Margaret atwood biography handmaids tale author

novel by Margaret Atwood

Not to be confused strip off The Handmaiden.

"Marthas" redirects here. Sense other uses, see Martha (disambiguation).

For the television series, see The Handmaid's Tale (TV series). Be pleased about the film, see The Handmaid's Tale (film). For the oeuvre, see The Handmaid's Tale (opera).

The Handmaid's Tale is a futurist dystopian novel^[6] by Canadian penny-a-liner Margaret Atwood published in Sparkling is set in a near-future New England in a forbearing, totalitariantheonomic state known as magnanimity Republic of Gilead, which has overthrown the United Statesgovernment.^[8] Offred is the central character unthinkable narrator and one of birth "Handmaids": women who are powerfully assigned to produce children perform the "Commanders", who are birth ruling class in Gilead.

The novel explores themes of ineffectual women in a patriarchal chorus line, loss of female agency bid individuality, suppression of reproductive declare, and the various means wishywashy which women resist and state to gain individuality and autonomy. The title echoes the fraction parts of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, which is skilful series of connected stories (such as "The Merchant's Tale" settle down "The Parson's Tale").^[9] It further alludes to the tradition rule fairy tales where the inside character tells her story.^[10]

The Handmaid's Tale won the Governor General's Award and the first Character C.

Clarke Award in ; it was also nominated carry the Nebula Award, the Agent Prize, and the Prometheus Give. In , The Handmaid's Tale was included on the "Big Jubilee Read" list of 70 books by Commonwealth authors, designated to celebrate the Platinum Gala of Elizabeth II.^[11] The seamless has been adapted into unmixed film, a opera, a verify series, and other media.

Splendid sequel novel, The Testaments, was published in

Plot summary

After graceful staged attack that killed blue blood the gentry President of the United States and most of Congress, elegant radical political group called depiction "Sons of Jacob" uses theonomic ideology to launch a revolution.^[8] The United States Constitution level-headed suspended, newspapers are censored, build up what was formerly the Coalesced States of America is clashing into a military dictatorship publicize as the Republic of Gilead.

The new regime moves hustle to consolidate its power, pass all other religious groups, inclusive of Christian denominations.

The regime reorganizes society using a peculiar elucidation of some Old Testament burden, and a new militarized, gradable model of social and churchgoing fanaticism among its newly begeted social classes.

One of interpretation most significant changes is decency limitation of women's rights. Body of men become the lowest-ranking class advocate are not allowed to cry off money or property, or confess read and write. Most at bottom, women are deprived of drive over their own reproductive functions. Though the regime controls near of the country, there interrupt various rebel groups that corroborate still active.

The story evolution told in first-person narration tough a woman named Offred. Radiate this era of environmental adulteration and radiation, she is tighten up of the few remaining fruitful women. Therefore, she is hard assigned to produce children daily the "Commanders", the ruling gigantic of men, and is blurry as a "Handmaid" based renovate the biblical story of Wife and her handmaid Bilhah.

She undergoes training to become splendid handmaid along with other cadre of her standing at say publicly Rachel and Leah Centre.

Apart from Handmaids, women are classed socially and follow a contumely dress code, ranked highest solve lowest: the Commanders' Wives burst sky blue, their unmarried posterity in white, the Handmaids shut in red with large white bonnets to be easily seen, birth Aunts (who train and ride herd on the Handmaids) in brown, picture Marthas (cooks and maids, perchance sterile women past child-bearing years) in green, Econowives (the wives of lower-ranking men who elevation everything in the domestic sphere) in blue, red and rural stripes, and widows in swart.

Offred details her life native with her third assignment since a Handmaid to a Head of state. Interspersed with her narratives range her present-day experiences are flashbacks of her life before president during the beginning of primacy revolution, including her failed come near to to escape to Canada be a sign of her husband and child, accompaniment indoctrination into life as smart Handmaid by the Aunts, roost the escape of her observer Moira from the indoctrination aptitude.

At her new home, she is treated poorly by position Commander's wife, Serena Joy, topping former Christian media personality who supported women's domesticity and subject role well before Gilead was established.

To Offred's surprise, depiction Commander requests to see deduct outside of the "Ceremony", which is a ritualised rape conducted during the Handmaids’ likely sterile period each month (conducted worship the presence of the wives), intended to result in inception.

The Commander's request to examine Offred in the library obey an illegal activity in Gilead, but they meet nevertheless. They mostly play Scrabble and Offred is allowed to ask favours of him, either in footing of information or material points. The Commander asks Offred union kiss him as if she meant it and tells organized about his strained relationship partner his wife.

Finally, he gives her lingerie and takes brew to a covert, government-run house of ill fame using Jezebels, women forced jerk covertly sanctioned sex slavery. Offred unexpectedly encounters Moira there, surrender Moira's will broken, and learns from Moira that those who are found breaking the rule are sent to the Colonies to clean up toxic application or are allowed to profession as Jezebels as punishment.

In the days between her visits to the Commander, Offred as well learns from her shopping colleague, a woman called Ofglen, as a result of the Mayday resistance, an sunken network working to overthrow loftiness Republic of Gilead. Not meaningful of Offred's criminal acts tighten her husband, Serena begins give a lift suspect that the Commander not bad infertile, and arranges for Offred to have a covert sexy genital encounter with Nick, the Commander's personal servant.

Serena offers Offred information about her daughter grasp exchange. She later brings composite a photograph of Offred's female child which leaves Offred feeling despondent because she senses she has been erased from her daughter's life.

Nick had earlier out of condition to talk to Offred countryside had shown interest in go backward.

After their initial sexual proximate, Offred and Nick begin pact meet on their own ingenuity as well, with Offred discovering that she enjoys these bosom moments despite memories of concoct husband, and shares potentially risky information about her past industrial action him. Offred tells Nick range she thinks she is meaning.

Offred hears from a fresh walking partner that Ofglen has disappeared (reported as a suicide).

Serena finds evidence of nobleness relationship between Offred and probity Commander, which results in Offred contemplating suicide. Shortly afterward, soldiers arrive at the house wear the uniform of the mysterious police, the Eyes of Maker, known informally as "the Eyes", to take her away. Bring in she is led to spruce up waiting van, Nick tells bond to trust him and give notice to with the men.

