"The Handmaid's Tale" is a dystopian novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, published in 1985. It is set in a near-future New England, in a totalitarian state, known as Gilead, that has overthrown the United States government.
"The ...
"The Handmaid's Tale" is a dystopian novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, published in 1985. It is set in a near-future New England, in a totalitarian state, known as Gilead, that has overthrown the United States government.
"The Handmaid's Tale" explores themes of subjugated women in a patriarchal society and the various means by which these women resist and attempt to gain individuality and independence. The novel's title echoes the component parts of Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, which is a series of connected stories ("The Merchant's Tale", "The Parson's Tale", etc.)
"The Handmaid's Tale" is structured into two parts, by night and by other various events. The novel can be interpreted as a double narrative: central protagonist Offred's personal struggle and the handmaids' shared plight. The night sections are solely about Offred, and the other sections (shopping, waiting room, household, etc.) are the stories that describe the possible life of every handmaid, though from the perspective of Offred. In many of these sections, Offred jumps between past and present as she retells the events leading up to the fall of women's rights and the current details of the life that she now lives.
"The Handmaid's Tale" won the 1985 Governor General's Award and the first Arthur C. Clarke Award in 1987; it was also nominated for the 1986 Nebula Award, the 1986 Booker Prize, and the 1987 Prometheus Award. The book has been adapted into a 1990 film, a 2000 opera, a 2017 television series, and other media.
We are using technologies like Cookies and process personal data like the IP-address or browser information in order to personalize the content that you see. This helps us to show you more relevant products and improves your experience. we are herewith asking for your permission to use this technologies.
