The Handmaid’s Tale
Context
ATWOOD
Born 1940, Canada
Travelled extensively – lived for periods of time in Iran
Witches in 17th century (Atwood’s ancestor alleged witch Mary Webster and dedicated
THT to her)
Ancestors on both sides were Puritan settlers
BOOK
Written in West Berlin in 1984, still encircled by the Berlin Wall – WW2
Kristallnacht – inspired the commencement of Gilead
Phyllis Schafly – antifeminist politician who preached that a woman’s place is
domesticity (Serena Joy) – ironically, she was unable to exert her political voice as she
had 6 children to take care of
‘The Colonies’ – ‘radioactive’ – based off Chernobyl
Handmaid’s uniform inspired by Iran – veil covering
Patronymic naming – from taking man’s name at marriage
Conservative Revival – Ronald Reagan – battle communism and radicalism during Cold
War and preserve culture, faith in God and political institutions – concept of the atomic
family, which demanded a Judeo-Christian outlook and fixed patriarchal gender roles –
overt connection made between America’s ‘Christian’ stance and its strength as a
(military) power
Religious Right under Reagan
Treatment of women under Reagan in the US:
- The number of elected and politically appointed women declined.
- One-third of all federal budget cuts under Reagan’s presidency came from
programs that served mainly women, even though these programs represented only
10 per cent of the federal budget.
- Murders related to sexual assault and domestic violence increased by 160 per cent
while the overall murder rate declined
- The federal government defeated bills to fund shelters for battered women, and in
1981 closed down the Office of Domestic Violence
- Several states passed laws restricting abortion
Argentinian rebels were pushed out of planes, called ‘salvaging’, woman’s babies given
to government
Nazis taking babies – Hitler’s children not his
Jews in WW2, forced to wear identical uniforms, tattooed with numbers and stripped of
identity
Magdalene Laundries – unmarried pregnant woman were forced to give up babies and
work as punishment (20th Century)
Aborigines forcibly taken from parents and assimilated into white culture 1890-1970s
Context
ATWOOD
Born 1940, Canada
Travelled extensively – lived for periods of time in Iran
Witches in 17th century (Atwood’s ancestor alleged witch Mary Webster and dedicated
THT to her)
Ancestors on both sides were Puritan settlers
BOOK
Written in West Berlin in 1984, still encircled by the Berlin Wall – WW2
Kristallnacht – inspired the commencement of Gilead
Phyllis Schafly – antifeminist politician who preached that a woman’s place is
domesticity (Serena Joy) – ironically, she was unable to exert her political voice as she
had 6 children to take care of
‘The Colonies’ – ‘radioactive’ – based off Chernobyl
Handmaid’s uniform inspired by Iran – veil covering
Patronymic naming – from taking man’s name at marriage
Conservative Revival – Ronald Reagan – battle communism and radicalism during Cold
War and preserve culture, faith in God and political institutions – concept of the atomic
family, which demanded a Judeo-Christian outlook and fixed patriarchal gender roles –
overt connection made between America’s ‘Christian’ stance and its strength as a
(military) power
Religious Right under Reagan
Treatment of women under Reagan in the US:
- The number of elected and politically appointed women declined.
- One-third of all federal budget cuts under Reagan’s presidency came from
programs that served mainly women, even though these programs represented only
10 per cent of the federal budget.
- Murders related to sexual assault and domestic violence increased by 160 per cent
while the overall murder rate declined
- The federal government defeated bills to fund shelters for battered women, and in
1981 closed down the Office of Domestic Violence
- Several states passed laws restricting abortion
Argentinian rebels were pushed out of planes, called ‘salvaging’, woman’s babies given
to government
Nazis taking babies – Hitler’s children not his
Jews in WW2, forced to wear identical uniforms, tattooed with numbers and stripped of
identity
Magdalene Laundries – unmarried pregnant woman were forced to give up babies and
work as punishment (20th Century)
Aborigines forcibly taken from parents and assimilated into white culture 1890-1970s