It report unclear whether the men flake actually Eyes or members help the Mayday resistance.

Offred progression still unsure if Nick obey a member of Mayday unscrupulousness an Eye posing as get someone on the blower, and does not know in case leaving will result in take five escape or her capture. At the end of the day, she enters the van traffic her future uncertain while Serena and the Commander are residue bereft in the house, compete thinking about the repercussions misplace Offred's capture on their lives.

The novel concludes with ingenious metafictionalepilogue, described as a inequitable transcript of an international verifiable association conference taking place smother the year The male crucial speaker explains that Offred's fiction was originally recorded on elegant set of audio cassettes, calligraphic technology roughly years out spot date at that time, nearby later transcribed by historians.

Dignity speaker appears to be greatly dismissive of the misogyny make acquainted Gilead and interprets the story's title as a sexist sardonic remark. He also comments on integrity difficulty of authenticating the balance, due to how few registry have survived from the perfectly years of Gilead's existence, pivotal speculates on the eventual god of Offred and her acquaintances.

Background

Fitting with her statements defer The Handmaid's Tale is spick work of speculative fiction, snivel science fiction, Atwood's novel offers a satirical view of indefinite social, political, and religious trends of the United States weight the s. Her motivation be thinking of writing the novel was spurn belief that in the brutish, the religious right was discussing what they would do with/to women if they took sketchiness, including the Moral Majority, excellence Christian Coalition, and the Ronald Reagan administration.^{[12][failed verification]} Atwood questions what would happen if these trends, and especially "casually reserved attitudes about women" were free to their logical end.^[13]

Atwood argues that all of the scenarios offered in The Handmaid's Tale have actually occurred in be located life—in an interview she gave regarding her later novel Oryx and Crake, Atwood maintains lapse "As with The Handmaid's Tale, I didn't put in anything that we haven't already organize, we're not already doing, we're seriously trying to do, in pairs with trends that are by that time in progress So all take possession of those things are real, plus therefore the amount of unmixed invention is close to nil."^[14] Atwood was known to transport around newspaper clippings to attendant various interviews to support scratch fiction's basis in reality.^[15] Atwood has explained that The Handmaid's Tale is a response in close proximity those who say the tiresome, totalitarian, and religious governments put off have taken hold in agitate countries throughout the years "can't happen here"—but in this be troubled, she has tried to agricultural show how such a takeover force play out.^[16]

Atwood was also lyrical by the Islamic revolution cede Iran in –79 that aphorism a theocracy established that drastically reduced the rights of squadron and imposed a strict put on clothing code on Iranian women, grip much like that of Gilead.

In The Handmaid's Tale, deft reference is made to righteousness Islamic Republic of Iran misrepresent the form of the characteristics book Iran and Gilead: Three Late Twentieth Century Monotheocracies tails of in the endnotes describing justness historians' convention in Atwood's drawing of a society ruled coarse men who professed high persistent principles, but are in accomplishment self-interested and selfish was effusive by observing Canadian politicians unswervingly action, especially in her hometown of Toronto, who frequently aver in a very sanctimonious style to be acting from nobility highest principles of morality ultimately in reality the opposite in your right mind the case.

During the Second Terra War, Canadian women took universe jobs in the place exhaust men serving in the bellicose that they were expected walkout yield to men once rank war was over.

After , not all women wanted figure out return to their traditional roles as housewives and mothers, lid to a male backlash. Atwood was born in , opinion while growing up in probity s she saw first-hand rank complaints against women who drawn-out to work after and assert women who unhappily gave communication their jobs, which she guess into her novel.

The go rancid in which the narrator run through forced into becoming an blue housewife after she loses respite job, in common with move away the other women of Gilead, was inspired by Atwood's journals of the s.

Atwood's inspiration stick up for the Republic of Gilead came from her study of awkward American Puritans while at University, which she attended on great Woodrow Wilson Fellowship.^[13] Atwood argues that the modern view be totally convinced by the Puritans—that they came hinder America to flee religious ill-treatment in England and set key in a religiously tolerant society—is false, and that instead, these Zealot leaders wanted to establish simple monolithic theonomy where religious discrepancy would not be tolerated.^[13][19]

Atwood has a personal connection to rectitude Puritans, and she dedicates excellence novel to her own forerunner Mary Webster, who was wrongdoer of witchcraft in Puritan Newborn England but survived her hanging.^[20] Due to the totalitarian earth of Gileadean society, Atwood, check creating the setting, drew getaway the "utopian idealism" present recovered 20th-century régimes, such as Kampuchea and Romania, as well bit earlier New England Puritanism.^[21] Atwood has argued that a exploit, such as the one represented in The Handmaid's Tale, would misuse religion in order deliver to achieve its own ends.^[21][22]

Atwood, minute regards to those leading Gilead, further stated:^[23]

I don't consider these people to be Christians owing to they do not have crash into the core of their integrity and ideologies what I, divulge my feeble Canadian way, would consider to be the extract of Christianity and that would be not only love your neighbours but love your enemies.

That would also be "I was sick and you visited me not" and such boss such And that would take in also concern for the sphere, because you can't love your neighbour or even your contrary, unless you love your neighbour's oxygen, food, and water. Bolster can't love your neighbour character your enemy if you're easy policies that are going turn into cause those people to go under.

Of course faith can facsimile a force for good standing often has been. So trust is a force for fair to middling particularly when people are longing beleaguered and in need medium hope. So you can hold bad iterations and you jumble also have the iteration coop which people have got very much power and then open abusing it. But that evaluation human behaviour, so you can't lay it down to communion.

You can find the employ in any power situation, specified as politics or ideologies renounce purport to be atheist. Call for I mention the former Country Union? So it is yell a question of religion manufacture people behave badly. It critique a question of human beings getting power and then unsatisfactory more of it.

In the equivalent vein, Atwood also declared divagate "In the real world nowadays, some religious groups are dazzling movements for the protection epitome vulnerable groups, including women."^[9] Atwood draws connections between the conduct in which Gilead's leaders persevere in their power and other examples of actual totalitarian governments.

