Marthas

Women who serve

Marthas is a plural referring to multiple people named Martha, or used attributively for a type.

In *The Handmaid's Tale*, Marthas are domestic servants in the dystopian household system—women assigned to cooking and cleaning rather than childbearing.

The usage draws on the biblical Martha, who busied herself with housework while her sister Mary sat listening to Jesus.

biblical

Bethany

Ancient Judean settlement

  • LazarusBiblical man raised from death
  • MaryCommon feminine name
  • JesusChristian faith's divine son

Gospel · Luke · New Testament · service · distracted · hospitality · kitchen · sister · faith · devotion

domesticity

homemaking

Managing domestic life

tidiness · cleanliness · orderliness · chores · caregiving · cooking · baking · organizing · decorating · crafting

name

Margaret

Traditional woman's name

vintage · old-fashioned · biblical · saint · patron

vineyard

island

Water-bounded land mass

ferry · resort · beaches · summer · Atlantic · New England · tourism · vacation · Kennedys · celebrity

Categories
Opposites
active service vs. contemplation

MarthasMarys

Plural of a name

contemplatives · mystics · meditators · monastics · listeners

practical vs. mystical orientation

MarthasMarys

Plural of a name

hermits · desert fathers · cenobites · Carmelites · Trappists

social role in Gilead (The Handmaid's Tale)

MarthasCommanders

D.C.'s professional football franchise

Jezebels · Angels

Phrases
Family

Martha

Familiarity
Top 1,000,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G