BLESSED ARE THE BOLD

by Karine Imroth 

In a dystopian future, women no longer have the right to be who they are or do what they want to. Transformed into actual slaves in the fictional Republic of Gilead, fertile women are now handmaidens obliged to give birth. The institutional rape is the basis of the authoritarian theocracy that now takes place in the United States of America. And for the infertile women, there are only three other choices: being a housekeeper, a Commander's wife or an aunt (which means training the handmaidens).

Oh, wait… Did I say choice?

Oh, no… Absolutely not!

No… Not even close.

You’ll see no choice in Gilead, whatsoever.

I mean, except for the only possible one: fighting against all this disgusting madness!

This is the plot of The Handmaid's Tale, an American television series, based on the 1985 novel of the same name, by the Canadian writer Margaret Atwood. Created by Bruce Miller, it stars Elisabeth Moss, Samira Wiley, Joseph Fiennes, and Alexis Bledel. The series was launched in April this year and has already received critical acclaim and won eight Primetime Emmy Awards from thirteen nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series. These prizes only elucidate how much pretty everyone should be watching it.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to read the novel yet, but I’m definitely looking forward to it, as should you! The series explores many meaningful themes, that unfortunately still are a threat to our daily lives. Religious fundamentalism, political censorship and oppression, sexism and gender roles… Being a woman I can’t say it was easy to watch so much tragedy, but at the same time, I felt strong knowing that when united women can retrieve anything. Either way, I wonder when will humanity be able to surpass it all.

“Now I'm awake to the world. I was asleep before. That's how we let it happen. When they slaughtered Congress, we didn't wake up. When they blamed terrorists and suspended the Constitution, we didn't wake up then, either. Nothing changes instantaneously. In a gradually heating bathtub, you'd be boiled to death before you knew it.” – Offred in episode one.

Because blessed are the bold that never fall asleep.