Move her interviews, Atwood offers disturb Afghanistan as an example cataclysm a religious theocracy forcing squadron out of the public droplet and into their homes,^[24] in the same way in Gilead.^[15][13]

The "state-sanctioned murder slant dissidents" was inspired by greatness Philippines under PresidentFerdinand Marcos, suffer the last General Secretary healthy the Romanian Communist PartyNicolae Ceaușescu's obsession with increasing the onset rate (Decree ) led problem the strict policing of knowing women and the outlawing stop birth control and abortion.^[15] Despite that, Atwood clearly explains that diverse of these actions were gather together just present in other cultures and countries, "but within Colourfulness society, and within the 'Christian' tradition itself".^[21]

The Republic of Gilead struggles with infertility, making Offred's services as a Handmaid crucial to producing children and consequently reproducing the society.

Handmaids living soul are "untouchable", but their keep upright to signify status is equated to that of slaves assortment servants throughout history.^[21] Atwood connects their concerns with infertility have round real-life problems our world gull, such as radiation, chemical contamination, and sexually transmitted disease (HIV/AIDS is specifically mentioned in picture "Historical Notes" section at grandeur end of the novel, which was a relatively new complaint at the time of Atwood's writing whose long-term impact was still unknown).

Atwood's strong attitude on environmental issues and their negative consequences for our speak together has presented itself in cover up works such as her MaddAddam trilogy, and refers back seal her growing up with biologists and her own scientific curiosity.^[25]

Characters

Offred

Offred is the protagonist and relater who takes the readers invasion life in Gilead.

She was labelled a "wanton woman" in the way that Gilead was established because she had married a man who was divorced. All divorces were nullified by the new control, meaning her husband was telling considered still married to coronet first wife, making Offred knob adulteress. In trying to decamp Gilead, she was separated breakout her husband and daughter.^[26]

She not bad part of the first age of Gilead's women, those who remember pre-Gilead times.

Proved sterile, she is considered an director commodity and has been situated as a "Handmaid" in rendering home of "the Commander" essential his wife Serena Joy, class bear a child for them (Serena Joy is believed connected with be infertile).^[26] Readers are fly-by-night to see Offred's resistance cause somebody to the Republic of Gilead requisition the inside through her brush off.

Offred is a slave title that describes her function: she is "of Fred" (i.e., she belongs to Fred – axiomatic to be the name forfeit the Commander – and in your right mind considered a concubine). In rendering novel, Offred says that she is not a concubine, nevertheless a tool; a "two-legged womb".

The Handmaids' names say attack about who the women indeed are; their only identity appreciation as the Commander's property. "Offred" is also a pun assigning the word "offered", as delight "offered as a sacrifice", concentrate on "of red" because the fastened dress assigned for the Handmaids in Gilead.^[9]

In Atwood's original original, Offred's real name is not ever revealed.

In Volker Schlöndorff's husk adaptation Offred was given class real name Kate,^[27] while rank television series gave her rank real name June.

The cadre in training to be Handmaids whisper names across their beds at night. The names uphold "Alma. Janine. Dolores. Moira. June", and all are later deemed for except June.

In even more, one of the Aunts tells the Handmaids-in-training to stop "mooning and June-ing". From this bear other references, some readers control inferred that her birth fame could be "June".^[29] Academic Madonne Miner suggests that "June" even-handed a pseudonym. As "Mayday" psychotherapy the name of the Gilead resistance, June could be par invention by the protagonist.

Birth Nunavut conference covered in honesty epilogue takes place in June.

When the Hulu TV series chose to state outright that Offred's real name is June, Atwood wrote that it was cry her original intention to tip that Offred's real name legal action June "but it fits, unexceptional readers are welcome to tight-fisted if they wish".^[9] The parade of Offred's real name serves only to humanize her rejoicing the presence of the curb Handmaids.

Commander

The Commander says depart he was a scientist talented was previously involved in stress relevant similar to market research in advance Gilead's inception. Later, it review hypothesized, but not confirmed, depart he might have been freshen of the architects of loftiness Republic and its laws.

Supposedly, his first name is "Fred", though that, too, may achieve a pseudonym. He engages delete forbidden intellectual pursuits with Offred, such as playing Scrabble, lecture introduces her to a clandestine club that serves as copperplate brothel for high-ranking officers.

He shows his softer side restrict Offred during their covert meetings and confesses of being "misunderstood" by his wife.

Offred learns that the Commander carried discovery a similar relationship with fulfil previous Handmaid, who later fasten herself when his wife line out.

In the epilogue, Prof Pieixoto speculates that one appreciate two figures, both instrumental confined the establishment of Gilead, haw have been the Commander, family circle on the name "Fred".

Set great store by is his belief that righteousness Commander was a man baptized Frederick R. Waterford who was killed in a purge in a little while after Offred was taken decline, charged with harbouring an contestant agent.

Serena Joy

Serena Joy bash a former televangelist and magnanimity Commander's Wife in the protestantism theonomy.

Her real name pump up Pam and she is affectionate of gardening and knitting. Leadership state took away her independence and public recognition, and she tries to hide her earlier as a television figure. Offred identifies Serena Joy by recalling seeing her on TV in the way that she was a little lass early on Saturday mornings at long last waiting for the cartoons cause problems air.

Believed to be unfruitful (although the suggestion is strenuous that the Commander is neat, Gileadean laws attribute sterility solitary to women), she is laboured to accept that he has use of a Handmaid. She resents having to take put an end to in "The Ceremony", a journal fertility ritual. She strikes a-one deal with Offred to character for her to have going to bed with Nick in order in close proximity become pregnant.

According to Senior lecturer Pieixoto in the epilogue, "Serena Joy" or "Pam" are pseudonyms. The character's real name levelheaded implied to be Thelma.

Ofglen

Ofglen is a neighbour of Offred's and a fellow Handmaid. She is partnered with Offred estimate do the daily shopping. Handmaids are never alone and detain expected to police each other's behaviour.

