Offred?

Why is Offred the only one of her household who has not retained her name? The Handmaids in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale are known as "Offred" and "Ofglen," but the Marthas are known as Rita and Cora; the Guardian is known as Nick. There is no suggestion that it is against the rules for Offred to know the names of the Marthas, but that she knows them anyway - even if that were true, there is little chance that Rita would have told Offred her name. So why must Offred be known as Offred, and why is it such a sin for Offred to tell others her real name?

It seems that it is about possession. The Commander is the one who is in charge of the household. The Wife is the supporter of the Commander, in charge of discipline and keeping the encounters between the Commander and the Handmaid kosher. The Marthas and the Guardians are helpers of the household. They do the tasks required of them to keep the household in working order, such as cleaning, cooking, etc. Handmaids, however, are simply possessions - their names even suggest their belonging to a man. They have time and place mandated for them to exercise and bathe and eat and such, and for most of the rest of the time, they are holed up in their rooms. It is as if they are stored until they are needed. Additionally, they are kept from all that might damage them - such as illicit relationships or reading. As Offred notes, she is simply "a womb with legs."

So why is Offred a possession, when everyone else is allowed to be a person? She is one of the few with working ovaries - one of the few remaining chances to keep America populated. It would seem that the handmaids would be lifted to a level of esteem rather than treated like they are incapable of determining what is best for their own lives, like they are toddlers. Understandably, Offred has not made a baby with a Commander yet, and if she had she would receive greater honor (like Janine), but up to that point, it would seem like the government would be making greater effort to make her comfortable.

An answer might be found in the fact that Gilead is trying to resemble the Biblical world. That which they have modeled Handmaids after would not have had much power. However, I do not see how the Marthas would be in much greater of a position, yet it is clear that they have much more freedom. Sure, they also do not have the same hope of honor that Offred does by giving birth, but Offred could also just as easily fail and become an Unwoman - Marthas do not have this fear.

Handmaids are possessions that are used to facilitate the needs of the government. They have no freedom. They do not truly have any rights. They may be free from, but they are not free to.