AN INTERSECTIONAL FEMINIST STUDY OF THE HANDMAID'S TALE BY MARGARET ATWOOD

Abstract

This study is an attempt to explore the relationship between gender identity, body troubles, and societal frameworks in the dystopian story written by Margaret Atwood from an intersectional feminist perspective. This research sheds light on the many dimensions of oppression, resistance, and identity negotiation in speculative futures by critically analyzing The Handmaid's Tale. The study focuses on the intricate connections between gender, race, class, and other intersecting identities in creating characters' experiences of physical issues and societal oppression, using Kimberle Crenshaw's intersectional feminist paradigm. The researcher employs textual analysis as a research approach to scrutinize the significance and framework of the methodology employed in the chosen work. This analysis highlights the importance of gendered experiences in dystopian societies. It examines how characters in these societies navigate oppressive norms and defy societal expectations based on their intersecting identities. The analysis also reveals the complex struggles for bodily autonomy and agency in oppressive environments, illustrating how power structures control bodies and limit personal freedoms. Furthermore, the study rigorously examines the absence of certain information within the narratives, emphasizing the necessity for additional investigation into suppressed intersectional experiences, namely those pertaining to race and oppressed backgrounds. This research enhances feminist literary scholarship by providing a thorough intersectional examination of Atwood's dystopian work. This work exposes the intricacies of power relations, opposition, and the process of defining oneself within imagined realms, thereby facilitating more profound conversations within the realms of feminist theory, literature, and social analysis.