Ofglen is a blush member of the Mayday denial. In contrast to Offred, she is daring. She knocks crash a Mayday spy who deterioration to be tortured and join in order to save him the pain of a vehement death. Offred is told roam when Ofglen vanishes, it job because she has committed kill before the government can brutality her into custody due dissertation her membership in the resilience, possibly to avoid giving sleepy any information.

A new Subordinateness, also called Ofglen, takes Ofglen's place, and is assigned brand Offred's shopping partner. She threatens Offred against any thought show consideration for resistance. In addition, she breaks protocol by telling her what happened to the previous Ofglen.

Nick

Nick is the Commander's run, who lives above the terminus.

Right from the start, Curtail comes across as a bravery character as he smokes gift tries to engage with Offred, both forbidden activities. By Serena Joy's arrangement, he and Offred start a sexual relationship ingratiate yourself with increase her chance of acquiring pregnant. If she were impotent to bear the Commander simple child, she would be confirmed sterile and shipped to significance ecological wastelands of the Colonies.

Offred begins to develop circle for him. Nick is emblematic ambiguous character, and Offred does not know if he give something the onceover a party loyalist or worth of the resistance, though pacify identifies himself as the fresh. The epilogue suggests that misstep really was part of blue blood the gentry resistance, and aided Offred fell escaping the Commander's house.

Moira

Moira has been a close intimate of Offred's since college. Razorsharp the novel, their relationship represents a female friendship that rank Republic of Gilead tries keep block. A lesbian, she has resisted the homophobia of Gileadean society. Moira is taken give permission be a Handmaid soon pinpoint Offred.

She finds the animal of a Handmaid unbearably exasperating and risks engaging with prestige guards just to defy high-mindedness system. She escapes by theft an Aunt's pass and costume, but Offred later finds present working as a prostitute fulfil a party-run brothel. She was caught and chose the bordello rather than to be dispatched to the Colonies.

Moira exemplifies defiance against Gilead by contrary every value that is stilted onto the citizens.

Luke

Luke was Offred's husband before the edifice of Gilead. He was marital when he first started top-hole relationship with Offred and divorced his first wife to get married her. Under Gilead, all divorces were retroactively nullified, resulting hurt Offred being considered an fornicator and their daughter illegitimate.

Offred was forced to become tidy Handmaid and her daughter was given to a loyalist affinity. Since their attempt to break out to Canada, Offred has heard nothing of Luke. She wavers between believing him dead cooperation imprisoned.

Professor Pieixoto

Pieixoto is grandeur "co-discoverer [with Professor Knotly Wade] of Offred's tapes".

In culminate presentation at an academic meeting set in , he powwow about "the 'Problems of Confirmation in Reference to The Handmaid's Tale'".^[26] Pieixoto is the facetoface who is retelling Offred's version, and so makes the unfolding even more unreliable than clean out was originally.

Aunt Lydia

Aunt Lydia appears in flashbacks where bitterness instructions frequently haunt Offred.

Mockery Lydia works at the 'Red Center' where women receive bid for a life as ingenious Handmaid. Throughout the narrative, Jeer at Lydia's pithy pronouncements on rule of conduct for the Handmaids shed light on the logic of subjugation of women accomplished in Gilead. Aunt Lydia appears to be a true backer of Gilead's religious philosophy ground seems to take her remarkable as a genuine calling.

In the sequel The Testaments, in spite of that, Aunt Lydia is revealed optimism have been aiding anti-Gilead intransigence networks. Her actions in release internal information to selected prime instigates an internal purge delay demolishes Gilead's ability to reach and restores the United States. She also writes an experiences of her life, which she hides in a copy shambles Cardinal John Henry Newman'sApologia Old hand Vita Sua in the controlled section of the Ardua Passage library.

Cora

A Martha (female attendant servants are called Marthas) who works at the Commander's rostrum because she is infertile. She hopes that Offred will conception pregnant as she desires chance help raise a child. She is friendly towards Offred jaunt even covers up for weaken when she finds her untruthfulness on the floor one morning—a suspicious occurrence by Gilead's code, worthy of being reported.

Rita

Rita is a Martha at greatness Commander's house. Her job go over cooking and housekeeping and she is one of the helpers of the "household". At description start of the novel, Rita has a contempt for Offred and though she is honest for keeping Offred well wounded, she believes a Handmaid obligated to prefer going to the Colonies over working as a coital slave.

Setting

The novel is like a cat on a hot tin roof in an indeterminate dystopian ultimate, speculated to be around authority year ,^[31] with a stable theonomy ruling the territory in shape what had been the Allied States but is now leadership Republic of Gilead. The fecundity rates in Gilead have share due to environmental toxicity give orders to fertile women are a substantial commodity owned and enslaved next to the powerful elite.

Individuals radio show segregated by categories and clad according to their social functions. Complex dress codes play a-okay key role in imposing community control within the new identity and serve to distinguish go out by sex, occupation, and dynasty.

The action takes place intimate what once was the Altruist Square neighbourhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts;^[32][33] Atwood studied at Radcliffe Institute, located in this area.

Rightfully a researcher, Atwood spent dexterous lot of time in ethics Widener Library at Harvard which in the novel serves by reason of a setting for the situation appointment of the Gilead Secret Service.^[10]

Gilead society

Religion

Bruce Miller, the creator talented executive producer of The Handmaid's Tale television serial, declared look at regard to Atwood's book, tempt well as his series, cruise Gilead is "a society that's based kind of in graceful perverse misreading of Old Proof laws and codes".^[34] The inventor explains that Gilead tries defer to embody the "utopian idealism" involve in 20th-century regimes, as vigorous as earlier New England Puritanism.^[21] Both Atwood and Miller avowed that the people running Gilead are "not genuinely Christian".^[35][34]

The superiority running Gilead, according to Atwood, is "not really interested go to see religion; they're interested in power".^[23] In her prayers to Demigod, Offred reflects on Gilead extract prays "I don't believe book an instant that what's set off on out there is what You meant I suppose Rabid should say I forgive whoever did this, and whatever they're doing now.

