Literature Essays

The definition of Dystopia is an imaginary place where the inhabitants are exploited and control is maintained through oppression. Both “The Scarlet Letter” and “The Handmaid’s Tale” reflect characteristics of a dystopian novel. A dystopian novel is usually fictional and futuristic to the time in which it was written. The characters are made to worship […]

The Handmaid’s Tale, a novel by Margaret Atwood, is about the life of a handmaid, Offred, and what she does to survive in the Gilead. The society of Gilead in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaids Tale is based upon the idea of making a safer place to live by producing freedoms from things such as rape […]

Feminism is the belief and advocacy of equal rights for woman. This belief is shown through Margaret Atwood’s works, although she doesn’t believe so “Every time you write from the point of view of a woman, people say it’s feminist. ” Critics all of the world disagree with her and say that Atwood’s novels are […]

As the architects of Gilead knew, to institute an effective tolitarian sytem or indeed any system at all you must offer some benefits and freedoms, at least to a privileged few, in return for those you remove. In a tolitarian state, Atwood suggests, that people would endure oppression willingly as long as they could receive […]

Texts which represent imagined societies vary considerable, depending on their contexts and the values underlying them. Compare the representations of Utopia and The Handmaidens Tale, exploring how different contexts and different values create different meanings. Thomas More’s acclaimed satirical novel, Utopia exhibits a fictional society, ‘Utopia’ on which social and philosophical concepts of 16th century […]

At first, The Handmaid’s Tale (1986) may purely seem like a reconstruction of events. However, when examined more closely the reader can see that Atwood has used many narrative and poetic techniques. Each of these devices develop the novel into so much more than just a simple reconstruction of events, it becomes a precise and […]

All throughout the text “The Handmaid’s Tale”, there is a permanent theme of totalitarianism. Regimes that follow a totalitarian cultural ensure dominance over their subjects with the use of manipulation (Finigan 435). Besides the use of manipulation, the authority figures in “The Handmaid’s Tale” dominate the subjects by controlling their experience of life, time, memory […]

Disillusioned by the societies that lay before them, Huxley and Atwood created fascinating and bleak satires of the future where the past is abolished. In Huxley’s technocratic London and Atwood’s theocratic Gilead, two dehumanized masses simply exist to fulfill the ideals of their all-powerful rulers. These societies, consisting of conditioned and religiously indoctrinated individuals, resonate […]

In The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood explores the contrasting themes of freedom and oppression as a cautionary tale against a religiously governed nation. Set in Gilead, a Christian totalitarian regime that has replaced the United States, the novel highlights the dangers of authoritarian rule and martial law. Aunt Lydia’s remark, “There is more than one […]

One of the strongest points of comparison beteen ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and ‘Property’ is the way in which both novels explore relationships of power and ownership. In each novel different characters exert elements of power, in Property for example plantation owners literally own the slaves; in ‘The handmaid’s tale the novel also deals with elements […]

The Handmaid’s Tale was written against the backdrop of the feminist movement. During this period Thatcher was elected as the first female Prime Minister in Britain. Although Thatcher was female she was masculine in her governance of the country. The Handmaid’s Tale presents a society where the achievements of the feminist movement are suppressed and […]

A sense of entrapment pervades both ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ and ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. Explore the theme of entrapment in these two texts, making careful comparisons between them and commenting particularly on the narrative strategy of each text. In many works originating from periods of time in which repression in society was apparent, the freedom […]

“‘The Handmaids Tale’ by Margaret Atwood is a narrative that challenges the absolute authority of Gilead, highlighting the significance of storytelling as an act of resistance against oppression, thereby making a particular kind of individual political statement.” (7) The narrative provides an insight of barbarical chauvinism in an injustice system of oppression towards women. It […]

Totalitarianism, Violence, and the Color Red in The Handmaid’s Tale In literature, the color red symbolizes many things, each with its own emotional impact. Red can be associated with violence and bloodshed, or it can be associated with love and intense emotions. In The Handmaid’s Tale, Offred, chosen to be a “baby-maker” for a couple […]

Moira and Offred; one a non conformist rebel and a confessed bisexual, the other a hardworking dreamer who sees the values in family life. They are two very different people, yet have been the best of friends from as far back as their college days, pre Gilead,”Moira breezing into my room, dropping her denim jacket […]

The Handmaid’s Tale- Fertility of Women Critique In The Handmaid’s Tale, Gilead rose to power in large part because no one was making babies any more. Even though baby making is a two-person process, society has shifted all the blame for infertility onto women. “There is no such thing as a sterile man anymore, not […]

The Merchant of Venice is a comedy written by Shakespeare, but it is arguable that it can also be called a tragedy. A dictionary meaning of a tragedy is, “a drama or similar work, in which the main character is brought to ruin or otherwise suffers the extreme consequences of some tragic flaw or weakness […]

Fathers and Daughters in Shakespeare Fathers and Daughters in Tempest, Merchant of Venice, and Othello While there is an over arcing theme in these plays as to the subject of Father-Daughter relationships in which the mother is absent, even the most cursory inspection shows relevant differences in both the characters and their relationships to one […]

Shylock is a Victim All villains Were once victims. A villain is someone who intentionally hurts some none physically, mentally, and/ or emotionally for their own satisfaction and pleasure. A victim is someone who is hurt physically, mentally, and/ or emotionally. The Merchant of Venice, a play written by William Shakespeare, is about a man […]

During Shakespearean times, a comedy referred to a play or movie featuring humorous and amusing characters with a joyous conclusion. Examples of comedic situations included women disguising themselves as men and mild torture. In one particular Shakespearean play, characters gathered in court where the Jewish character had just surrendered and accepted money. Before this, Gratiano […]

Although The Merchant of Venice was set in Italy when it was written in 1599, it is more probable that Shakespeare depicted London in the play since he resided in England. Shakespeare’s portrayal of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice initially classified the play as a comedy. The common people of Shakespeare’s time shared prejudices […]

‘The Merchant Of Venice’ is a Shakespeare play about a Jewish money-lender called Shylock who gives a Christian called Antonio a bond, but only intends to murder him. The play is also focused on the issue of racism in Venice. A modern audience may be more accepting of other cultures because more have become known […]