What are Marthas in The Handmaid's Tale? Details from the Hulu series, explored

Hulu’s The Handmaid's Tale brings author Margaret Atwood’s words to life, introducing the audience to a dystopian world where fertile women are forced into sexual slavery amid declining birth rates.

The show has received critical acclaim for its social commentary and faithfulness to Atwood’s 1985 novel. The series follows the journey of June Osborne, who is captured and forced to become a Handmaid to different commanders.

Amid the tragedy, June becomes friends with Rita Blue, who is said to be a Martha. Then, there are other Marthas in the show as well, including Beth and Sienna. This makes the audience wonder what Marthas are in The Handmaid's Tale and how they are different from the Handmaids.

Marthas are a group of women who work as cooks, maids, and housekeepers in the homes of rich families. They are usually infertile women who can not bear children and live under strict rules and no real freedom.

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What are Marthas in The Handmaid's Tale?

In The Handmaid's Tale, Marthas is the label for the social sect of women who can’t bear children in the Republic of Gilead. They are identified by their green outfits and scarves over their heads.

They are different from Handmaids and Wives. Marthas are usually not fertile, which is why they are not made into Handmaids. Even though their job might seem safer than being a Handmaid, they too have to live under restrictions and serve their masters.

Marthas are chosen based on their skills in cooking, cleaning, and other household tasks. In the Hulu series, flashbacks reveal how women were sorted into roles when Gilead began.

Women who could have children were trained to become Handmaids, while those who were good at housework were made into Marthas. Their experience in chores saved them from being sent to the Colonies, where unwanted people are forced to work until they die.

Marthas take care of the household work of their masters. Apart from working in the kitchen, they are tasked with taking care of children and sometimes work in places like laundries or brothels. Since women in Gilead are not allowed to have real jobs, Marthas do not get paid. Instead, they are given tokens to buy things like food.

One of the main Marthas in the series is Rita. At first, she is shown to be quiet and distant, especially toward June. But as the story progresses, it is revealed that she once had a son who died in a war. She soon becomes more caring toward June and even hides important letters for her.

In later seasons of The Handmaid's Tale, it is established that Marthas have formed a secret network, which operates like an underground railroad. Through the network, they support each other, pass messages, and even help people escape.

Marthas' lives are miserable, but they are still slightly better than the Handmaids’. They are not forced into having children like Handmaids and get to keep their real names, which gives them a bit more identity.

They often talk and gossip while working, which helps their secret plans grow. Over the years, the show has introduced various Marthas apart from Rita, including Dr. Hodgson, Doris, Alison, Maggie, Rosa, and Vera.

The Handmaid's Tale is available to stream on Hulu.