Inspired by the release of The Testaments in September (which I haven't read yet, because of school), I've decided to address something very important to me in this week's blog: The Handmaid's Tale.
The term 'speculative fiction' refers to a piece of writing that considers future possibilities, e.g. nuclear warfare, or a Big Brother-esque scenario. Famous examples include Orwell's 1984 (of course), and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Although we may see The Handmaid's Tale as a dystopian, unlikely-to-happen-in-the-future scenario, Atwood has said that everything in the novel is based on reality. From the Ceremony to the Salvaging, all of the horrific events that unfold have happened in the past or are happening now...
But it is easy to see why some critics refer to The Handmaid's Tale as feminist speculative fiction, due to its influences from second-wave feminism.
'Second-wave feminism' was a period of feminism that began in the USA in the early 1960s, which lasted for around two decades. Whereas first-wave feminism focused on suffrage and gender equality, second-wave feminism broadened the debate to include sexuality, family, the workplace and reproductive rights.
This movement strongly influenced Atwood's novel: Offred's mother could be seen as a feminist, as she attends feminist marches and burns porn, with a young Offred by her side.
Furthermore, the theme of reproductive rights features heavily in Gileadan society: the Handmaids have no control over their bodies, and are essentially seen as walking uteri - Offred describes herself as 'a cloud, congealed around a central object, the shape of a pear, which is hard and more real than I am and glows red within its translucent wrapping.' Offred has been conditioned, by Gilead, to see herself as a womb and nothing more; an instrument, whose only purpose is to be 'be fruitful and multiply'.
This omission of freedom and basic reproductive rights may seem like an extreme situation, but similar laws are arising in America right now, with the ban on abortion in states such as Alabama and Georgia (read my blog about it here)*, and also the taboo associated with contraception. Many societies are currently fighting for similarly radical regimes, including the Westboro Baptist Church, who believe that abortion, contraception, homosexuality, pornography and divorce are going against God's will, and will inevitably lead to damnation. Atwood draws our attention to these extreme restrictions of freedom, as a warning sign for what the future may hold.
Atwood mentions 'exploding atomic power plants', and 'the mutant strain of syphilis'. Her tale in set in the radiation-ridden future, where people like 'un-women', 'gender traitors' and sterile Handmaids are sent to the Colonies to slowly die of radiation sickness.
On March 28th, 1979, whilst Atwood was writing, reactor no.2 from the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generator Station in Pennsylvania partially melted down, and large amounts of nuclear reactor coolant escaped because of a stuck-open pilot-operated valve. The reactors failed and created huge concerns across the continent: because of the pollution, 300+ residents contracted fatal cancers.
Atwood clearly drew inspiration from such incidents, and wrote about them to raise awareness of the harm that we are doing, especially regarding green crime. A year after The Handmaid's Tale was published, Chernobyl's no.4 reactor famously exploded, sending poisonous gases into the atmosphere. The impacts were horrifying - it remains a ghost city with a 30km exclusion zone, as the radiation levels are fatal, and will continue to be for thousands of year. Many of Chernobyl's residents contracted fatal cancers, and the rate of birth defects rose significantly: Atwood mentions this, too; 'What will Ofwarren give birth to? A baby, as we all hope? Or something else, an Unbaby, with a pinhead or a snout like a dog's, or two bodies, or a hole in its heart or no arms, or webbed hands and feet?' Her language warns of human consequences to green crime as well as consequences for our planet, which makes the dystopia even more frightening.
There is a clear message here, a warning to future generations; but some people are choosing to ignore it (notably Trump and Bolsonaro). If we want a planet, we're going to have to look after it.
~~~
You probably know it as the killer TV series on Channel 4, but the original Handmaid's Tale is a dreary piece of speculative fiction that has made millions of people question what it means to be human - and, more importantly, what it means to be a woman.
This blog will be about how this creepy, futuristic, oppressive regime is based on a harsh reality.
This blog will be about how this creepy, futuristic, oppressive regime is based on a harsh reality.
 |
| Elizabeth Moss plays Offred in the screen adaptation of HMT |
The term 'speculative fiction' refers to a piece of writing that considers future possibilities, e.g. nuclear warfare, or a Big Brother-esque scenario. Famous examples include Orwell's 1984 (of course), and Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Although we may see The Handmaid's Tale as a dystopian, unlikely-to-happen-in-the-future scenario, Atwood has said that everything in the novel is based on reality. From the Ceremony to the Salvaging, all of the horrific events that unfold have happened in the past or are happening now...
 |
| Foreshadowing at its finest. |
Second-Wave Feminism
Atwood refuses to call the book a 'feminist' novel, as 'not all men have more power than women' - such as the 'Angels', who are the frontline soldiers of Gilead, mostly consisting of low-status male teenagers.But it is easy to see why some critics refer to The Handmaid's Tale as feminist speculative fiction, due to its influences from second-wave feminism.
'Second-wave feminism' was a period of feminism that began in the USA in the early 1960s, which lasted for around two decades. Whereas first-wave feminism focused on suffrage and gender equality, second-wave feminism broadened the debate to include sexuality, family, the workplace and reproductive rights.
This movement strongly influenced Atwood's novel: Offred's mother could be seen as a feminist, as she attends feminist marches and burns porn, with a young Offred by her side.
Furthermore, the theme of reproductive rights features heavily in Gileadan society: the Handmaids have no control over their bodies, and are essentially seen as walking uteri - Offred describes herself as 'a cloud, congealed around a central object, the shape of a pear, which is hard and more real than I am and glows red within its translucent wrapping.' Offred has been conditioned, by Gilead, to see herself as a womb and nothing more; an instrument, whose only purpose is to be 'be fruitful and multiply'.
This omission of freedom and basic reproductive rights may seem like an extreme situation, but similar laws are arising in America right now, with the ban on abortion in states such as Alabama and Georgia (read my blog about it here)*, and also the taboo associated with contraception. Many societies are currently fighting for similarly radical regimes, including the Westboro Baptist Church, who believe that abortion, contraception, homosexuality, pornography and divorce are going against God's will, and will inevitably lead to damnation. Atwood draws our attention to these extreme restrictions of freedom, as a warning sign for what the future may hold.
 |
| Protesters from the Westboro Baptist Church, Kansas (Source: Google Images) |
Atwood also stated, 'I don't consider [the people controlling Gilead] to be Christians because they do not have, at the core of their ideology, what I [...] would consider to be the core of Christianity.' In The Handmaid's Tale, many Biblical phrases are warped, to suit the needs of Gilead and to justify their oppression of women - for example, Aunt Lydia's infamous quote: 'There is more than one kind of freedom. Freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now it is freedom from. Don't underrate it.'
This can just as easily be applied to the Westboro Baptist Church and other fundamentalist organisations, who use religion to justify their blatant hatred and oppression towards others.
Environmental and Health Concerns
Aside from the issue of women's rights, The Handmaid's Tale also focuses on the vulnerability of the health of the environment - a prominent issue all over the world right now. Recently, climate protesters such as Greta Thunberg and and Xiye Bastida have reached global audiences, in a bid to raise awareness of the damage humans are causing to our planet. This hyper-awareness of the dangers facing earth is also reflected in The Handmaid's Tale:Atwood mentions 'exploding atomic power plants', and 'the mutant strain of syphilis'. Her tale in set in the radiation-ridden future, where people like 'un-women', 'gender traitors' and sterile Handmaids are sent to the Colonies to slowly die of radiation sickness.
On March 28th, 1979, whilst Atwood was writing, reactor no.2 from the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generator Station in Pennsylvania partially melted down, and large amounts of nuclear reactor coolant escaped because of a stuck-open pilot-operated valve. The reactors failed and created huge concerns across the continent: because of the pollution, 300+ residents contracted fatal cancers.
 |
| The city of Chernobyl, deserted after the nuclear disaster |
Atwood clearly drew inspiration from such incidents, and wrote about them to raise awareness of the harm that we are doing, especially regarding green crime. A year after The Handmaid's Tale was published, Chernobyl's no.4 reactor famously exploded, sending poisonous gases into the atmosphere. The impacts were horrifying - it remains a ghost city with a 30km exclusion zone, as the radiation levels are fatal, and will continue to be for thousands of year. Many of Chernobyl's residents contracted fatal cancers, and the rate of birth defects rose significantly: Atwood mentions this, too; 'What will Ofwarren give birth to? A baby, as we all hope? Or something else, an Unbaby, with a pinhead or a snout like a dog's, or two bodies, or a hole in its heart or no arms, or webbed hands and feet?' Her language warns of human consequences to green crime as well as consequences for our planet, which makes the dystopia even more frightening.
There is a clear message here, a warning to future generations; but some people are choosing to ignore it (notably Trump and Bolsonaro). If we want a planet, we're going to have to look after it.
~~~
If you haven't read The Handmaid's Tale, I urge you to. I'll admit it's not the most pleasant read, but it will open your eyes to what is happening, slowly, to our world, and to our people.
Please do let me know what you think of Atwood's futuristic dystopian scenarios -
Please do let me know what you think of Atwood's futuristic dystopian scenarios -
And remember, nolite te bastardes carborundorum.
- R
* Note, the Abortion Bill has been revoked as of October 2019
- R
* Note, the Abortion Bill has been revoked as of October 2019
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