Historical Context of The Handmaid's Tale
The 1980s Political Landscape
Margaret Atwood wrote The Handmaid's Tale in 1984-85, during a period of significant conservative religious revival in American politics. This context is crucial for understanding the novel's themes and warnings.
NoteAtwood has famously stated that everything in The Handmaid's Tale has happened somewhere in history - she didn't invent any of the oppressive practices described in the novel.
The Religious Right and Women's Rights
The 1980s saw the rise of the New Right and the Moral Majority, conservative Christian movements that:
- Opposed the feminist movement
- Sought to reverse gains made by women's rights activists
- Emphasized "traditional family values"
- Challenged reproductive rights
The novel's Republic of Gilead mirrors these movements' ideals taken to their extreme. For instance, Gilead's strict control over women's bodies reflects real-world debates about reproductive rights that were (and still are) intensely contested.
Historical Precedents
Puritanical New England
The novel draws heavily from America's Puritan past:
- The setting in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Biblical justifications for social order
- Public executions ("salvagings")
- Rigid moral codes
Look for references to Salem witch trials and Puritan practices throughout the novel - they're deliberately placed to connect past and present forms of religious extremism.
Totalitarian Regimes
Atwood incorporated elements from various historical dictatorships:
