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A character in The Handmaid's Tale

Luke

Luke is Offred’s husband from before Gilead and the father of her daughter.

The book

Cover of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Handmaid's TaleMargaret Atwood, 1985

One woman remembers freedom while authoritarian rules become ordinary through repetition, fear, and religious language.

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Who they are in the book

Spoiler-free

Luke is Offred’s husband from before Gilead and the father of her daughter. Their relationship began while he was married to someone else, a fact Gilead uses to classify Offred as sexually fallen. He tries to flee with the family and is separated from Offred during capture. She imagines several possible outcomes, but the novel never confirms whether he lived.

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