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Abortion In The Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood

1673 Words7 Pages

The stigma associated with having an abortion has been a significant problem for women considering getting one because it is a contentious and emotive subject. It has caused mass debates, arguments, and even legality issues over the subject. Although abortion is legal in many nations, social and cultural attitudes toward it have led to prejudice and discrimination against those who choose to have it. The topic of abortion is something that is so widely recognized, that almost everyone has an opinion on it. These views are often very black and white, meaning they are either for or against abortion. This also means that once people choose a side, it is not often that they change their mind on the subject. That is why trying to have a neutral …show more content…

This has caused many to draw connections between the current political state of Abortion and the novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood. The fundamental theme of Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel is the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion in the United States. The Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian and theocratic nation where women have been deprived of their rights and are made to play subordinate roles, is the setting for the book. In this society, women are compelled to carry children for wealthy men, and the state regulates reproductive rights. The work serves as a warning tale of what can occur if reproductive rights are curtailed or eliminated totally. The connections to the real-life political fight over abortion rights eerily depict that of the novel. The significance of safeguarding reproductive rights and resisting efforts to restrict access is emphasized throughout Atwood's …show more content…

It is an emotionally charged subject, making it challenging to maintain objectivity. Despite the fact that abortion is legal in many nations, social and cultural beliefs about it might result in prejudice towards those who choose to have one. Many states are terrified that they may now outlaw safe abortions as a result of the recent Roe v. Wade decision. The Handmaid's story by Margaret Atwood serves as a cautionary story of what can happen if reproductive rights are restricted or abolished entirely. Last but not least, as shown by the case study conducted in Romania, the decision to have an abortion is influenced by a range of factors, including social, economic, legal, ethical, moral, and religious dimensions. As a result, it's crucial to approach conversations about abortion with compassion, openness, and knowledge of the various concerns and points of view that surround the

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255 Words | 2 Pages

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1692 Words | 7 Pages

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Essay On Handmaid's Tale By Margaret Atwood

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1126 Words | 5 Pages

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346 Words | 2 Pages

Rachel Roth begins this article by examining the historical components of reproductive rights and fetal rights in this country. She then explains that the history of the two have created the now issue that women face in around the topic of abortion. She explains that the long struggles of abortion have led to fetal rights. “This idea has served to punish women in nontraditional behavior than to protect their children, while reinforcing the idea that women’s bodies are and should be public property” (Roth, 322). Meaning, the concept of fetal rights has begun to take its own course of action, which in the process has decreased the rights of the woman.

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The Supreme Court Case That Changed My Life

1139 Words | 5 Pages

Before the Supreme Court case that changed lives forever, there were many women that went back behind their husbands or their parents to have an abortion on the account of rape or incest. They gave abortions in an interesting way long with the risk of being disowned forever and tried for a cause of illegal abortions. In the 1960’s women were not allowed to walk into an abortion clinic or doctor’s office and get an abortion. “There was no federal law regulating abortions, and many states had banned the practice entirely, except when the life of the mother was endangered.”

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Gender Inequality And Family Structures In The Handmaid's Tale

991 Words | 4 Pages

Atwood’s efforts to bridge the reader’s mind from the novel to their own life to deepen their understanding is shown with the legacy The Handmaid’s Tale left, with a significant example being, “The handmaid protest costume embodies the complex interplay between Utopia and dystopia that has been unfolding in recent years (Birkin).” The social commentary prominent within the novel allowed for movements based on the handmaid's symbolism. As expressed, responses to political happenings such as The Cold War and the rise of fundamentalism in the west allowed for the further development of feminist themes within the

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721 Words | 3 Pages

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787 Words | 4 Pages

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826 Words | 4 Pages

This new realisation on Gilad has brought her to write a critical piece on the modern society and Atwood’s novel, the Handmaid’s Tale has already come true – just not for white western women. This title already shows the path and point she is making. ‘The handmaid’s tale has already come true’ however many don’t live these lives, most don’t know the little choices socially

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988 Words | 4 Pages

In the 1980s, United States was experiencing the rise of conservatism. Under the presidency of Ronald Reagan, conservative religious groups were gaining popularity. In response to the social and political landscape, Canadian author Margaret Atwood published a fictional novel The Handmaid’s Tale in 1986; a genre of dystopian novels. The storyline projects an imaginary futuristic world where society lives under oppression and illusion of a utopian society maintained through totalitarian control. Dystopian novels often focus on current social government trends and show an exaggeration of what happens if the trends are taken too far.

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