Aunt Helena Character Analysis in The Testaments

Aunt Helena is one of the Founders, and she was arrested and coerced into developing Gilead at the same time as Aunt Lydia. Although Aunt Helena holds power as a Founder and appears often in the narrative, she is weak-willed and exists entirely in the shadow of the other leading Aunts. Even when she does not agree with Lydia or Vidala’s machinations, she follows along with them, feeling as if she has no choice but to bend to their power. Because of this, Helena has very little character of her own, but mainly echoes the opinions of others.

Aunt Helena Character Timeline in The Testaments

The timeline below shows where the character Aunt Helena appears in The Testaments. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...a disturbing story at school. In their classroom hangs portraits of the Founders: Aunts Lydia, Helena, Elizabeth, and Vidala. Lydia’s portrait is largest and seems fearsome. Vidala announces she will tell... (full context)

Vidala, Elizabeth, and Helena present Lydia with a new plan they’ve written up to decrease the escaping of women... (full context)

Lydia sat in the boardroom once again, this time with Helena, Elizabeth, and Vidala. Vidala was already wearing the Aunts’ uniform and was clearly indoctrinated, but... (full context)

...be the “natural leader” but was immediately usurped by Lydia, setting them up as opponents. Helena and Elizabeth were both weaker, broken by the Thank Tank and the horror of what... (full context)

...she has evidence of Vidala’s treachery and can turn Elizabeth easily against her, and perhaps Helena as well, in case one of them needs to be framed and sacrificed. Lydia is... (full context)

...Agnes shows it, even expressing sympathy for Judd’s disappointment at the marriage being called off. Helena simply wants their interview over quickly, since Lydia has already made up her mind and... (full context)

Aunt Helena arrives next, also reporting that Victoria was seen reading her own genealogical file, which Helena... (full context)

During lunch, Aunt Helena notices that Victoria and Immortelle are missing, but Lydia mentions that they said they’d be... (full context)