The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Title: The Handmaid’s Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood
Publisher: Emblem Editions (September 6, 2011)
Genre: Dystopian Fiction, Science Fiction
Year of Publication: 2011
Date of Publication: September 6, 2011
Pages: 368
ISBN-10: 0771008791
ISBN-13: 978-0771008795

Summary of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Main Plot & Characters

The Handmaid’s Tale is set in the dystopian society of Gilead, where women have lost their rights and are subjugated under strict, theocratic rule.

The protagonist, Offred, serves as a “Handmaid,” whose sole purpose is to bear children for elite couples who cannot conceive. Throughout the book, we are reminded of what Offred’s life looked like before Gilead and what her family life was like. We also get to see how quickly in a way, her freedom was taken away.

A large part of book is learning how Offred deals with the new oppressive regime and her ways of finding some resistance.

The author uses the character Offred to show us some of the dangers of authoritarianism and what happens to people, especially women and children in this case, when we lose autonomy.

Key Themes

• Gender Oppression: One of running themes in the novel is the systemic oppression of women in Gilead. Women pretty much lose all rights including rights to their own bodies. We watch how the state strips them of their autonomy.
• The Power of Resistance: Remarkably some of the characters in book including Offred find different ways to fight back and resist the regime. Their quiet acts of defiance really emphasizes the resilience of the human spirit.
• Theocracy and Totalitarianism: People always say power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely and Atwood does an excellent job in highlighting this fact. She critiques the dangers of mixing religion with state power and through Gilead’s theocratic rule, she warns about the potential for absolute power to corrupt.
• Memory and Identity: Offred’s memories of her past life serve as a connection to her lost identity. Her internal struggle to remember and hold on to her former self is a key element of the story.

Writing Style

Atwood’s writing captures the bleakness of Gilead. At the same time through flashbacks to moments of beauty in Offred’s memories, we experience a different set of emotions. She uses a first-person narrative so as reader you feel like you are experiencing the same set of emotions as Offred.

Impact of The Handmaid’s Tale

The Handmaid’s Tale has had a profound and lasting impact on literature and culture. Since its publication, the novel has been widely regarded as a powerful critique of gender oppression and authoritarianism.

It has sparked discussions about women’s rights, control over reproductive health, and the potential dangers of totalitarian regimes.

The novel gained renewed relevance in recent years, particularly with the award-winning television adaptation in 2017.

The Handmaid’s Tale serves as a cautionary tale and a call to action in the face of oppression.

What are your thoughts on this book? Have you had a chance to read it? Let us know in the comments!