The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood that was first published in 1985. Atwood envisions a totalitarian and theocratic state where women’s roles are constrained and violent oppression keeps the order in place. A sequel to The Handmaid's Tale, The Testaments, was published in 2019. Explore a character analysis of the narrator Offred, plot summary, and important quotes.

Summary

Read a Plot Overview of The Handmaid's Tale or a chapter by chapter Summary and Analysis.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in The Handmaid’s Tale and in-depth analyses of Offred, The Commander, Serena Joy, Moira, Luke, and Aunt Lydia.

Main Ideas

Here's where you'll find analysis of The Handmaid's Tale as a whole, from the major themes and ideas to analysis of style, tone, point of view, and more.

Quotes

Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of The Handmaid's Tale by reading these key quotes.

Further Study

Test your knowledge of The Handmaid's Tale with our quizzes and study questions, or go further with essays on context, background, and movie adaptations, plus links to the best resources around the web.

Section Quizzes

Writing Help

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The Handmaid's Tale: The Graphic Novel

 
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