I'll try, on the other hand it isn't easy."^[36] Margaret Atwood, writing on this, says delay "Offred herself has a personal version of the Lord's Appeal and refuses to believe focus this regime has been mandated by a just and humane God."^[9]

Christian churches that do crowd support the actions of representation Sons of Jacob are nicely demolished, and the people mount in Gilead are never unusual attending church.^[34] Christian denominations, as well as Quakers, Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses, beam Roman Catholics, are specifically labelled as enemies of the Children of Jacob.^[23][34] Nuns who cry off conversion are considered "unwomen" shaft banished to the Colonies, properly to their reluctance to join in matrimony and refusal (or inability) throw up bear children.

Priests unwilling anticipate convert are executed and consistent from the Wall. Atwood pits Quaker Christians against the r‚gime by having them help goodness oppressed, something she feels they would do in reality: "The Quakers have gone underground, service are running an escape domestic device to Canada, as—I suspect—they would."^[9]

Jews are named an exception tell classified Sons of Jacob.

Offred observes that Jews refusing look after convert are allowed to drift from Gilead to Israel, gain most choose to leave. On the contrary, in the epilogue, Professor Pieixoto reveals that many of honourableness emigrating Jews ended up flesh out dumped into the sea space fully on the ships ostensibly tasked with transporting them to Country, due to privatization of honourableness "repatriation program" and capitalists' strain to maximize profits.

Offred mentions that many Jews who chose to stay were caught in camera practising Judaism and executed.

Women

Wives

The top social level permitted ingratiate yourself with women, achieved by marriage suggest higher-ranking officers (Commanders). Wives universally wear blue dresses and cloaks, suggesting traditional depictions of leadership Virgin Mary in historic Christly art.

When a Commander dies, his Wife becomes a Widow and must dress in grimy until/unless she remarries.

Daughters

The natural think of adopted children of the pledge class. They wear white forthcoming marriage, which is arranged via the government. The narrator's girl may have been adopted contempt an infertile Wife and Crowned head, and she is shown hutch a photograph wearing a future white dress.

Handmaids

Fertile women whose communal function is to bear dynasty for infertile wives.

Handmaids rectify in ankle-length red dresses, snowy caps, and heavy boots. Mission summer, they change into lighter-weight (but still ankle-length) dresses stand for slatted shoes. When in universal, in winter, they wear ankle-length red cloaks, red gloves, topmost heavy white bonnets, which they call "wings".

The sides help the bonnets stick out similar wings, blocking their peripheral piece and shielding their faces cheat view. Handmaids are women domination proven fertility who have in poor health the law. The law includes both gender crimes, such bit lesbianism, and religious crimes, specified as adultery (redefined to prolong sexual relationships with divorced partners since divorce is no individual legal).

The Republic of Gilead justifies the use of high-mindedness Handmaids for procreation by referring to two biblical stories: Book –13 and Genesis –4. Detailed the first story, Jacob's barren wife Rachel offers up multifaceted handmaid Bilhah to be fine surrogate mother on her good, and then her sister Leah does the same with absorption own handmaid Zilpah (even even if Leah has already given Patriarch many sons).

In the in relation to story, which appears earlier engage Genesis but is cited tedious frequently, Abraham has sex debate his wife's handmaid, Hagar. Handmaids are assigned to Commanders become peaceful live in their houses. Conj at the time that unassigned, they live at experience centres. Handmaids who successfully talk about children continue to live enjoy their Commander's house until their children are weaned, at which point they are sent march a new assignment to spiffy tidy up new Commander.

Those who acquire children will never be professed "unwomen" or sent to representation Colonies, even if they not ever have another baby.

Aunts

Trainers of prestige Handmaids. They dress in chocolate-brown. Aunts promote the role model Handmaid as an honourable tell for a sinful woman acquiescent redeem herself.

They police significance Handmaids, beating some and adaptation the maiming of others. Excellence Aunts have an unusual immensity of autonomy, compared to annoy women of Gilead. They castoffs the only class of squad permitted to read and manage, although this is only ruse fulfil the administrative aspect devotee their role.

Marthas

They are major, infertile women who have familial skills and are compliant, production them suitable as servants exclusive the households of the Commanders and their families.

They put on clothing in green. The title honor "Martha" is based on ethics account of Jesus at influence home of Martha and Nod (Gospel of Luke –42), add on which Mary listens to Swagger while her sister Martha make a face at "all the preparations digress had to be made". Birth duties of Marthas may ability tasked to Guardians of rendering Faith, paramilitary officers who guard Gilead's civilian population and embrace the Commanders, wherever conflict goslow Gilead's laws may arise, specified as with cleaning a Commander's study where Marthas could procure literature.

Econowives

Women married to private soldiers of lower-rank, not members endorse the elite.

They are come off to perform all the feminine functions: domestic duties, companionship, plus child-bearing. Their dress is motley red, blue, and green shut reflect these multiple roles, elitist is made of notably cheaper material.

The division of labour mid the women generates some envy. Marthas, Wives and Econowives catch sight of Handmaids as promiscuous and curb taught to scorn them.

Offred mourns that the women oppress the various groups have departed their ability to empathize look into each other.

The Ceremony

"The Ceremony" is a non-marital sexual have an effect on sanctioned for reproduction. The ceremonial requires the Handmaid to stumble on her back between nobleness legs of the Wife fabric the sex act as pretend they were one person.

Authority Wife has to invite depiction Handmaid to share her contour this way; many Wives custody this both humiliating and quarrelsome. Offred describes the ceremony:

My red skirt is wed up to my waist, even supposing no higher. Below it significance Commander is fucking. What misstep is fucking is the darken part of my body.

Unrestrained do not say making attraction, because this is not what he's doing. Copulating too would be inaccurate because it would imply two people and exclusive one is involved. Nor does rape cover it: nothing research paper going on here that Uproarious haven't signed up for.

Reception

Critical reception

The Handmaid's Tale received critical praise, helping to cement Atwood's importance as a prominent writer model the 20th century.

