the-handmaids-tale

A Level Courses

1

Author Background

1.1

Margaret Atwood

1.1.1Margaret Atwood

2

Chapter Summaries

2.1

Chapter 1: Night I

2.2

Chapters 2-6: Shopping II

2.2.1Chapter 2 2.2.2Chapter 3 2.2.3Chapter 4 2.2.4Chapter 5 2.2.5Chapter 6

2.3

Chapter 7: Night II

2.4

Chapters 8-12: Waiting Room IV

2.4.1Chapter 8 2.4.2Chapter 9 2.4.3Chapter 10 2.4.4Chapter 11 2.4.5Chapter 12

2.5

Chapter 13: Nap V

2.5.1Chapter 13

2.6

Chapters 14-17: Household VI

2.6.1Chapter 14 2.6.2Chapter 15 2.6.3Chapter 16 2.6.4Chapter 17

2.7

Chapter 18: Night VII

2.7.1Chapter 18

2.8

Chapters 19-23: Birth Day VIII

2.8.1Chapter 19 2.8.2Chapter 20 2.8.3Chapter 21 2.8.4Chapter 22 2.8.5Chapter 23

2.9

Chapter 24: Night IX

2.9.1Chapter 24

2.10

Chapters 25-29: Soul Scrolls X

2.10.1Chapter 25 2.10.2Chapter 26 2.10.3Chapter 27 2.10.4Chapter 28 2.10.5Chapter 29

2.11

Chapter 30: Night XI

2.11.1Chapter 30

2.12

Chapters 31-39: Jezebel's XII

2.12.1Chapter 31 2.12.2Chapter 32 2.12.3Chapter 33 2.12.4Chapter 34 2.12.5Chapter 35 2.12.6Chapter 36 2.12.7Chapter 37 2.12.8Chapter 38 2.12.9Chapter 39

2.13

Chapter 40: Night XIII

2.13.1Chapter 40

2.14

Chapters 41-45: Salvaging XIV

2.14.1Chapter 41 2.14.2Chapter 42 2.14.3Chapter 43 2.14.4Chapter 44 2.14.5Chapter 45

2.15

Chapter 46: Night XV

2.15.1Chapter 46

2.16

Historical Notes

2.16.1Historical Notes

3

Dedications & Epigraph

3.1

Dedications & Epigraph

3.1.1Dedications 3.1.2Epigraph

4

Context

4.1

Setting

4.2

Literary Context & Genre

4.2.1The Canterbury Tales & The Scarlet Letter 4.2.2Links to Dystopian Fiction

4.3

Political Context

4.3.1Berlin & Iran 4.3.2The New Right in America

4.4

Historical Context

4.4.1Puritan New England

4.5

Parallels: Read World & Gilead

4.5.1The Underground Femaleroad 4.5.2Children of Ham & Soul Scrolls 4.5.3Offred's Tattoo, Salvaging & Illegal Abortions 4.5.4Unwomen, Colonies & Giving Away Offred's Daughter

4.6

Religious Context

4.6.1Religious Context

5

Narrative Structure & Literary Techniques

5.1

Narrative Structure

5.1.1Narrative Structure

5.2

Literary Techniques

5.2.1Literary Techniques 5.2.2Colour Symbolism

6

Themes & Imagery

6.1

Themes

6.1.1Survival & Language 6.1.2The Female Body

6.2

Imagery

6.2.1The Garden & Doubles

7

Characters

7.1

Female Characters

7.1.1Offred & Moira 7.1.2Offred's Mother, Ofglen & Ofwarren 7.1.3Serena Joy & Aunt Lydia

7.2

Male Characters

7.2.1The Commander 7.2.2Nick & Luke

8

Readings

8.1

Readings of The Handmaid's Tale

8.1.1Eco-Criticism 8.1.2Complacency

9

Recap: Main Quotes