The Handmaid's Tale
About this book
The Handmaid's Tale is a dystopian novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, published in 1985. It is set in a near-future New England, in a strongly patriarchal, totalitarian theonomic state, known as the Republic of Gilead, which has overthrown the United States government. The central character and narrator is a woman named Offred, one of the group known as "handmaids", who are forcibly assigned to produce children for the "commanders" — the ruling class of men in Gilead. The novel explores themes of subjugated women in a patriarchal society, loss of female agency and individuality, and the various means by which they resist and attempt to gain individuality and independence. The Handmaid's Tale won the 1985 Governor General's Award and the first Arthur C. Clarke Award in 1987; it was also nominated for the 1986 Nebula Award, the 1986 Booker Prize, and the 1987 Prometheus Award. ---------- Also contained in: Novels
Reader Profile
4.2/5 · 2547838 readers · 411 pages · ≈ 7 h 37 m · Moderate
How long does it take to read The Handmaid's Tale?
About ≈ 7 h 37 m — 411 pages, assuming roughly 250 words per page at 225 words per minute.
How many pages is The Handmaid's Tale?
411 pages in its most-read edition.
What genre is The Handmaid's Tale?
It sits on the Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fiction shelves.
Has The Handmaid's Tale been made into a movie or TV show?
Yes — screen adaptations include The Handmaid's Tale (1991), The Handmaid's Tale (1990).
Is The Handmaid's Tale in the public domain?
No — it is still under copyright.
Who are the main characters in The Handmaid's Tale?
The main characters include Margaret Atwood (1939-), Offred, Commanders, Rachel.
Where does The Handmaid's Tale take place?
It is set in Republic of Gilead, New England, United States of America.
Who wrote The Handmaid's Tale?
Margaret Atwood.