Margaret Atwood: Supreme Court Ruling | Handmaid’s Tale | Book to Movie & TV | Atwood’s Other Books

In June 2022 Margaret Atwood posted a short but powerful message on her Instagram feed following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and it still resonates today in 2024. The post is just a simple photo of Margaret Atwood sitting on a porch holding a coffee mug with the caption of the photo reading “Coffee in Nova Scotia with appropriately sloganed coffee cup…,” Appropriately, the graphic on the mug simply states “I Told You So”.

Supreme Court Ruling

On June 24, 2022 it was announced that Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision of 1973 that granted women the right to an abortion in every state, had been overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. Here is the text of the US Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade

• “The 6-to-3 ruling reverses nearly 50 years of precedent and will completely change the landscape of women’s reproductive rights by giving individual states the power to decide whether to allow the procedure.”

The Handmaid’s Tale

Atwood’s dystopian novel, set in what was previously the United States, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” unfurls a horrifying narrative where women have been stripped of power, free will, and control over their bodies. In this nightmarish society of the Republic of Gilead, Handmaids are abducted, subjected to brutal reconditioning, forced into slavery, and compelled to bear the children of their rapists for barren, upper-class couples.

As we traverse the bleak landscape of Gilead through Atwood’s incisive prose, the oppressive reality faced by Offred, our courageous protagonist, becomes an unsettling reflection of the darkest facets of human nature. Offred’s vivid descriptions of the Ceremony and the stark conditions endured by the Handmaids draw readers into a world where the unimaginable has become a terrifying reality, echoing with eerie parallels to our own societal challenges.

Atwood’s narrative voice and the novel’s chilling relevance elevate “The Handmaid’s Tale” beyond the confines of genre, making it an essential exploration of power, control, and the price of complacency.

Book to Movie

In 1990, “The Handmaid’s Tale” movie, featuring a stellar cast including Natasha Richardson as Kate, Faye Dunaway as Serena Joy, Aidan Quinn as Nick, Elizabeth McGovern as Moira, and Robert Duvall as the Commander, brought Margaret Atwood’s dystopian vision to the silver screen. Directed by Volker Schlöndorff, the film explores a society where women are subjugated and reduced to reproductive vessels. Natasha Richardson’s portrayal of Kate, the Handmaid resisting the oppressive regime, stands out with a poignant performance. Faye Dunaway channels her iconic “Mommy Dearest” character, adding a layer of chilling authority to the character of Serena Joy. The uncomfortable age gap between Robert Duvall and Natasha Richardson further intensifies the eerie atmosphere, contributing to the film’s exploration of gender, autonomy, and the consequences of unchecked authority. Despite some challenges in fully capturing Atwood’s intricate nuances, the movie remains a thought-provoking examination of societal control and the disturbing repercussions of power.

Book to TV Series

The 2017 adaptation of “The Handmaid’s Tale” as a TV series, starring Elisabeth Moss and premiering on Hulu, masterfully brings Margaret Atwood’s dystopian narrative to the small screen. Moss’s portrayal of June Osborne, later known as Offred, is nothing short of exceptional, capturing the profound complexities and struggles of a woman navigating a totalitarian society where women are reduced to mere vessels for reproduction. The series delves deep into the horrors of Gilead, exploring themes of power, resistance, and the relentless pursuit of freedom. The supporting cast, including Joseph Fiennes as Fred Waterford, Yvonne Strahovski as Serena Joy Waterford, Ann Dowd as Aunt Lydia, and Max Minghella as Nick adds depth to the narrative. The show adeptly expands on Atwood’s source material, providing a visually striking and emotionally charged adaptation that resonates with contemporary audiences. With its powerful performances, meticulous world-building, and unflinching exploration of societal issues, “The Handmaid’s Tale” TV series stands as a haunting and thought-provoking piece of storytelling.

That year, Atwood told People Magazine that she never intended for the book to be prophetic. “There’s a precedent in real life for everything in the book,” she told PEOPLE. “I decided not to put anything in that somebody somewhere hadn’t already done. But you write these books so they won’t come true.”

Atwood’s Other Work

Margaret Atwood is the author of more than fifty books of fiction, poetry and critical essays. Her novels include Cat’s Eye, The Robber Bride, Alias Grace, The Blind Assassin and the MaddAddam trilogy. Her 1985 classic, The Handmaid’s Tale, went back into the bestseller charts with the election of Donald Trump, when the Handmaids became a symbol of resistance against the disempowerment of women, and with the 2017 release of the award-winning Channel 4 TV series. ‘Her sequel, The Testaments, was published in 2019. It was an instant international bestseller and won the Booker Prize.’ Click here to see her catalogue of books.