Context Flashcards
what was the family protection act?
sought to overturn the gains of women’s movements in the 70’s e.g. requiring marriage and motherhood to be taught as careers in schools
what happened in the 70’s ?
more relaxed gender roles and rise of feminist activism
what happened in the 80’s?
backlash to feminism and demanded more traditional values
who were the puritans?
a religious group who exiled anyone who threatened their ideology
why does Atwood have a personal connection with puritans?
her ancestor was in the Salem witch trials, Handmaid’s is dedicated to her
define theocracy
a system of government where leaders rule on religious ideology
what did Atwood study at Harvard?
17th century American Puritanism
why does Atwood draw parallels between Gilead and Puritanism?
she grounds Gilead in reality
why does Atwood draw on history of Puritans?
to show how history can be repeated
where is the novel set?
Cambridge, Massachusetts, one of the first places the puritans settled
what the puritan women’s dress like?
modest, plain and utilitarian (practical rather than attractive, desexualising, like Handmaid’s)
what type of fiction is Handmaid’s tale?
speculative fiction- influenced by real world events
define feminism
describes political, cultural and economic movements that aim to establish equal rights and legal protections for women
3 things that feminists campaigned for?
women’s legal rights
abortion and reproductive rights
protection from domestic violence
what was the first wave feminism?
mainly concerned with the right to vote and property rights for women
