The Testaments

The Testaments

by

Margaret Atwood

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Testaments makes teaching easy.

Handmaid Ofkyle / Crystal Character Analysis

Ofkyle is Commander Kyle’s Handmaid, whom he procures after marrying Paula, who is infertile. Ofkyle is the only Handmaid actually depicted in the story. Everyone in Commander Kyle’s household ignores Ofkyle until she becomes pregnant, at which point they dote upon her. However, Agnes notices that Paula and Kyle and their friends only express admiration for Ofkyle’s pregnant belly but not for Ofkyle herself, thus dehumanizing her and treating her not as a person, but only as a womb. When Ofkyle gives birth, there are complications and the doctor cuts Ofkyle open to save the baby, killing her in the process. The family regards Ofkyle as a sacrificial hero, but Agnes recognizes that she was never given the choice of whether or not to sacrifice herself for the child, and thinks it unjust that that decision was made for her. Many years after her death, Agnes looks Ofkyle up in the genealogical records and discovers that her real name was Crystal, which is how Agnes chooses to remember her.

Handmaid Ofkyle / Crystal Quotes in The Testaments

The The Testaments quotes below are all either spoken by Handmaid Ofkyle / Crystal or refer to Handmaid Ofkyle / Crystal. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Religious Totalitarianism and Hypocrisy Theme Icon
).
Chapter 15 Quotes

Her name was Ofkyle, since my father’s name was Commander Kyle. “Her name would have been something else earlier,” said Shunammite. “Some other man’s. They get passed around until they have a baby. They’re all sluts anyway, they don’t need real names.”

Related Characters: Agnes Jemima / Aunt Victoria (speaker), Shunammite (speaker), Handmaid Ofkyle / Crystal
Page Number: 81
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 18 Quotes

The truth was that they’d cut Crystal open to get the baby out, and they’d killed her by doing that. It wasn’t something she chose. She hadn’t volunteered to die with noble womanly honor or be a shining example, but nobody mentioned that.

Related Characters: Agnes Jemima / Aunt Victoria (speaker), Commander Kyle, Handmaid Ofkyle / Crystal
Page Number: 105
Explanation and Analysis:
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Handmaid Ofkyle / Crystal Quotes in The Testaments

The The Testaments quotes below are all either spoken by Handmaid Ofkyle / Crystal or refer to Handmaid Ofkyle / Crystal. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Religious Totalitarianism and Hypocrisy Theme Icon
).
Chapter 15 Quotes

Her name was Ofkyle, since my father’s name was Commander Kyle. “Her name would have been something else earlier,” said Shunammite. “Some other man’s. They get passed around until they have a baby. They’re all sluts anyway, they don’t need real names.”

Related Characters: Agnes Jemima / Aunt Victoria (speaker), Shunammite (speaker), Handmaid Ofkyle / Crystal
Page Number: 81
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 18 Quotes

The truth was that they’d cut Crystal open to get the baby out, and they’d killed her by doing that. It wasn’t something she chose. She hadn’t volunteered to die with noble womanly honor or be a shining example, but nobody mentioned that.

Related Characters: Agnes Jemima / Aunt Victoria (speaker), Commander Kyle, Handmaid Ofkyle / Crystal
Page Number: 105
Explanation and Analysis: