Margaret Atwood on what "The Handmaid's Tale" means in the age of Trump
Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel “The Handmaid’s Tale” was published in 1985, but it gained new significance and relevance with the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President in 2016. As an author renowned for commentary on issues of feminism and women's rights, Atwood has offered critical perspectives on how her novel speaks to America under the Trump administration.
Parallels and Echoes
Atwood has pointed out unsettling parallels between her fictional Republic of Gilead and some dynamics emergent under Donald Trump. She notes the rapid erosion of women’s reproductive rights in states across America, which echoes the lack of bodily autonomy for the handmaids forced into childbearing servitude in her novel. Atwood also observes resurgent patriarchal attitudes that dismiss women’s voices and concerns as overreaction.
Religious Authoritarianism and the Political Right
The increased prominence of the religious right in shaping legislation has also not gone unnoticed by Atwood. She suggests segments of America seem driven to impose moral order by forceful governance over women’s rights and choices, much like Gilead’s religious authoritarianism. Atwood also argues Trump exhibits the same superficial branding of female worth based on age and appearance, reducing women to their utility and appearance in his rhetoric.
However, Atwood has been careful not to claim the U.S. has become Gilead or is necessarily headed there. Rather, she asserts constant vigilance is required to ensure social progress gained is not rolled back or eroded. Atwood believes giving a voice to those concerned prevents dystopian futures, and her novel holds new relevance by providing that voice in turbulent times.
Margaret Atwood perceives her seminal work “The Handmaid’s Tale” as newly resonant given the Trump era dynamics around female autonomy and empowerment. She draws parallels to Gilead without pronouncing America doomed to that fate, arguing instead that speaking up against oppression prevents such dystopian regression. Atwood believes keeping the handmaid's voice heard counters forces that would relegate women to silent servitude.
