What is the dystopian and utopian in the film of Margaret Atwood's The Handsmaid Tale?
"The Handmaid's Tale" is a novel by Margaret Atwood that explores themes of dystopia, but it has also been adapted into a film in 1990 and a television series that started airing in 2017. In the context of your question, I'll focus on the general themes present in the story that apply to its various adaptations.
Dystopian:
1. Gilead: The fictional society of Gilead, which replaces the United States, is a theocratic totalitarian regime. This setting defines the core of the dystopia—a place where freedoms, particularly for women, are almost nonexistent.
2. Reproductive Slavery: Handmaids are fertile women forced into servitude to bear children for the ruling elite. This is a fundamental dystopian element highlighting the extreme invasion and control of the body.
3. Suppression of Women: Women in Gilead are stripped of their rights. They are not allowed to read, write, own property, or control their own bodies. Their roles are strictly defined by the ruling patriarchy.
4. Surveillance and Punishment: The society of Gilead is characterized by constant surveillance, where "Eyes" are always watching, and the fear of punishment is pervasive. Dissenters are executed or sent to the Colonies, areas of toxic waste where they are worked to death.
5. Loss of Identity: Handmaids are forced to take on the names of their commanders, such as "Of Fred" or "Of Warren," erasing their former identities and further emphasizing their role as property.
Utopian:
Ironically, the very idea of a utopian aspect within "The Handmaid's Tale" is in itself a part of the dystopian narrative—the regime of Gilead presents itself as a utopia to its believers. From the leadership's perspective, Gilead is a utopian response to a world of chaos:
1. Return to Traditional Values: Gilead attempts to sell itself as a return to 'traditional' values where family and order are ostensibly restored, and the social ills of the prior society are rectified.
2. Solution to Fertility Crisis: In the face of plummeting birth rates, Gilead is portrayed (by its leadership) as the ultimate solution to a global fertility crisis, under the guise of divine intervention and moral realignment.
3. Environmental Renewal: The regime also purports to bring about an environmental renewal by banning pollutants and restoring a simpler, less technologically dependent way of life.
4. Sanctity of Purpose: The rulers of Gilead claim that all members of society have a 'sacred' purpose, contributing to the overall 'good' of the community.
While the regime might consider these elements as part of a utopian vision, this is a perversion of the term and is meant to serve as propaganda to justify the oppressive societal structure. The reality is that the world of "The Handmaid's Tale" is a dystopia, using the distorted notion of utopia as a form of control and oppression.