What is a Martha? The Handmaid’s Tale social rankings explained

In The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6 Episode 4 promo, June can be seen disguised as a Martha, with the plain uniform and mask allowing her to blend into the crowd. 

During the rise of the Republic of Gilead, June was made a Handmaid. Not only was this due to her fertility but also because she was deemed an “adultress” for having a husband who had already been married. 

In the eyes of the totalitarian patriarchal theology that was first established by the Sons of Jacob, divorces are not recognized, making subsequent weddings invalid. At the other end of the social scale is Serena, a Commander’s Wife – the highest status for a woman in Gilead.

These roles were first laid out in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. From Handmaids to Marthas, Commanders to Guardians, they are key to understanding the rigid power structure that governs the country formerly known as America. Warning: some may find this content distressing.

What is a Martha?

Hulu

In The Handmaid’s Tale, a Martha is a woman assigned to domestic duties in the Republic of Gilead, either in the households of Commanders and their wives or in industrial settings such as laundries. 

Now, even though Gilead is all about clean water and no chemicals, since the Marthas aren’t required to bear children, those who work in the industrial laundries are exposed to harsh conditions that would be considered too dangerous for Handmaids or Wives.

For those assigned to households, they’re typically responsible for tasks such as cooking, cleaning, and general household management, often in service to the Commander’s family. 

Marthas are low down on the social hierarchy due to the fact that they’re often infertile and/or unmarried. Their past experiences at least save them from being considered Unwomen (more on that later) – but this changes when they’re no longer deemed “useful”.

The most famous Martha from the Hulu series is Rita, who was the servant of Commander Waterford’s household. She has since escaped to Canada, although she’s set to return to Gilead’s “liberalized” New Bethlehem, where she’ll be free from her Martha status. 

The Handmaid’s Tale social hierarchy for women

The women of Gilead are stripped of independence and divided into roles based on their perceived purity, fertility, and obedience – as always in corrupt societies, it’s also about who you know. 

Here’s a breakdown of the strict class system depicted in The Handmaid’s Tale, from highest to lowest:

Commander’s Wife

Hulu

Starting at the top, this is the most powerful position a woman can hold in Gilead. Commander’s Wives wear teal dresses and are often infertile, leading to their reliance on Handmaids to bear children. 

While they enjoy a level of authority within the home, they’re still subservient to their husbands and the wider male-led regime. For instance, they can’t read, write, or hold jobs. 

Serena Joy is a notable example. In the early chapters of the dystopian show, she wields influence through her husband’s position but is constantly held back by the very rules she helped create (even getting her pinky finger lopped off when she tried to enable the study of scripture). 

Aunt

Hulu

Aunts are the only women permitted to read, write, and wield authority over other women. They train and discipline Handmaids, often with brutal devotion to Gilead’s laws. Their loyalty is rewarded with relative freedom, but their power comes from enforcing cruelty on others.

Like all women in the totalitarian regime, they don’t ever get the final say when it comes to the men. Aunt Lydia is undoubtedly the most infamous example, using her cattle prod and other tortuous techniques to whip her Handmaids into submission.

Econowife

Hulu

These are the wives of lower-class men, or “Economen,” who don’t have the status or power to be assigned Handmaids or Marthas. Econowives are expected to perform all roles – wife, mother, housekeeper – and wear striped clothing to reflect their multipurpose status. 

As you’ll remember, June hides out at an Econofamily’s home, where the wife isn’t too happy about her appearance (no doubt due to the punishment it could bring). Unlike the novel, the Econowives wear grey in the Hulu series, allowing them to blend in more easily. 

Although they lack the prestige or protection of the Commanders’ Wives, Econowives certainly have more freedoms than Handmaids. 

Martha 

Hulu

As discussed, Marthas are often infertile or older women assigned to domestic roles in households or industrial facilities. Clad in dull green, they cook, clean, and manage homes, often forming secret resistance networks beneath the surface. 

They are low in status but generally overlooked – making them ideal allies for underground movements like Mayday.

Handmaid

Hulu

Now, it could be argued that Handmaids rank higher than Marthas. They’re certainly deemed as more important by many Commanders due to their ability to fulfill their sexual desires and bear them children. 

However, whereas the others can fly under the radar, Handmaids are forced into sexual servitude. Dressed in red (so they’re easier to spot), they are assigned to Commanders to conceive children on behalf of the Commanders’ Wives. 

They live under constant surveillance, threats of punishment, and ritualized rape disguised as “the Ceremony.” 

June, Emily, and Moira were all Handmaids at one point or another, and they never stopped fighting to put an end to not only their misery but also the misery of every woman who’s ever been oppressed by Gilead. 

Unwoman

Hulu

The lowest on the social hierarchy, Unwomen are deemed useless to society – often older, infertile, rebellious, or guilty of “gender treachery” (the horrifying term used for LGBTQ+ people). 

They are sent to the Colonies, where they are worked to death in toxic waste zones, or they might get a “lucky” break at Jezebels, the unofficial brothel used by Commanders (this is what’s happened to Janine in The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6). 

Being declared an Unwoman is essentially a death sentence, unless you are friends with the right people or are liberalized like June’s mom Holly.

Find out when the next episode drops with our guide to The Handmaid’s Tale Season 6 release schedule. You can also catch up with our recaps of Season 6 Episode 1, Episode 2, and Episode 3.