The Handmaid’s Tale: All set to come up with their new season 5 this September.

The Handmaid’s Tale is a powerful, terrifying story of what might happen to women if birth control was outlawed in the United States. Atwood has taken a chilling scenario, upended it like a reverse glass painting and revealed its shocking utopian interior. This haunting classic is as disturbing as it is brilliant. No wonder it has been assigned to high school students for the past twenty-five years.

What is the plot of the story ?

The story centers around a former professor and schoolteacher named Offred. Offred lives in a theocratic government that has taken over its post-Soviet neighbors. She is one of three “handmaids” – sex slaves to produce children for a ruling elite. The Republic is at war with its former ally, Canada, and the women are trained to become soldiers. One day, Offred is summoned to the home of her Commander and his Wife. She is ordered to forget her former life and assigned a new name, Offred, which means “Of Fred,” after the Commander. Offred can’t even call her best friend anymore  . Because all women are designated by their male guardian’s names.

Who is in the cast ? What role did each character portray ?

The cast include Elisabeth Moss , Yvonne Strahovski , Joseph Fiennes , and Charlotte Pierce . Offred is the main character who is forced to hide her past identity.
The role of Offred is played by Elisabeth Moss and she is perfect for this role. Elisabeth Moss portrays the character with fear but also shows how brave the character can be and also  her strength of character by the end of the story.

What are the difficulties they face ?

Offred seeks escape from the life she had to live. She is forced to take part in the national anthem and a political rally, where she feels forced to participate, knowing that if she doesn’t sing, she will be beaten. She also has intense sexual desires and fears of losing her freedom. Offred had no control over her life. She was not a slave but a sex slave to the Commander and his wife, who raped her repeatedly every night. After she had a child, she was forced to give him up. The birth of the child gave her hope that things could change . But her chances of escape are very slim.

What are the themes ?

The main theme is that woman are treated as less than humans. They have no voice and no freedom. Women have male guardians because they can’t control themselves.
Offred wants to escape the new system which was created to enslave women, by thinking she could do it without a guardian. She tries to think of ways in which she can get away, but as soon as she thinks about escaping, the Commander comes into her room and rapes her again. He thinks this method will keep her under control and also show her his power.

Who is the antagonist ? What are its motives ?

The antagonists are the Commander and his wife who rule the new society. They have a very cruel regime for all women. The main theme is how women are treated like toys that are owned by men. They are treated as if they are not humans and are given no rights or freedom. The rulers are the antagonists because they want to control the lives of women and make them suffer.

What are the epic scenes ?

There are two epic scenes that I think are the most significant. The first is when she is forced to sing the national anthem and she does it with a lot of feeling. She feels as if she is being proud to be here and wants to do this for her country . Offred walked down the stairs, took her place in line, a hand on her shoulder from behind, as if counting… She let herself be guided into position, feet together. Her face was still swollen from crying and  also her heart was beating very fast. I am not going to do this, she thought. But then it came: the voice of a young woman coming out of hidden speakers all around them.

Would you recommend watching this ?

I would definitely recommend watching this. I would like to see how it is going to be different from the other books written by Margaret Atwood because this book is much better than the others. So I think that its a must watch for everyone . Thanks for reading !