The Handmaid’s Tale By Margaret Atwood

Basic Facts Need to Know!

Main Characters Offred Moira Serena Joy The Commander (Fred) Nick Luke Think of it as “Of Fred,” meaning owned by Fred Narrator Moira Serena Joy The Commander (Fred) Nick Luke Main Characters

Setting Gilead Think around Cambridge, Massachusettes Used to be the US Totalitarian Theocratic Guided by religion Biblical city! Think around Cambridge, Massachusettes Speculated year of 2005 Published in 1985, so 20 years in the future Setting

Caste System: Men and Babies Commanders of the Faithful Eyes Angels Guardians (of the Faith) Babies Unbabies or “Shredders” Keepers Caste System: Men and Babies

Caste System: Women Legitimate Women Illegitimate Women Wives Daughters Handmaids Aunts Marthas Econowives Illegitimate Women Unwomen Jezebels Caste System: Women

Atwood herself considers the work speculative fiction NOT science fiction Draws the distinction that science fiction is not yet possible for us Speculative fiction would be things that could really happen Speculative Fiction

Margaret Atwood 1939 – Present

Schooling & Early Life Born in Ottawa, Canada in 1939 Began attending school full time at 8 years old Began writing plays and poems at the age of 6 Decided she wanted to write professionally around age 16 Attended University of Toronto Majored in English Minored in Philosophy and French Continued to Radcliffe college (of Harvard) Earned her Masters Hasn’t finished her Doctorate Schooling & Early Life

Teaching Career University of British Columbia in 1965 Sir George Williams University in Montreal from 1967-1968 University of Albert from 1969-1970 York University in Toronto from 1971-1972 University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 1985 Visiting MFA Chair New York University Berg Professor of English Teaching Career

Literature Novels Children’s Books Poetry Volumes Graphic Novels The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) Alias Grace (1996) MaddAddam trilogy (2003, 2009, 2013) Children’s Books Poetry Volumes Graphic Novels Television Scripts Nonfiction Literature

E. J. Pratt Medal for her private book of poems, Double Persephone Written in college Arthur C. Clarke Award and Governor General’s Award The Handmaid’s Tale Giller Prize Alias Grace Booker Prize The Blind Assassin Over 20 Awards and numerous Honorary Degrees Awards

American Puritanism 1630-1679

The Chosen People Wanted to reform the Catholic Church Thought they were chosen by God to fulfill a special role in history Like a new Exodus Lead by John Winthrop Settled Boston, Massachusetts Kept their religion very simple Bible as center of worship, no frills like music The Chosen People

Predestination Created by John Calvin Believed in Predestination The idea that God has already chosen the “elect” people for Salvation Everyone else was a sinner, eternally damned Created a constant sense of anxiety, always looking for a clue to their fate Predestination

How to be Saved Not just your actions count! Must completely evaluate your values and virtues in life Faith was the key to salvation Community needed to be spiritually healthy Tolerated some dissent, but strictly limited How to be Saved

The Decline Two members of the community challenged the authority Roger Williams & Anne Hutchinson Religious fervor diminished over time Blame placed on negative behaviors Swearing Sleeping at sermons Spread of sex and alcohol Lying & lawsuits The Decline

Many ideas of the Puritans are reflected in The Handmaid’s Tale, especially in regards to women’s roles Primary role of Motherhood Unable to interact with the government Had to follow the ideas of the husband Roles created by guidelines in the Bible So What?

The Feminist Movements First and Second Waves

First Wave Feminism Roots in the Enlightenment era (1700s) Middle 1800s Movement leaders Susan B. Anthony Elizabeth Cady Stanton More conservative than second wave feminism Tied closely to the abolitionist movement Anti-slavery First Wave Feminism

First Wave Feminism Goals & Accomplishments Right to vote Right to refuse sex with her husband Right to own property Right to participate in business Right to earn their own income Right to a say in her children’s lives Right to divorce on grounds of cruelty First Wave Feminism

Second Wave Feminism Around 1960s-1980s More liberal than first wave feminism Criticized as ignoring the voices of non-white women Challenged the ideals of the domestic wife Movement leaders Betty Friedan Casey Hayden Mary King Movement during which Atwood constructs The Handmaid’s Tale Second Wave Feminism

Second Wave Feminism Goals & Accomplishments Larger focus on reproductive rights of women Right to equal pay Illegal to discriminate against sex Release of the birth control pill Introduction of women’s shelters Founding of the National Organization for Women Roe v. Wade Ruled that laws prohibiting abortion are unconstitutional Second Wave Feminism

Religious Fundamentalism Jerry Falwell

What is Fundamentalism? Fundamentalism (for any religion) is the strict, literal interpretation of scripture As opposed to metaphoric interpretation For example, consider the Hebrew Bible Fundamentalists believe these events truly occurred Others believe these stories are meant to be lessons, taken metaphorically What is Fundamentalism?

Christian Fundamentalism Began late 1800s to early 1900s Popularized by British and American Protestants. Heavily adopted by Southern Baptists Reaction to theological liberal and modernist beliefs Christian Fundamentalism

Major Beliefs Evolution Christian Right Neo-Evangelicalism Major fight in schools in the 1920s Really divided the Christian faith Those who were against teaching evolution were considered “close-minded” Those who supported teaching evolution were considered “tolerant” and “educated” Christian Right Neo-Evangelicalism Major Beliefs

Christian Right Main leader – Jerry Falwell Southern Baptist pastor & televangelist Active from the 1950s through his death in 2007 Surge in political interest of fundamentalists Ignited after court decisions Engel v. Vitale Prohibits state-sanctioned prayer in public schools Abington School District v. Schempp Prohibits mandatory bible readings in public schools Christian Right

Jerry Falwell: Beliefs Church was the cornerstone of family life Supported segregation of US schools, claiming God had drawn a distinction Supported the “Save Our Children” campaign, which wanted to overturn an ordinance prohibiting discrimination on sexual orientation Staunch supporter of Israel Stated and later retracted the statement that “the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and lesbians…, the ACLU…you helped [9/11] happen” Jerry Falwell: Beliefs