margaret atwood hails the handmaids tale protesters
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Margaret Atwood hails 'The Handmaid's Tale' protesters

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Margaret Atwood hails 'The Handmaid's Tale' protesters

Margaret Atwood, author of "The Handmaid’s Tale"
London - Arab Today

Writer Margaret Atwood on Monday celebrated the use of her literary characters as a protest symbol in the United States, with her novel "The Handmaid's Tale" reaching new audiences through a hit TV show.

More than three decades since her dystopian novel was first published, the red capes worn by fictional women forced to produce babies for elite couples have become "an immediately recognisable visual symbol" according to Atwood.

"I'm very pleased that people are able to use it in this way and that it's had the impact that it has had," the 77-year-old told an audience at London cultural hub the Southbank Centre.

While the success of the book version of "The Handmaid's Tale" has endured since it was published in 1985, it has reached new audiences through an award-winning television drama series and the unpredictable political scene under US President Donald Trump.

Those who have donned the striking clothing of Atwood's characters include a group of women who in June stood outside the US Capitol in Washington to protest the US Senate Republicans' healthcare bill.

"You have, practically, a scene from the show where a bunch of male legislators were making decisions about women with no women involved (in) making those decisions. So it's a good protest thing," said the prolific Canadian writer.

While activists have brought the fictional figures into modern-day politics, Atwood said "The Handmaid's Tale" drama series was not changed despite filming taking place during the election of Trump last year.

"(Programme makers) woke up on November 9 and said, 'We are now in a different show'. Even though nothing in the show itself had changed, it was going to be framed differently," she said.

"The Handmaid's Tale" series picked up five Emmy awards in Los Angeles last month, including best drama series, just one of Atwood's stories to make dark predictions about the future.

Her 2003 novel "Oryx and Crake" charted the destruction of the Earth by global warming, pandemics and genetic engineering. It hit the shelves shortly before the deadly outbreaks of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and bird flu, and as people increasingly became aware of climate change.

"The Handmaid's Tale" preempted the Taliban's misogynist regime in Afghanistan, although Atwood has insisted she is simply skilled at recognising recurrent themes in history.

"I don't believe that you can really predict the future, and nor do I believe that is only one inevitable 'the future'. There's a number of possible futures, how you act now can influence what future we end up getting," she told the audience in London.

Source: AFP

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

margaret atwood hails the handmaids tale protesters margaret atwood hails the handmaids tale protesters

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

margaret atwood hails the handmaids tale protesters margaret atwood hails the handmaids tale protesters

 



GMT 11:40 2018 Friday ,05 January

Zuckerberg makes 'fixing' Facebook a personal goal

GMT 01:05 2014 Thursday ,13 February

Flora

GMT 21:50 2017 Wednesday ,25 October

Abdullah bin Zayed visits WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017

GMT 16:33 2017 Tuesday ,04 July

Hany Ramzy happy for positive reactions

GMT 20:11 2018 Wednesday ,05 December

EU wants INF Treaty 'preserved and fully implemented'

GMT 21:01 2018 Sunday ,25 November

Oil prices plummet amid U.S. drilling rigs down

GMT 13:01 2016 Sunday ,28 August

China's Top 500 Firms Report First Revenue Decline

GMT 04:46 2014 Thursday ,11 December

Taliban suicide blast kills 6 Afghan soldiers in Kabul

GMT 11:10 2018 Wednesday ,17 January

MP Hariri welcomes Sho

GMT 14:01 2017 Thursday ,14 December

Lebanon-Syria border crossing to reopen

GMT 00:58 2017 Friday ,27 October

President issues on Thursday several decrees

GMT 14:29 2016 Saturday ,15 October

Modi, Putin sign defence deals ahead of BRICS

GMT 04:43 2017 Thursday ,23 November

President stresses upon capacity building of teachers

GMT 10:50 2017 Thursday ,01 June

Sultan Qaboos Mosque to open in A'Suwaiq
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday