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
The Handmaid’s Tale is set in the dystopian society of Gilead. In Gilead, 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 the book is learning how Offred deals with the new oppressive regime and her ways of finding some resistance. Through Offred’s experiences, we learn about some of the dangers of authoritarianism and what happens to people, most especially women and children, when we lose autonomy.
"Under His Eye." — Popular greeting in Gilead
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 and also what it takes to survive within such a system.
"Blessed be the fruit." — Popular greeting in Gilead
Remarkably some of the characters in book especially Offred find different ways to fight back and resist the regime. Their quiet acts of defiance really emphasizes the resilience of the human spirit.
Main Plot & Characters
- Offred – The narrator and protagonist. A Handmaid assigned to the Commander and Serena Joy. Her real name is never revealed in the novel.
- The Commander (Fred Waterford) – The high-ranking official to whom Offred is assigned.
- Serena Joy – The Commander’s Wife, a former gospel singer and public advocate for traditional values.
- Nick – The household’s Guardian (driver/chauffeur). He becomes Offred’s lover.
- Moira – Offred’s rebellious best friend from college. She tries to escape Gilead more than once.
- Ofglen – Offred’s shopping partner and a member of the resistance group Mayday.
- Aunt Lydia – A strict instructor at the Red Center who indoctrinates Handmaids.
- Janine (Ofwarren) – Another Handmaid who goes through pregnancy and suffers psychological trauma.
- Luke – Offred’s husband before Gilead was established.
- Rita and Cora – Marthas (household helpers) in the Commander’s home.
Favorite Quotes
- “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.” — This quote is engraved in the floor of Offred’s closet by the Handmaid who lived in the space before she was brough over. Offred repeats it to herself. It’s Latin for “don’t let the bastards grind you down
- “We were the people who were not in the papers. We lived in the blank white spaces at the edges of print. It gave us more freedom” — Offred
- “Better never means better for everyone… It always means worse, for some.” — The Commander
- “When we think of the past it’s the beautiful things we pick out. We want to believe it was all like that.” — Offred
- “Ignoring isn’t the same as ignorance, you have to work at it.” — Offred
- “Freedom, like everything else, is relative.” — Aunt Lydia
- “Nothing changes instantaneously: in a gradually heating bathtub you’d be boiled to death before you knew it.” — Offred
- “A rat in a maze is free to go anywhere, as long as it stays inside the maze.” — Offred
- “You can’t help what you feel… but you can help how you behave.” — Moira
Writing Style
The story is told from Offred’s point of view and so, as a reader you feel like you are experiencing the same set of emotions as she does. Atwood’s writing makes readers feel how bleak things are in Gilead but it’s not all gloomy. She also uses flashbacks to tell some of Offred’s most precious memories and experiences.
Impact of The Handmaid’s Tale
The Handmaid’s Tale critiques gender oppression and authoritarianism. It sparks 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 which starred Elizabeth Moss as Offred.