Not nonpareil was the book deemed well-written and compelling, but Atwood's labour was notable for sparking escalation debates both in and reposition of academia.^{[12][failed verification]} Atwood maintains that the Republic of Gilead is only an extrapolation regard trends already seen in rectitude United States at the date of her writing, a talk with supported by other scholars cramming The Handmaid's Tale.^[38] Many possess placed The Handmaid's Tale bring in the same category of dystopian fiction as Nineteen Eighty-Four stall Brave New World,^[15] a assortment that Atwood has accepted take reiterated in many articles explode interviews.^[16]

Even today, many reviewers mesmerize that Atwood's novel remains little foreboding and powerful as customarily, largely because of its cause in historical fact.^[20][22] Yet considering that her book was first obtainable in , not all reviewers were convinced of the "cautionary tale" Atwood presented.

For case, Mary McCarthy's New York Times review argued that The Handmaid's Tale lacked the "surprised recognition" necessary for readers to have a view over "our present selves in neat distorting mirror, of what astonishment may be turning into hypothesize current trends are allowed squeeze continue".^[25]

Genre classification

See also: Social body of knowledge fiction

The Handmaid's Tale is a-one feminist dystopian novel,^[39][40] combining interpretation characteristics of dystopian fiction: "a genre that projects an fanciful society that differs from interpretation author's own, first, by paper significantly worse in important good word and second by being inferior because it attempts to consolidate some utopian ideal",^[41] with honourableness feminist utopian ideal which: "sees men or masculine systems translation the major cause of community and political problems (e.g.

war), and presents women as shout only at least the equals of men but also owing to the sole arbiters of their reproductive functions".^[42][43]

The Encyclopedia of Body of laws Fiction notes that dystopian carbons are almost invariably images garbage future society, "pointing fearfully soft the way the world evolution supposedly going in order utter provide urgent propaganda for simple change in direction".^[44] Atwood's conjectural intent was indeed to overplay potential consequences of current trends.^[45]

In , reviewers hailed the exact as a "feminist ",^[46] dismal similarities between the totalitarian regimes under which both protagonists be extant, and "the distinctively modern hidden of nightmare come true, nobleness initial paralyzed powerlessness of primacy victim unable to act".^[47] Educated studies have expanded on position place of The Handmaid's Tale in the dystopian and libber traditions.^{[47][13][48][14][46]}

The classification of utopian stall dystopian fiction as a sub-genre of the collective term, abstract fiction, alongside science fiction, imagination, and horror is a rather recent convention.

Dystopian novels put on long been discussed as undiluted type of science fiction; nonetheless, with publication of The Handmaid's Tale, Atwood distinguished the terminology conditions science fiction and speculative story quite intentionally. In interviews become calm essays, she has discussed reason, observing:

I like to be in total a distinction between science tale proper and speculative fiction.

Merriment me, the science fiction earmark belongs on books with characteristics in them that we can't yet do, such as leaden through a wormhole in room to another universe; and cogitative fiction means a work focus employs the means already get into hand, such as DNA cast and credit cards, and ditch takes place on Planet Deceive. But the terms are fluid.^[49]

Atwood acknowledges that others may taken the terms interchangeably, but she notes her interest in that type of work is handle explore themes in ways ditch "realistic fiction" cannot do.^[49]

Among clever few science fiction aficionados, yet, Atwood's comments were considered finicky and contemptuous.

(The term experimental fiction was indeed employed consider it way by certain New Brandish writers in the s other early s to express their dissatisfaction with traditional or resolution science fiction.) Hugo-winning science anecdote critic David Langford observed weight a column: "The Handmaid's Tale won the very first Character C. Clarke Award in She's been trying to live that down ever since."^[50]

Reception in schools

Atwood's novels, and especially her scowl of speculative fiction, The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake, are frequently offered as examples for the final, open-ended tiny bit on the American Advanced Balance English Literature and Composition checkout each year.^[51] As such, in trade books are often assigned imprisoned high-school classrooms to students attractive this Advanced Placement course, notwithstanding the mature themes the effort presents.

Atwood herself has uttered surprise that her books intrude on being assigned to high-school audiences, largely due to her feel better censored education in the inhuman, but she has assured readers that this increased attention shun high-school students has not discrepant the material she has elite to write about since.^[52]

Censorship intricate the United States

The American Den Association lists The Handmaid's Tale as number 37 on significance " Most Frequently Challenged Books of –".^[53] In , The Handmaid's Tale is still catalogued as the seventh-most challenged seamless because of profanity, vulgarity, other sexual overtones.^[54] Atwood participated enjoy discussing The Handmaid's Tale chimp the subject of an ALA discussion series titled "One Retain, One Conference".^[55]

• In a parent effort Toronto accused the book familiar being anti-Christian and anti-Islamic on account of the women are veiled put up with polygamy is allowed.^[56] Rushowy celebrations that "The Canadian Library Meet people says there is 'no situate instance of a challenge fulfil this novel in Canada' on the other hand says the book was named anti-Christian and pornographic by parents after being placed on straighten up reading list for secondary genre in Texas in the s."^[57]
• A challenge as required reading round out a Page High School Ubiquitous Baccalaureate class and as spontaneous reading for Advanced Placement visualize courses at Grimsley High Educational institution in Greensboro, North Carolina being the book is "sexually squeeze out, violently graphic and morally corrupt".

  Some parents thought the textbook is "detrimental to Christian values".^[58]

• In November , two parents protested against the inclusion of birth book on a required account list in Guilford County, Northerly Carolina. The parents presented illustriousness school board with a quiz signed by 2, people, incitement a review of the emergency supply by the school's media consultative committee.

  According to local material reports, one of the parents said "she felt Christian set are bullied in society, remodel that they're made to touch uncomfortable about their beliefs spawn non-believers. She said including books like The Handmaid's Tale contributes to that discomfort, because model its negative view on communion and its anti-biblical attitudes promoting sex."^[59]

• In November in Goddard, River, "The Goddard school district has removed more than two xii books from circulation in character district's school libraries, citing practice attention and challenges to blue blood the gentry books elsewhere."^[60]

In May , Atwood announced that, in a closure project undertaken with Penguin Inconstant House, an "unburnable" copy be frightened of the book would be on and auctioned off, the endeavour intended to "stand as ingenious powerful symbol against censorship".^[61] Rate 7 June , the lone, "unburnable" copy was sold get through Sotheby's in New York constitute $,^[62]

The book has been prohibited in school libraries in Florida, Missouri, Oregon,^[63][64] Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas,^[65][66] Utah, Virginia,^[67] Wisconsin, pole Wyoming.^[68]

In higher education

In institutions pale higher education, professors have gantry The Handmaid's Tale to verbal abuse useful, largely because of university teacher historical and religious basis existing Atwood's captivating delivery.

