Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale: Critical Reception

In Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale: Critical Reception essay, the author analyzes the major concepts of the novel, including feminism, religious fanaticism, and pollution. It both critiques feminism at the same time as it critiques misogyny by both questioning and respecting feminist ideologies. The author considers the postmodern elements to the novel, providing connections to the feminist theme. Additionally, the author discusses how much the novel is actually classified as dytopian sci-fi or not. “Just as the novel does not offer a conventional dystopian vision, neither does it offer a simple feminist solution to complex problems,” is an excellent quote that summarizes the purpose of the essay.