“The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood is a gripping novel set in a near-future society where a Christian fundamentalist group has taken over the United States, turning it into the Republic of Gilead. This new regime is a theocracy, meaning it is governed by religious laws. Although the rules seem to apply to everyone, in reality, a small group of men hold all the power, especially over women. Atwood describes this type of story as speculative fiction, which imagines possible futures. Her novels often explore dystopian futures, where society has been ruined by the actions of a few.
Utopian and dystopian literature often reflects political trends. Utopian stories depict ideal societies that authors suggest we should aim for. In contrast, dystopian stories, like “The Handmaid’s Tale,” serve as warnings about how societies can fall apart. Atwood’s novel was published in 1985, during a time when conservative groups were challenging the progress made by the feminist movement, which had been fighting for women’s rights since the 1960s. The book imagines a future where these conservative forces win, reversing women’s progress and making them completely subordinate to men.
In Gilead, women are divided into social classes based on their roles as symbols of men’s status. Their clothing is color-coded, and they are not allowed to read or move freely in public. Fertile women are forced into state-controlled reproduction. Although the story is set in the future, Atwood made a rule for herself: she would not include any event or practice that hadn’t already happened in history. The setting is Cambridge, Massachusetts, a place once governed by the Puritans, known for their strict moral codes and control over people’s lives. Atwood’s connection to the Puritans is both personal and academic, as she studied them at Harvard and may be related to Mary Webster, a Puritan woman accused of witchcraft.
Atwood’s storytelling shines through the experiences of her characters, especially Offred, the main character. Before Gilead’s rise, Offred had a normal life with a husband, child, and job. But the new regime strips her of her identity, separates her from her family, and reduces her to a “two-legged womb” to boost Gilead’s population. Initially, Offred accepts the loss of her rights to help stabilize the government, but soon realizes that the state’s control extends to language, behavior, and thoughts.
Offred’s journey is one of resistance. She reflects, “I wait. I compose myself. My self is a thing I must compose, as one composes a speech.” This highlights how language shapes identity and the potential for resistance. The novel’s plot is driven by those who dare to defy the oppressive rules of Gilead. Ultimately, “The Handmaid’s Tale” explores the dangers of complacency and the misuse of power, making it a timeless and thought-provoking read.
Imagine you are living in a dystopian society similar to Gilead. Write a short story or create a comic strip depicting a day in your life. Focus on how the rules and restrictions affect your daily activities and interactions. Share your story with the class and discuss the similarities and differences with “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Participate in a class debate on the topic: “Is a utopian society achievable, or will attempts always lead to dystopia?” Prepare arguments for both sides, using examples from “The Handmaid’s Tale” and other literary works. Engage with your classmates to explore the complexities of these themes.
Choose a character from “The Handmaid’s Tale” and write a series of diary entries from their perspective. Reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in Gilead. Consider how they might resist or conform to the regime. Share your diary entries with the class to gain insights into different characters’ motivations.
Research a historical event or practice that parallels an element in “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Create a presentation that explains the historical context and how Atwood incorporates it into her novel. Present your findings to the class, highlighting the importance of understanding history to prevent repeating past mistakes.
Create a piece of art that represents the theme of resistance in “The Handmaid’s Tale.” This could be a painting, sculpture, or digital artwork. Use symbolism and imagery to convey the struggle against oppression. Present your artwork to the class and explain the choices you made in your creative process.
In Margaret Atwood’s near-future novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a Christian fundamentalist regime called the Republic of Gilead has staged a military coup and established a theocratic government in the United States. The regime theoretically restricts everyone, but in practice, a few men have structured Gilead to hold all the power, especially over women. “The Handmaid’s Tale” is what Atwood calls speculative fiction, theorizing about possible futures. This characteristic is shared by both utopian and dystopian texts. The possible futures in Atwood’s novels are usually negative, or dystopian, where the actions of a small group have destroyed society as we know it. Utopian and dystopian writing tends to parallel political trends. Utopian writing frequently depicts an idealized society that the author presents as a blueprint to strive toward. Dystopias, on the other hand, serve as warnings about the ways in which societies can set themselves on the path to destruction.
