which gives the impression that she's seen this all before and it was once appropriate and accepted in society.
In conclusion, the views on women and sex in the novel seem to be very negative towards women, objectifying and degrading them. Everything is in favour of men and they get what they want. Women are used by the men, especially at the club.
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