Key Points:
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Gilead’s Wives resist New Bethlehem despite it marginally easing restrictions on women.
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Their opposition stems from internalized oppression, status anxiety, and loyalty to the regime.
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New Bethlehem faces collapse due to pushback from both reformists and hardliners.
Why Do the Gilead Wives Reject New Bethlehem?
In The Handmaid’s Tale season 6, Commander Lawrence introduces New Bethlehem, a radical new colony within Gilead that allows for limited social reforms—including reading rights for women and greater autonomy for Handmaids who’ve fulfilled their duties. While this might seem like progress, the proposal faces sharp resistance from Gilead’s highest-ranking women: the Wives.
Although these Wives are Gilead’s top-tier female class, they, too, are shaped by the regime’s deeply entrenched misogyny. Their opposition to New Bethlehem is rooted in fear of losing their privileged status. If the regime begins to ease restrictions on other women—especially Handmaids—it could potentially erode the social hierarchy that protects the Wives.
Rather than aligning with other women for systemic change, the Wives double down on the current structure, upholding a system that keeps them superior. Their reaction underscores a central theme of The Handmaid’s Tale: even those who benefit from oppressive systems may resist change if it threatens their power.
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How Does New Bethlehem Challenge Gilead’s Power Structure?
While New Bethlehem still operates within the framework of Gilead’s theocracy, its slight reforms offer a symbolic threat to the regime’s control mechanisms. In this colony, women can read, Handmaids can live more freely after childbirth, and society moves toward more equitable—though still limited—conditions.
This experiment in leniency has a few notable backers: Commander Lawrence, Aunt Lydia, and to some extent, Serena Joy. However, the majority of Commanders and their Wives see it as a dangerous compromise. In episode 7, the Wives’ rejection of New Bethlehem highlights how deeply they’ve internalized the idea that strict control over women is necessary for societal stability.
Moreover, many Wives simply mirror the views of their husbands. In a society where women’s opinions are rarely their own, the Wives’ resistance may be more a reflection of the Commanders’ disapproval than independent opposition.
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Why Is New Bethlehem Destined To Fail?
Despite its reformist goals, New Bethlehem is unlikely to survive the events unfolding in The Handmaid’s Tale season 6. The colony lacks support from all key factions: the Wives reject it, most Commanders oppose it, and even June and the rebels see it as inadequate and performative.
The failure of Mayday’s earlier assault in episode 6—after Nick betrayed June to Commander Wharton—sets up the urgency behind their new plan. In episode 7, they pivot to targeting Serena Joy and Wharton’s wedding, a key event expected to gather Gilead’s elite in one place. It’s part of a broader effort to cripple Gilead from within, not through reform, but decisive strikes.
In contrast, Commander Lawrence’s plan is seen as too soft. By trying to offer a middle ground, he has alienated both progressives and hardliners. The Commanders even threaten to execute him, considering placing him on the Wall for his insubordination. This political isolation suggests that New Bethlehem may collapse before it’s fully realized.
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How Do the Wives Reflect Gilead’s Systemic Oppression?
The Wives’ rejection of New Bethlehem is not merely political—it’s psychological. In Gilead, women are taught to accept and defend their place in society, even when that place is limiting. Despite their privileges, Wives are still extensions of their husbands, and many have internalized patriarchal values.
By opposing New Bethlehem, they reinforce the idea that women’s status must be earned by suppressing others. This shows how The Handmaid’s Tale illustrates the complex intersections of power, gender, and complicity.
Rather than using their influence to improve life for all women, the Wives aim to preserve a system that, ironically, also keeps them subjugated. Their stance emphasizes how deeply Gilead’s ideology has shaped even its beneficiaries.
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What’s Next For New Bethlehem and Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6?
The Handmaid’s Tale season 6, episode 7 marks a turning point. With June and Mayday now targeting Serena and Wharton’s wedding, the show is clearly building toward a climactic confrontation. Meanwhile, Commander Lawrence stands alone, isolated politically and endangered by his own ideals.
Only Aunt Lydia and possibly Serena Joy remain open to New Bethlehem’s promise, but their influence is limited. The lack of support from both women and men in power means that New Bethlehem will likely be dismantled or sabotaged before it has a chance to succeed.
With The Testaments—the sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale—on the horizon, the narrative trajectory seems to favor radical transformation over cautious reform. As such, New Bethlehem’s demise may be inevitable, serving as a final illustration of how moderation cannot survive in extreme regimes.
The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 is currently streaming on Hulu, with episode 7 now available. The final season will conclude with episode 10.
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