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... 1981)
The women of The Handmaid’s Tale have been silenced by religious and political doctrine. ... This discussion of the movie and the book concentrates on the use of religious doctrine for political purposes, the use of women’s bodies as political instruments, the tolerance of rape and sexual violence, and the complacency of the victims.
It is said that Author Margaret Atwood’s depiction of a dystopian society focused on the misogynic spotlight she felt was being placed on females by emerging conservative politics and the growing power of the “religious right. ... S. Constitution, the election of Ronald Regan in the United States and Margaret Thatcher in Great Britain, and a “strong, well-organized movement of religious conservatives who criticized what they perceived as the excesses of the “sexual revolution” of the 1960’s and 1970’s” (SparkNotes) heightened her concern. In the 1960’s, a second wave of feminine activism had brought changes for women in family life, in religion, in government, in employment, and in education. ...
In her book, Atwood presents a world where there has been a complete reversal of women’s rights. ... The other method, authorized by the government and available only to affluent infertile couples, is the use of a handmaid as a surrogate vessel for the male’s seed. ... From the early 1800’s, Americans espoused the belief, as coined by John C. ... It was believed that America’s very fortunes were guided by the Creator, with an amalgam of science, religion, and nationalism. ...
Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is often upheld as a “feminist Nineteen Eighty-Four. Atwood’s novel was published in 1985 and coincided with a renewed interest in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. ... However, only the handmaid is able to actually escape, O’Brien is relegated to remain in his torturous situation. ... The Commander’s wife suspects that he may be sterile, but she will never question, even to herself, their inability to conceive a child. ... Although the situation seems hopeless, other handmaid’s are actively involved in trying to change their plight. ...
The Handmaid’s Tale is set in the not-too-distant future in the Republic of Gilead. ... The Handmaid’s Tale is colorful and full of light. ... This visually separates the handmaid’s from the other women. The Martha’s, who are servants, wear white.
Approximate Word count = 1959
Approximate Pages = 7.8
(250 words per page double spaced)
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