Historical Notes & Epigraphs

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Historical Notes

Here are some key quotations from the Historical Notes:

"His-tory"

The reader is told that "her-story" has now become "his-tory".
An arrogant and dismissive Professor Pieixoto tells the story.

"Denay, Nunavit"

The name of the University - Denay, Nunavit - places this academic symposium in Arctic Canada.
But Atwood uses paronomasia (a pun) to express the warning: Deny none of it!
- This is an example of Atwood's authorial voice breaking through into the text to remind the reader that all the atrocities that happened in Gilead have ACTUALLY happened in real society.

Misogyny quotes

Professor Pieixoto shows his misogyny when he discusses the innuendo of Tale and Tail ("archaic vulgar signification") and the importance of Offred's story ("This item - I hesitate to call it a document").

"Passing moral judgement"

He says that we should "be cautious about passing moral judgement upon the Gileadeans" even after he has heard the harrowing nature of Offred's tale.

"Are there any questions?"

The lecture ends with the Professor saying "Are there any questions?".
- This is ironic, as he seems to have overlooked and under-researched everything about Offred, leaving the reader with many questions about her.

Sexist jokes

The Professor makes weak, sexist jokes ("the Underground Frailroad") and takes an objective view of Gilead ("our job is not to censure but to understand").-
- Atwood does this to show that even hundreds of years after the regime of Gilead, patriarchal views and ideology are still present in society and women's experience is still undermined and controlled by men.

Epigraphs in The Handmaid's Tale

Atwood chooses three epigraphs that introduce many themes and ideas.

Genesis 30: 1-3

And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children or else I die. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel; and he said Am I in God's stead who have withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her".

Genesis 30: 1-3 analysed

This quotation clearly inspired the Ceremony that takes place in the novel between the Commander, Offred and Serena Joy.
It also shows how a theocracy like Gilead can use scripture to enforce practices like the Ceremony.
You could interpret this quotation as objectifying women as just sexual and reproductive figures in society.

Jonathan Swift

But as to myself, having been wearied out for many years with offering vain, idle, visionary thoughts, and at length, utterly despairing of success, I fortunately fell upon this proposal… (Jonathon Swift, A Modest Proposal, 1729)

Swift quotation analysed

Swift was an Irish writer and satirist who wrote the essay A Modest Proposal to address the poor living conditions for Irish people.
He satirically put forward ideas like:
- using cannibalism to solve hunger
- treating children and women like animals.
Atwood is suggesting that The Handmaid's Tale has a satirical thread and that the ideas in it point to wider problems in society.

Sufi proverb

In the desert there is no sign that says, Thou shalt not eat stones.
- This quotation seems more ambiguous than the other two in terms of its relevance to the novel. There can be many interpretations: one could be that human survival is an instinct that needs no instruction. It could also be read as a satirical comment on the world of Gilead, where rules are strictly enforced, even for aspects of human life like conversation, socialising and sex.

Workman on the Sufi proverb

Critic Nancy Workman interprets this quotation as referencing Sufi mysticism.
- Offred displays Sufi mystic characteristics by developing an inner sense of spirituality which is at odds with the repressive theocracy of Gilead.
The quotation could refer to:
- Offred exploring the powerful relationship between language and power
- A regime like Gilead playing upon the interchange between language, power and interpretation.

1Author Background

1.1Margaret Atwood

1.1.1Margaret Atwood

2Chapter Summaries

2.1Chapter 1: Night I

2.1.1Chapter 1

2.2Chapters 2-6: Shopping II

2.2.1Chapter 2

2.2.2Chapter 3

2.2.3Chapter 4

2.2.4Chapter 5

2.2.5Chapter 6

2.3Chapter 7: Night II

2.3.1Chapter 7

2.4Chapters 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

2.5Chapter 13: Nap V

2.5.1Chapter 13

2.6Chapters 14-17: Household VI

2.6.1Chapter 14

2.6.2Chapter 15

2.6.3Chapter 16

2.6.4Chapter 17

2.7Chapter 18: Night VII

2.7.1Chapter 18

2.8Chapters 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

2.9Chapter 24: Night IX

2.9.1Chapter 24

2.10Chapters 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

2.11Chapter 30: Night XI

2.11.1Chapter 30

2.12Chapters 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

2.13Chapter 40: Night XIII

2.13.1Chapter 40

2.14Chapters 41-45: Salvaging XIV

2.14.1Chapter 41

2.14.2Chapter 42

2.14.3Chapter 43

2.14.4Chapter 44

2.14.5Chapter 45

2.15Chapter 46: Night XV

2.15.1Chapter 46

2.16Historical Notes

2.16.1Historical Notes

3Dedications & Epigraph

3.1Dedications & Epigraph

3.1.1Dedications

3.1.2Epigraph

4Context

4.1Setting

4.1.1Setting

4.2Literary Context & Genre

4.2.1The Canterbury Tales & The Scarlet Letter

4.2.2Links to Dystopian Fiction

4.3Political Context

4.3.1Berlin & Iran

4.3.2The New Right in America

4.4Historical Context

4.4.1Puritan New England

4.5Parallels: 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

4.6Religious Context

4.6.1Religious Context

5Narrative Structure & Literary Techniques

5.1Narrative Structure

5.1.1Narrative Structure

5.2Literary Techniques

5.2.1Literary Techniques

5.2.2Colour Symbolism

6Themes & Imagery

6.1Themes

6.1.1Survival & Language

6.1.2The Female Body

6.2Imagery

6.2.1The Garden & Doubles

7Characters

7.1Female Characters

7.1.1Offred & Moira

7.1.2Offred's Mother, Ofglen & Ofwarren

7.1.3Serena Joy & Aunt Lydia

7.2Male Characters

7.2.1The Commander

7.2.2Nick & Luke

8Readings

8.1Readings of The Handmaid's Tale

8.1.1Eco-Criticism

8.1.2Complacency

9Recap: Main Quotes

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