Final answer:
In Margaret Atwood's novels, the Wives might envy the Handmaids for their fertility and ability to bear children in a society that highly values reproductive capabilities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question seems to be centered around the themes of envy and social position in a work of literature, which likely refers to Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale or its sequel The Testaments. In these novels, the Wives might envy the Handmaids for their ability to bear children since, in the theocratic society of Gilead, the Wives are often infertile and the Handmaids' primary function is to reproduce.
The envy could stem from the innate human desire to have children and the societal value placed on fertility, as well as the Wives' recognition of their own dwindling power and influence in a society where the ability to conceive is highly prized.