 ✓
| ||
|
This Villain was proposed and approved by Villains Wiki's Pure Evil Proposals Thread. Any act of removing this villain from the category without a Removal Proposal shall be considered vandalism (or a futile "heroic" attempt of redemption) and the user will have high chances of being | ||
  |
This article's content is marked as Mature The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older. If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page. |
| “ | We let them forget their real purpose. We won't let that happen again. | „ |
| ~ Putnam's disturbing view of women in society. |
Warren Putnam, also known as Commander Putnam, is a major antagonist in the Hulu series The Handmaid's Tale, based on the 1985 novel of the same name.
He is a Commander in the religious dictatorship Gilead. Putnam and his wife Naomi are assigned Janine Lindo as their "Handmaid", a breeding slave forced to bear them a child named Angela who they neglect severely. Putnam's sadism goes beyond even that of the other Commanders in Gilead, with him sexually abusing Janine and Esther Keyes outside of the Ceremony.
He was portrayed by Stephen Kunken.
Personality[]
Putnam is shown to be extremely cruel even in comparison to the other Commander's in Gilead. He and his wife Naomi outwardly act similar to the other's, having Janine assigned to them as a Handmaid and using her to bear their child, but in private Putnam proceeds to manipulate Janine into doing sexual favors for him, and he later has sex with Esther during Fred Waterford's wake. Similar to his wife, he is shown to be neglectful of his adopted daughter Angela, going to sleep while she is sick while Janine watches over her all night. He rejects any attempts to change the status quo in Gilead, ordering the bombing of the remaining United States territories to kill as many rebels as possible, and repeatedly shutting down Joseph Lawrence's attempts to create New Bethlehem, a branch of Gilead that is significantly less controlling. He even admits to Lawrence and Nick Blaine in private that he thinks Commanders should be allowed to abuse their position, a mindset that disgusts even the other Commanders and leads to his execution.
Quotes[]
| “ | Commander Blaine, you will coordinate an aerial bombardment on all insurgent fronts just prior to the ceasefire deadline. | „ |
| ~ Putnam ordering Nick to bomb the refugees prior to the ceasefire. |
| “ | I don't like it. It'll be the death of us all. Of Gilead. A bunch of traitors, criminals, terrorists, and you want to welcome them back. Coddle them. Forgive them. Never. | „ |
| ~ Putnam rejecting Lawrence's proposal for New Bethlehem. |
| “ | I just wonder, if you never allow yourself to enjoy the spoils of your position, why seek it in the first place? | „ |
| ~ Putnam confessing he abuses his position as Commander. |
| “ | She's my Handmaid, she belongs to me! | „ |
| ~ Putnam trying to justify his rape of Esther. |
| “ | I have a baby on the way... | „ |
| ~ Putnam's final words. |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- In the original novel, Putnam and his wife concluded that he was not able to get Janine pregnant, and had their doctor impregnate her instead, although the baby was born with defects and only lived a few weeks. These events are partially adapted in the television series although they are changed significantly, and Putnam is never seen directly in the novel.
- Putnam's character appears to have adapted elements of the novel character B. Frederick Judd, a character that has yet to appear in the television adaptation. Putnam's line "we won't let that happen again" is extremely similar to a line spoken by Judd in the original novel, and both character's prey on young girls outside of the ceremony.
External Links[]
- Warren Putnam on the Pure Evil Wiki
- Warren Putnam on the The Handmaid's Tale Wiki
[]
 Villains
| ||
|
Republic of Gilead Wives Aunts Other | ||