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The Handmaid'S Tale Book

What is the handmaid's tale book?

· Sarah Mitchell

Key facts

Author Margaret Atwood[3]
Publication year 1985[3]
Protagonist Offred[1]
Setting Republic of Gilead[1]
Genre Dystopian novel[3]

The Handmaid's Tale is a 1985 dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood about Offred, a woman forced to serve as a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, a theocratic regime in the former United States.

Context

The Handmaid's Tale is a 1985 dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood, set in the Republic of Gilead, a theocratic regime in the former United States [3]. The protagonist, Offred, is a Handmaid forced to bear children for elite couples [1]. The narrative alternates between her present life and flashbacks to her past [2].

Documented claims

  • The novel is set in a theocratic regime that has overthrown the United States government. [3]
  • Handmaids are women assigned to bear children for elite couples or high-status men. [1]
  • The story includes flashbacks to Offred's earlier life before Gilead. [2]

Questions and answers

What is the Handmaid's Tale book about?

It's about Offred, a woman forced to serve as a Handmaid in the Republic of Gilead, a theocratic regime where women are assigned reproductive roles [1].

Is The Handmaid's Tale a difficult read?

The novel uses a fragmented narrative with flashbacks, which some readers find challenging, but it is widely read and studied [2].

Why can't the wives get pregnant in The Handmaid's Tale?

The novel doesn't specify a single cause; it presents a fertility crisis in Gilead, leading to the use of Handmaids [1].

Sources

  1. The Handmaid's Tale: Full Book Summary — sparknotes.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood Plot Summary — litcharts.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - Summary & Key ... — summarsky.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Culture