“The Handmaid’s Tale” was published in 1985, during a time when many conservative groups were pushing back against the gains made by the second-wave feminist movement, which had been advocating for greater social and legal equality for women since the early 1960s. The novel imagines a future where the conservative counter-movement gains the upper hand, demolishing the progress women had made toward equality and making them completely subservient to men. Gilead divides women into distinct social classes based on their function as status symbols for men, and even their clothing is color-coded. Women are no longer allowed to read or move about freely in public, and fertile women are subjected to state-sanctioned reproductive control.
Although “The Handmaid’s Tale” is set in the future, Atwood imposed a rule on herself to avoid using any event or practice that hadn’t already occurred in human history. The book is set in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a city that was once ruled by the theocratic Puritans during the American colonial period. The Republic of Gilead resembles the strict rules present in Puritan society: rigid moral codes, modest clothing, banishment of dissenters, and regulation of every aspect of people’s lives and relationships. For Atwood, the parallels to Massachusetts’s Puritans were both personal and theoretical, as she spent years studying them at Harvard and is possibly descended from Mary Webster, a Puritan woman accused of witchcraft who survived her hanging.
Atwood is a master storyteller, and the details of Gilead come into focus through the eyes of its characters, mainly the novel’s protagonist Offred, a handmaid in the household of a commander. Before the coup that established Gilead, Offred had a husband, a child, a job, and a normal, middle-class American life. However, when the fundamentalist regime comes into power, Offred is denied her identity, separated from her family, and reduced to being “a two-legged womb for increasing Gilead’s waning population.” Initially, she accepts the loss of her fundamental human rights in the name of stabilizing the new government, but state control soon extends into attempts to regulate language, behavior, and thoughts.
Early on, Offred reflects, “I wait. I compose myself. My self is a thing I must compose, as one composes a speech.” She likens language to the formulation of identity, acknowledging the possibility of resistance. It is this resistance—the actions of those who dare to break the political, intellectual, and sexual rules—that drives the plot of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Ultimately, the novel’s exploration of the consequences of complacency and the unfair wielding of power makes Atwood’s chilling vision of a dystopian regime ever relevant.
Literature – Written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit. – In her senior year, Emily focused her research on the evolution of American literature during the 20th century.
Dystopian – Relating to or denoting an imagined state or society where there is great suffering or injustice. – George Orwell’s “1984” is a classic example of dystopian fiction that explores the dangers of totalitarianism.
Society – The aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community. – The novel examines how society’s values and norms can shape individual behavior and identity.
Themes – The central topics or ideas explored in a literary work. – One of the major themes in “To Kill a Mockingbird” is the moral nature of human beings, particularly the struggle between discrimination and tolerance.
Power – The ability or capacity to influence the behavior of others or the course of events. – Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” is a profound exploration of the corrupting influence of power and ambition.
Resistance – The refusal to accept or comply with something; the attempt to prevent something by action or argument. – In “The Handmaid’s Tale,” resistance takes many forms, from small acts of defiance to organized rebellion.
Identity – The qualities, beliefs, personality, looks, and expressions that make a person or group. – The protagonist’s journey in “The Catcher in the Rye” is a search for identity and a sense of belonging.
Women – Adult human females, often explored in literature in terms of their roles, rights, and experiences. – The novel “Pride and Prejudice” offers a critical look at the roles and expectations of women in 19th-century England.
Rights – Legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement. – The narrative of “A Raisin in the Sun” addresses the struggle for civil rights and equality in America.
Fiction – Literature in the form of prose, especially novels, that describes imaginary events and people. – Fiction allows readers to explore complex human emotions and societal issues through the lens of imagination.
