Entre o real e o ficcional em O Conto da Aia: as táticas de sobrevivência e resistência na República de Gilead

Abstract

This dissertation aims to study the perspectives present in The Handmaid's Tale (1985), by Canadian author Margaret Atwood (1939–), as a literary dystopia, examining how this narrative has contributed to and continues to be impactful as a form of opposition to adverse moments, positioning itself against predominant political configurations, as well as dictatorial and totalitarian governments, constituting resistance and criticism of them, with a close link to reality. Such resistance is not occasional; it is demonstrated by the author through certain characters and the survival tactics they employ, whether passively or actively. Dystopian novels often allow questioning and reflection on the society in which we live, on present and past societies. Therefore, it is possible to perceive that dystopian works are concerned not only with the present they portray or the past they criticize, but also with the future they fear, should reality continue on the same path — which makes the genre unique, showing that, even with fantastical or supposedly unreal characteristics, it remains closer to reality than it appears. Recognizing that the work in question reflects societies of the past while also displaying characteristics of so-called "more modern societies," as a form of protest, and understanding how it accomplishes this, is fundamental to this research.