Handmaid's Tale
Fertile women enslaved
A dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood, published in 1985, depicting a totalitarian theocracy where fertile women are forced into reproductive servitude.
The title has become shorthand for warnings about religious extremism and women's loss of bodily autonomy: Critics called the new abortion law straight out of The Handmaid's Tale.
The red robes and white bonnets worn by handmaids in screen adaptations have become protest symbols.
- GileadTransjordanian territory in scripture
- dystopiaImaginary terrible society
- AtwoodCelebrated Canadian literary figure
- fertilityCapacity for reproduction
- handmaidsFemale domestic attendants
Margaret Atwood · red cloak · red · ceremony · birth ritual · blessed be · praise be · subjugation · totalitarian · resistance · Serena · rebellion · oppression · colonies · commanders · eyes · aunts · escape
- Margaret Atwood
- sci-fiscience fiction, Star Wars, sci-fi, Blade Runner 2049, aliens
- banned books1984, Animal Farm, Brave New World, Lady Chatterley's Lover, Lady Chatterley
Handmaid's Taleutopia
Imagined perfect society
utopian fiction · Utopia · Island · paradise · Star Trek
Handmaid's Talereproductive freedom
matriarchy · women's liberation · bodily autonomy · egalitarian society
Handmaid's Taleliberal democracy
Rights-based elected governance
secular humanism · free society · separation of church and state · individual liberty · religious pluralism
hand, maid, tale, hands, handed, handing, handy, handily, handedness