Why has Atwood included Allusions in the text? What do they tell us about Offred and Gilead?

Biblical Allusions:

Jezebels: Jezebel was a ‘vain and manipulative’ Queen of Israel. She encouraged her husband, King Ahab to turn from God, persecuted God’s followers, and was finally thrown from a window and eaten by dogs. The name Jezebel is often used for ‘fallen women,’ often prostitutes. Jezebels in The Handmaids Tale is the name of the sex club where women work as prostitutes, these women who are often troubled, have to choose between the Jezebels or the Colonies. They are forced to work as prostitutes and they describe it as living a painful, slow death. This tells us that Gilead is oblivious to this hidden club, or is pretending to be oblivious of this. Offred noted that one of the hotels where this club is run, she had once been.

Rachel and Jacob (Genesis):

Gilead: