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Popular Culture and Philosophy #123
The Handmaid's Tale and Philosophy: A Womb of One's Own
In The Handmaid’s Tale and Philosophy , philosophers give their insights into the blockbuster best-selling novel and record-breaking TV series, The Handmaid’s Tale . The story involves a future breakaway state in New England, beset by environmental disaster and a plummeting birth rate, in which the few remaining fertile women are conscripted to have sex and bear children to the most powerful men, all justified and rationalized by religious fundamentalism.
Among the questions raised by this riveting and harrowing
● The Handmaid’s Tale displays the connection between sex and power. What light does this story shed on sex and power in our own society?
● The divinity of the feminine is associated with the female capacity to give birth. Is this association inherently exploitative?
● In the story, the revolution rapidly rebranded people by changing their names and placing them into functional groups with specific titles. How important is change in language to the suppression of individual freedom?
● The Handmaid’s Tale sees everything through the eyes of one character. How is it possible to construct a self and an identity at odds with the definition which the culture attempts to impose?
● In oppressive societies, even the most oppressed do show some freedom of choice. What is the limit of autonomy in a repressive society ruled by a fanatical ideology?
● Our present ethics of sex relies heavily on the notion of consent, but in the world of The Handmaid’s Tale there is little scope for consent. How is the power of consent constricted by the broader social conditions?
● The feminist idea of Care Ethics can be used to critique various gender relationships. How does Care Ethics evaluate our own society and the society depicted in The Handmaid’s Tale ?
● The society portrayed in the story is marked by fierce religiosity, yet the Christian God presumably disapproves of its brutal exploitation and oppression. What is the relation between a loving Deity and the literal interpretation of scriptural passages?
● Among many dystopian stories, what makes The Handmaid’s Tale particularly memorable, and what purpose is served by the contemplation of imaginary dystopias?
● Suicide is common in The Handmaid’s Tale , and contemplating the possibility of suicide is even more common. Can life be worth living if the political and religious structure is thoroughly malign?
● Beneath the theocratic preaching, there is the practical suggestion that everything is being arranged for the good of society and therefore of everyone. Who gets to decide and enforce what is in society’s best interests?
Among the questions raised by this riveting and harrowing
● The Handmaid’s Tale displays the connection between sex and power. What light does this story shed on sex and power in our own society?
● The divinity of the feminine is associated with the female capacity to give birth. Is this association inherently exploitative?
● In the story, the revolution rapidly rebranded people by changing their names and placing them into functional groups with specific titles. How important is change in language to the suppression of individual freedom?
● The Handmaid’s Tale sees everything through the eyes of one character. How is it possible to construct a self and an identity at odds with the definition which the culture attempts to impose?
● In oppressive societies, even the most oppressed do show some freedom of choice. What is the limit of autonomy in a repressive society ruled by a fanatical ideology?
● Our present ethics of sex relies heavily on the notion of consent, but in the world of The Handmaid’s Tale there is little scope for consent. How is the power of consent constricted by the broader social conditions?
● The feminist idea of Care Ethics can be used to critique various gender relationships. How does Care Ethics evaluate our own society and the society depicted in The Handmaid’s Tale ?
● The society portrayed in the story is marked by fierce religiosity, yet the Christian God presumably disapproves of its brutal exploitation and oppression. What is the relation between a loving Deity and the literal interpretation of scriptural passages?
● Among many dystopian stories, what makes The Handmaid’s Tale particularly memorable, and what purpose is served by the contemplation of imaginary dystopias?
● Suicide is common in The Handmaid’s Tale , and contemplating the possibility of suicide is even more common. Can life be worth living if the political and religious structure is thoroughly malign?
● Beneath the theocratic preaching, there is the practical suggestion that everything is being arranged for the good of society and therefore of everyone. Who gets to decide and enforce what is in society’s best interests?
- GenresPhilosophyNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
Published December 4, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 30, 2019
Quotable:
The Handmaid's Tale imparts the invaluable lesson that we should never let individuals and institutions convince us that facts are malleable or non-existent things. There are truths. There are good critical thinking practices that provide us with reliable access to truths about the present and the past. A full appreciation of where we are requires an understanding of where we've been. The facts, not the politicians, should control the narrative.
The most dangerous threat to a totalitarian government is a critical thinker. If enough people are thoughtful enough to challenge the "received wisdom" of the party, perhaps the public will no longer receive it.
Truth is extremely important. We count on people to be truthful with us, and especially demand this from our leaders. Societies that don't put a premium on truth are likely doomed to failure, but even if they don't fail, they will have difficulty functioning properly. We count on our leaders to be honest with us. We count on our children to be forthcoming, etc. All these things are in some sense necessary if we are to be productive, lead meaningful lives, raise good children, and so forth.
The only thing that is alternative to a fact is something that is not a fact.
Does everyone get a pass because he or she is a product of his or her time - even Hitler?
Atwood notes in the introduction to the books latest edition that the story is not "anti-religion"; it's against the use of religion for tyrannical purposes.
The irony behind all of this branding of the women is that the Aunts are the ones dealing out the punishment, holding the cattle prods up high. Without the complicity of women none of it would have been possible. There is no clear functional reason why any woman would "buy" into any of their branding. And yet they did. The Wives and the Aunts are complicit in delivering punishment to other women to make them conform, in effect participating in their own subjugation. They betray their gender to align and connect with power in the only way that is open to them.
The Handmaid's Tale imparts the invaluable lesson that we should never let individuals and institutions convince us that facts are malleable or non-existent things. There are truths. There are good critical thinking practices that provide us with reliable access to truths about the present and the past. A full appreciation of where we are requires an understanding of where we've been. The facts, not the politicians, should control the narrative.
The most dangerous threat to a totalitarian government is a critical thinker. If enough people are thoughtful enough to challenge the "received wisdom" of the party, perhaps the public will no longer receive it.
Truth is extremely important. We count on people to be truthful with us, and especially demand this from our leaders. Societies that don't put a premium on truth are likely doomed to failure, but even if they don't fail, they will have difficulty functioning properly. We count on our leaders to be honest with us. We count on our children to be forthcoming, etc. All these things are in some sense necessary if we are to be productive, lead meaningful lives, raise good children, and so forth.
The only thing that is alternative to a fact is something that is not a fact.
Does everyone get a pass because he or she is a product of his or her time - even Hitler?
Atwood notes in the introduction to the books latest edition that the story is not "anti-religion"; it's against the use of religion for tyrannical purposes.
The irony behind all of this branding of the women is that the Aunts are the ones dealing out the punishment, holding the cattle prods up high. Without the complicity of women none of it would have been possible. There is no clear functional reason why any woman would "buy" into any of their branding. And yet they did. The Wives and the Aunts are complicit in delivering punishment to other women to make them conform, in effect participating in their own subjugation. They betray their gender to align and connect with power in the only way that is open to them.
November 20, 2019
This essays in here that were good were really good, but some of the others were either boring, too complex or simply rehashed what earlier essays said, but with less engaging writing. One of the most interesting ones in here to me was the essay on the use of colour in the show—would highly recommend reading that one, especially if you're interested in art or design at all, or psychology of colours.
April 30, 2025
After very much enjoying the show, I just had to get this. Some really fantastic articles reflecting philosophically on the State of Gilead. I found the chapter on remixing particularly insightful, on how the powers that be pick and choose lines from the Bible, mixing them with even quotes from Marx in order to create authoritative dogma. Much of this work is strikingly relevant for the times we live in. Well worth a read.
February 16, 2019
Interesting perspectives. If you liked the book/series, you’d appreciate the analysis.
August 28, 2019
A collection of interesting essays exploring the philosophical issues raised by Attwood's classic, in mash-up with Hulu's wonderful TV series. Note - is not concerned with the events of series 3.
December 24, 2024
More like OfYikes
June 16, 2026
Quite an interesting look at Handmaids. It isn't light reading, or entertaining, but a philosophical approach to understanding a totalitarian regime and how to avoid ending up in one.
December 19, 2018
“The Handmaid’s Tale and Philosophy” analyzes a classic work of feminist science fiction from a variety of viewpoints. From Foucault to Kant, branding to Sapir-Whorf theory, Stoicism to cultural appropriation, “The Handmaid’s Tale” is filtered through these lenses to provide a new perspective on a book many read in college and many more were introduced to through the Hulu TV show. The "Handmaid's Tale" TV show is a masterpiece in visual storytelling.
“The Handmaid’s Tale” novel drew in equal parts from the rise of Islamic theocracies in the 1970s and irrational fear that conservative Christians like Phyllis Schlafly were going to erode women’s rights in the West. The first half of that has proven true in the intervening years. The second half has not and would not. In fact, they're the ones who gave women equal rights and ended slavery across the world. Yet you're seriously afraid they're going to authorize mass murder, actual rape and sex slavery?
The deliberate refusal to address the actual, real world examples akin to Gilead like Boko Haram and ISIS while smearing Christians as secretly wanting to create such horrors is beyond unfair, given that these writers are philosophers.
Failure to do so reveals their prejudices, their blindness, their power and privilege. It also enables the horrors of real oppression in the Islamic world, because they’re directing their attention and vitriol at the only group that actually spread freedom and equality through much of the world.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my opinion.
“The Handmaid’s Tale” novel drew in equal parts from the rise of Islamic theocracies in the 1970s and irrational fear that conservative Christians like Phyllis Schlafly were going to erode women’s rights in the West. The first half of that has proven true in the intervening years. The second half has not and would not. In fact, they're the ones who gave women equal rights and ended slavery across the world. Yet you're seriously afraid they're going to authorize mass murder, actual rape and sex slavery?
The deliberate refusal to address the actual, real world examples akin to Gilead like Boko Haram and ISIS while smearing Christians as secretly wanting to create such horrors is beyond unfair, given that these writers are philosophers.
Failure to do so reveals their prejudices, their blindness, their power and privilege. It also enables the horrors of real oppression in the Islamic world, because they’re directing their attention and vitriol at the only group that actually spread freedom and equality through much of the world.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my opinion.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews