Oppression, Storytelling, and Resistance in Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale

Abstract

Using the scholarship of James Berger, David Hogsettte, and other academics, this paper explores various contemporary issues seen throughout Bruce Miller’s TV adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel, The Handmaid’s Tale. Investigating the Hulu series through the lens of post- apocalyptic and feminist theory, this paper examines the way that the series portrays female oppression, focuses on the power of storytelling in resistance struggles, and acts as a call for action to modern society to end the oppression of women. Examining the relevance of The Handmaid’s Tale in the time of the #TimesUP and #MeToo Movements, the essay provides a new context in which to view women’s oppression in modern society.