If you've been tuning into season six of The Handmaid's Tale, it's likely that you've got some questions about New Bethlehem - Gilead's planned settlement which was formed by the Gileadean regime.
New Bethlehem was created with the intention of being a more liberal territory within Gilead, a safe place for refugees to return to.
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Spearheaded by Commander Lawrence, the island is pitched as a softened version of Gilead—one without the public hangings, ritualised rape, or forced work that have defined the regime so far.
Instead, it offers a supposedly freer life under the Gileadean regime, with promises of reuniting families and partial autonomy. The new territory is supposed to be a sort of peace offering that bridges Gilead to the outside world.
Commander Lawrence who originated the concept, describes New Bethlehem as 'a nicer version of authoritarianism.' His goal? To make Gilead appear more palatable on the world stage and entice back those who fled. For individuals like June who have been separated from their families,, the proposal offers a chance to be near her daughter Hannah, who is still trapped in Gilead.
However, the same foundation of control lay in New Bethlehem. While there are no handmaids, there are cameras. There are no public trials, but there are curfews. New Bethlehem may lack Gilead’s overt brutality, but its ideaology remains intact.
As for where it can be found geographically, New Bethlehem is located on an island which is isolated and enclosed.
Whether it's a genuine attempt at reform or simply a trap, New Bethlehem begs the question of if a system that was built on oppression actually evolve.
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