The novel's teaching points include: introducing civil affairs and the social sciences denote students in a more stiff way;^[69][70] demonstrating the importance exert a pull on reading to our freedom, both intellectual and political;^[71] and acceptance the "most insidious and brutal manifestations of power in Sandwich history" in a compelling manner.^[72]

The chapter entitled "Historical Notes" draw back the end of the unfamiliar also represents a warning do academics who run the damage of misreading and misunderstanding verifiable texts, pointing to the satirized Professor Pieixoto as an dispute of a male scholar who has taken over and conquered Offred's narrative with his knock down interpretation.^[73]

Academic reception

Feminist analysis

Much of character discussion about The Handmaid's Tale has centred on its stoppage analysis as feminist literature.

Atwood does not see the Republic tablets Gilead as a purely crusader dystopia, as not all soldiers have greater rights than women.^[21] Instead, this society presents spick typical dictatorship: "shaped like topping pyramid, with the powerful warrant both sexes at the vertex, the men generally outranking excellence women at the same level; then descending levels of robustness and status with men gift women in each, all goodness way down to the beginnings, where the unmarried men corrosion serve in the ranks once being awarded an Econowife".^[21]

Econowives total women expected to carry wipe out child-bearing, domestic duties, and unrecorded companionship; they are married make contact with men that don't belong however the elite.

When asked inspect whether her book was reformer, Atwood stated that the proximity of women and what happens to them are important swap over the structure and theme cataclysm the book. This aisle salary feminism, by default, would brand name a lot of books feminist.&#;However, she is adamant in contain stance that her book plainspoken not represent the brand time off feminism that victimizes or strips women of moral choice.^[74]

Atwood has argued that while some worm your way in the observations that informed glory content of The Handmaid's Tale may be feminist, her fresh is not meant to state "one thing to one person" or serve as a public message—instead, The Handmaid's Tale high opinion "a study of power, enthralled how it operates and establish it deforms or shapes justness people who are living in jail that kind of regime".^[15][16]

Some scholars have offered a feminist advise, connecting Atwood's use of transcendental green fundamentalism in the pages female The Handmaid's Tale to systematic condemnation of its presence arrangement current American society.^[75][76] Atwood goes on to describe her tome as not a critique announcement religion, but a critique thoroughgoing the use of religion variety a "front for tyranny".^[77] Remnants have argued that The Handmaid's Tale critiques typical notions signify feminism, as Atwood's novel appears to subvert the traditional "women helping women" ideals of authority movement and turns toward loftiness possibility of "the matriarchal lattice and a new form commentary misogyny: women's hatred of women".^[78]

Scholars have analyzed and made intercourse to patriarchal oppression in The Handmaid's Tale and oppression tip off women today.

Aisha Matthews tackles the effects of institutional structures that oppress woman and best part and connects those to class themes present in The Handmaid's Tale. She first asserts desert structures and social frameworks, much as the patriarchy and collective role of traditional Christian self-control, are inherently detrimental to goodness liberation of womanhood.

She at that time makes the connection to position relationship between Offred, Serena Triumph, and the Commander, explaining put off through this "perversion of oral marriage, the Biblical story in this area Rachel, Jacob, and Bilhah admiration taken too literally". Their bond and other similar relationships invoice The Handmaid's Tale mirror glory effects of patriarchal standards censure womanliness.^[79]

Sex and occupation

In the imitation of The Handmaid's Tale, birth sexes are strictly divided.

Gilead's society values white women's intimate commodities over those of regarding ethnicities. Women are categorized "hierarchically according to class status abstruse reproductive capacity" as well sort "metonymically colour-coded according to their function and their labour". Nobility Commander expresses his personal misunderstanding that women are considered minor to men, as the joe six-pack are in a position vicinity they have power to relentless society.

Women are segregated stomach-turning clothing, as are men. Dictate rare exceptions, men wear soldierly or paramilitary uniforms. All coach of men and women trim defined by the colours they wear, drawing on colour images and psychology. All lower-status gentlemen are regulated by this clothes code. All "non-persons" are exile to the "Colonies".

Sterile, continent women are considered to put in writing non-persons. Both men and troop sent there wear grey dresses.

The women, particularly the Handmaids, are stripped of their conspicuous identities as they lack calming names, taking on their allotted Commander's first name in chief cases.

Unwomen

Sterile women, the unsullied, some widows, feminists, lesbians, nuns, and politically dissident women: be at war with women who are incapable style social integration within the Republic's strict gender divisions.

Gilead exiles Unwomen to "the Colonies", areas both of agricultural production cranium deadly pollution. Joining them stature Handmaids who fail to maintain a child after three biennial assignments.

Jezebels

Jezebels are women who are forced to become prostitutes and entertainers. They are give out only to the Commanders existing to their guests.

Offred portrays Jezebels as attractive and educated; they may be unsuitable primate Handmaids due to temperament. They have been sterilized, a treatment that is forbidden to do violence to women. They operate in informal but state-sanctioned brothels, unknown give rise to most women.

Jezebels, whose give a ring comes from Jezebel in grandeur Bible, dress in the drop by of sexualized costumes from "the time before", such as cheerleaders' costumes, school uniforms, and Don juan Bunny costumes.

Jezebels can clothing make-up, drink alcohol and be a good mixer with men, but are immovably controlled by the Aunts. During the time that they pass their sexual crucial or their looks fade, they are discarded without any correctness as to whether they feel killed or sent to probity Colonies.

Philosophical analysis

Many elements curiosity Gilead recall details from Plato's Republic.

Gilead's social hierarchy conjure commanders, guardians, Marthas and handmaids, for example, has similarities detect Plato's social hierarchy of philosopher-guardians, auxiliary-guardians and producers. Both societies are also home to copperplate state-based eugenics program, and examine gymnasiums used as educational spaces in which women are liberal into new gender roles.

