Handman's Tale

kit-kat315 · 2023-04-23T13:21:19+00:00

Interestingly enough, the original book "The Handmaid's Tale" was never intended to be feminist. The author, Margaret Atwood, has stated she set out to write dystopian fiction from the female perspective and that it's anti-totalitarian. She said the idea sprang from the backlash in the 80s that women belonged in the kitchen and what would be needed to put them back there.

In the author's own words:

"The Handmaid’s Tale has often been called a “feminist dystopia,” but that term is not strictly accurate. In a feminist dystopia pure and simple, all of the men would have greater rights than all of the women. It would be two-layered in structure: top layer men, bottom layer women. But Gilead is the usual kind of dictatorship: shaped like a pyramid, with the powerful of both sexes at the apex, the men generally outranking the women at the same level; then descending levels of power and status with men and women in each, all the way down to the bottom, where the unmarried men must serve in the ranks before being awarded an Econowife."

Certainly, women are suffering in the fictional country of Gilead- handmaids are ritualistically raped and barren handmaids are sent to clean up toxic waste. But, those women are also considered criminals (lesbians, adulterers, divorcees, and in relationships with divorced men). Men in the same class received equally cruel treatment.

A key theme of the novel is that everyone is suffering to varying degrees- both men and women. Societal roles are strictly upheld for everyone, sharply defined classes foster distrust, and punishments for breaking the warped quasi-Christian rules are very harsh. There is literally no one in the book (or the show) truly happy with their lot in life.

BoomTheBear86 · 2023-04-23T12:34:12+00:00

I think there’s several levels to it.

On the surface, yes, it’s basically a “patriarchy bad, look at the poor women” where said patriarchy is obviously overt and all encompassing.

However, when you look at the show/book closer it’s not that clear cut. Many of the women in Gilead (the patriarchal state) actually enjoy the status they have as mothers and found that they “became someone” in the state whereas before they were rather unremarkable. Many of them are depicted as fully agreeing with the lifestyle. Once you get through the story it is revealed that the origins of this society are not even the brainchild of a man, but a woman.

Many of the men in the society are depicted as disagreeing with it or towing the line reluctantly.

As the narrative develops it becomes clear that the evil of the patriarchal state is being threatened by the rising rage of female-led opposition and their methods aren’t exactly presented as being better, just more of the same crap.

So I think it had enough surface level going on to appear like a work of feminism and critique of patriarchy, but if you consider it more carefully, it’s depicting patriarchy as a system of power, not maleness, and that one’s being male has little to do with whether they stand to benefit from such a system, even if they appear to be the primary beneficiaries.

Spare_Development615 · 2023-04-23T15:26:07+00:00

Well the main difference is Handmaiden's Tale is a fantasy.

In real life, it's men who do the brutal work.

When's the last time you saw a woman clean up toxic waste?

How many garbage collectors are women?

How many linemen are women?

How many women are carrying people out of burning buildings?

And then they concoct this fantasy world where women are slaves, slaves of what? Bed, Bath and Beyond?

Sir_vendetta · 2023-04-23T14:44:39+00:00

Don't even get me started with that series....to summarise....

"Men are evil rapers, that will force you to have kids against your will, keep you imprisoned and kill you if you disobey....and take your kids away to give them to other women"

Never seen anything so toxic in my life, and probably one of the reasons why misandry is on the rise right now.

ginger-valley · 2023-04-23T15:38:34+00:00

Handy mans tale. A book about a dude who can't get a good job and just works odd jobs but is secretly a brilliant engineer working an a project that will save the world.

Parzival_007 · 2023-04-23T13:25:17+00:00

"slightly"?

dude I've heard (many) women treat it as their holy bible referring that book is their reality.

Nice-Neighborhood730 · 2023-04-23T13:46:37+00:00

Feminism is depressing. Margaret Atwood really knows how to kill things with mixing some truth mixed with lies. I can't get into her stuff.

wowelysiumthrowaway · 2023-04-23T15:35:38+00:00

Book was inspired by iran supposedly

Nice-Neighborhood730 · 2023-04-23T23:04:57+00:00

On a side note. They look like siblings.

Have you looked at her face lately? She looks like she's related to Pierre Trudeau. They look like brother and sister.

Usually I have heard someone say that about married couples but oy vey!

Margaret Atwood https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Atwood

Pierre Trudeau https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Trudeau

Title	Handman's Tale
Author	martinbv95
Upvotes	13
Comments	21
Date	April 23, 2023 10:16 AM UTC (3 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/12w3s24/handmans_tale/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/handmans-tale.1215415 https://theredarchive.com/post/1215415

Comments