Between the Fictional World of Gilead and Reality. An Analysis of Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" in the Context of the Abortion Law Discussion in the United States

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• 1. Introduction
• 2. The Fictional World Gilead
  • 2.1 Characteristics of Gilead as a Dystopian Society
  • 2.2 Women’s Rights
    • 2.2.1 Marthas
    • 2.2.2 Wives
    • 2.2.3 Handmaids
    • 2.2.4 Aunts
    • 2.2.5 Other Female Roles
  • 2.3 Role of Religious Ideologies and Authoritarian Structures
• 3. Analysis of The Handmaid’s Tale
  • 3.1 Main Themes
  • 3.2 Gilead and Feminist Battles
    • 3.2.1 The Second Wave of Feminism
    • 3.2.2 The Dystopia as a Reflection
• 4. Discussion of the Abortion Law in the United States
  • 4.1 Current Situation and Developments
  • 4.2 Controversies
• 5. Parallels between The Handmaid’s Tale and Today’s Abortion Law in the United States

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper examines the profound analogies between Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel, The Handmaid's Tale, and the ongoing debates surrounding abortion rights in the United States. It aims to illustrate how Gilead serves as a reflection of real social anxieties and political controversies surrounding women's reproductive rights and bodily autonomy.

• Reproductive freedom and control
• Bodily autonomy
• Religious fanaticism and its misuse for oppression
• Rigid gender roles and their consequences
• Resistance and adaptation in the face of oppression

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

Chapter 1: Introduction provides background on the overturning of Roe v. Wade and introduces the central argument: Atwood's Gilead mirrors current anxieties about abortion access in the US.

Chapter 2: The Fictional World Gilead details the dystopian society of Gilead, outlining its characteristics, the various roles and rights (or lack thereof) for women, and the intertwining of religious dogma and authoritarian control.

Chapter 3: Analysis of The Handmaid’s Tale delves into the novel's key themes, connecting them to the second-wave feminist movement and the societal climate in which the novel was written.

Chapter 4: Discussion of the Abortion Law in the United States presents an overview of the current situation regarding abortion laws in the US, highlighting recent legal developments and controversies.

Chapter 5: Parallels between The Handmaid’s Tale and Today’s Abortion Law in the United States directly compares the fictional world of Gilead with the contemporary situation in the US, focusing on the impact of restrictive abortion laws on women's reproductive rights.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The Handmaid’s Tale, Gilead, abortion rights, reproductive freedom, bodily autonomy, feminism, second-wave feminism, religious extremism, patriarchy, dystopian literature, United States, Roe v. Wade, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, resistance.