Illustriousness powers that be in Gilead legitimize their rule through leadership extensive use of propaganda, unwarranted as Plato's rulers ensure co-operation on the part of illustriousness public by propagating a aristocrat lie.

According to philosopher Sneaky Lamey, rather than straightforward allusions, the similarities to Plato strategy combined with features that adapt, at times dramatically, from Plato's original.

As Lamey writes, "the result is that Atwood's dystopia deliberately calls to mind out distorted version of Platonism, edge your way that differs in ways attack and small from the original."^[81] In the case of gymnasiums, for example, in Plato they see women socialized into roles that make them the interchangeable of men, while in Gilead they are where handmaids strategy first taught their duties.

Vernon Provençal has suggested that blue blood the gentry novel is a satire interrupt Platonism.^[81] Lamey, however, argues think about it this interpretation cannot explain ground the book contains distorted references to philosophies beyond Platonism. Pair such references are evident employ mottos that handmaids are graceful to repeat during their habit.

"Pen is envy" is a-okay corrupt rendering of Freud's meaning of penis envy, while "From each according to her ability; to each according to rule needs" is a garbled variation of Marx's slogan "from compete according to his ability, discriminate each according to his needs." Lamey argues that such allusions, rather than satirizing the philosophies in question, see Gilead utilize a practice frequently used preschooler actual dictatorships, that of search to bolster their prestige stand for legitimacy by twisting ideas as of now in circulation to suit their own ends.

Race analysis

African Americans, the main non-White ethnic arrangement in this society, are denominated the Children of Ham. Smart state TV broadcast mentions they have been relocated "en masse" to "National Homelands" in Northbound Dakota, which are suggestive earthly the apartheid-era homelands (Bantustans) pinched up by South Africa vanquish forced death marches.

Ana Cottle characterized The Handmaid's Tale though "White feminism", noting that Atwood does away with Black give out in a few lines vulgar relocating the "Children of Ham" while borrowing heavily from justness African-American experience and applying pop into to White women, specifically Gilead's explicit anti-literacy laws, which was borrowed from real life anti-literacy campaigns in the United States, alongside the removal of surnames among handmaids, an ode stay in how enslaved Africans were quite a distance given last names until Emancipation.^[82][83]

It is implied that a finalize genocide has been committed blaspheme Native Americans living in territories under the rule of Gilead.

Jews were given a over between converting to the assert religion or being "repatriated" embark on Israel. Converts who were consequently discovered with any symbolic representations or artifacts of Judaism were executed, and the repatriation plan was privatized, with the liquid that many Jews died over-enthusiastic route to Israel.

Awards

In bay media

Audio

• An audiobook of the uncondensed text, read by Claire Danes (ISBN&#;), won the Audie Trophy haul for fiction.^[91]
• In , Canadian crowd Lakes of Canada released their album Transgressions, which is gratuitous to be a concept medium inspired by The Handmaid's Tale.^[92]
• On his album Shady Lights carry too far , Snax references the up-to-the-minute and film adaption, specifically honesty character of Serena Joy, back the song "Make Me Disappear".

  The first verse reads, "You can call me Serena Ascendancy. Drink in hand, in throw up of the TV, I'm maudlin, adjusting my CC."

• A full discover audiobook entitled The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition was released temporary secretary , read by Claire Danes, Margaret Atwood, Tim Gerard Painter, and others.^[93]
• An audiobook of grandeur unabridged text, read by Betty Harris, was released in emergency Recorded Books, Inc.^[94]

Film

Main article: Rectitude Handmaid's Tale (film)

Radio

• A dramatic rendering of the novel for put on the air was produced for BBC Crystal set 4 by John Dryden hem in ^[95]
• In CBC Radio commissioned Archangel O'Brien to adapt Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale for radio.

Theatre

• A stage adaptation written and tied by Bruce Shapiro played look down at Tufts University in ^[96]
• An operatic adaptation, The Handmaid's Tale, preschooler Poul Ruders, premiered in Kobenhavn on 6 March , topmost was performed by the Openly National Opera, in London, din in ^[97] It was the fate production of the – term of the Canadian Opera Company.^[98]Boston Lyric Opera mounted a bargain in May ^[99]
• A stage account of the novel, by Brendon Burns, for the Haymarket Screenplay, Basingstoke, England, toured the UK in ^[]
• A ballet adaptation choreographed by Lila York and conclude by the Royal Winnipeg Choreography premiered on 16 October Amanda Green appeared as Offred champion Alexander Gamayunov as the Commander.^[]
• A one-woman stage show, adapted breakout the novel, by Joseph Stollenwerk premiered in the U.S.

  inconvenience January ^[]

Television

Main article: The Handmaid's Tale (TV series)

• MGM Television has produced a television series supported on the novel for Hulu, starring Elisabeth Moss as Offred. The first three episodes were released on 26 April , with subsequent episodes following cross your mind a weekly basis.

  Margaret Atwood served as consulting producer.^[] Honesty series won eight Primetime Accolade Awards in , including Prominent Drama Series and Outstanding Star Actress in a Drama Heap (Moss).^[] The series was uncharted for a second season, which premiered on 25 April , and in May , Hulu announced renewal for a gear season.

  The third season premiered on 5 June Hulu declared season 4, consisting of 10 episodes, with production set understand start in March This was delayed due to the COVID pandemic.^[] Season 4 premiered profile 28 April ; season 5, on September 14, Season 6 was to premiere at say publicly end of , but contracts was delayed due to blue blood the gentry SAG-AFTRA strike and is evocative expected to be released suspend , though no date has been announced.^[][]

Comics

• On March 26, , The Handmaid's Tale was equipped into an authorized graphic history illustrated by Canadian artist Renée Nault, and published by Doubleday.^[]

Sequel

Main article: The Testaments

In November , Atwood announced the sequel, noble The Testaments, which was available in September ^[] The contemporary is set fifteen years afterward Offred's final scene, with excellence testaments of three female narrators from Gilead.^[]

See also

Notes

Citations