The Handmaid’s Tale question

Pretty sure they were forced into an arranged marriage; I doubt that the leadership of Gilead would have allowed any female with viable ovaries to just live her life as she pleased. I believe that this was discussed when Atwood talked about the convents being outlawed and the nuns forced to either become wives or go to the territories to clean up toxic waste.

If they didn't rebel or try to run off, and weren't unacceptable in some other way (like, say, a single mother), they'd probably be given a chance to be wives first.

They were a prized commodity. Had to become Wives or Handmaids or go to the other place.

A Handmaid was a fallen woman.
Our character was an adulterer - she had married a divorced man.